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Potter County debate over House Bill 33 PIO duties ends without committee
Summary
Commissioners debated whether to form a committee to study implementation of Texas House Bill 33, which requires trained public information officers (PIOs) for county emergency response; a motion to create the study committee failed and staff will research obligations and report back.
Commissioner Schaffer urged the court to create a committee to study how Potter County should meet Texas House Bill 33’s requirements for public information officers during emergencies, saying the law addresses communication failures identified after Uvalde.
“House bill 33 requires training, certification, continuing education, and accountability because the legislation recognized the communication failure creates confusion, fear, and loss of public trust,” Commissioner Schaffer said. He described the PIO role as part of emergency response that must give fast, accurate, reliable information during incidents and recommended a committee including commissioners, the sheriff’s office, county attorneys, IT, HR and auditing.
Other commissioners and the sheriff raised practical concerns about staffing and training burdens. One commissioner noted existing staff frequently perform PIO duties and warned the county could not afford a new employee. The sheriff and county staff said current personnel often handle media and that the county already has a memorandum of understanding with the city’s Office of Emergency Management for joint statements.
A motion to create a committee to formalize PIO designations and training was made and seconded but failed on a voice/hand vote. The court directed county staff to research statutory obligations and training availability, and to return with recommendations.
The debate touched on training logistics: commissioners noted the PIO certification involves a 40‑hour course with ongoing recertification and that slots can be limited; staff said they would check for potential grants or cooperative options. No new hires or final structural decisions were made at the meeting.
