AUSTIN, Texas – A bill filed after the devastating July 4 Texas Hill Country floods, which aims to install outdoor warning sirens in areas with a history of flash flooding, has passed the Texas Senate.
Senate Bill 2, filed by Houston-area State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, passed the Texas Senate in a unanimous 29-0 vote Tuesday.
Recommended Videos
The bill had been designated a priority bill by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during the special session. Bettencourt says it aims to address a critical public safety gap in Central Texas’ “Flash Flood Alley” where riverside youth camps, RV parks, and recreational areas are highly vulnerable to flash flooding, often lacking reliable cellular service for emergency alerts.
Here are the key provisions of SB 2:
- Risk Identification — Requires the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to identify areas with a history of severe flooding, including locations with prior fatalities, dense residential or recreational activity, and other risk factors.
- Local Implementation — Directs counties and municipalities, based on jurisdiction, to install, operate, and maintain outdoor flood sirens under TWDB rules.
- Grant Program — Establishes a state-funded grant program, appropriated through Senate Bill 3, to assist with installation and maintenance costs. Administered by the Office of the Governor, with flexibility for agency delegation to streamline implementation.
- Minimum Standards — Sets requirements for:
- Siren equipment and operations;
- Backup power systems independent from the primary grid;
- Emergency activation protocols.
Initial cost estimates developed in coordination with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) project a $50 million capital investment to install sirens in priority zones
“Testimony after testimony confirms, flood warning sirens are proven, effective, and can save lives immediately.” Senator Bettencourt concluded. “By getting folks to higher ground, an opinion stated by Senator Perry in his unanimous passage of SB 1 today.”
The bill will now head to the Texas House.