bill requiring emergency alerts in English and Spanish

The text as introduced · 667 words

89R1979 RDR-D

By: Morales of Harris
H.B. No. 440

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring certain alert messages to be in English and

Spanish.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.218(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) Each institution of higher education and private or

independent institution of higher education shall establish an

emergency alert system for the institution's students and staff,

including faculty. The emergency alert system must use e-mail or

telephone notifications in addition to any other alert method the

institution considers appropriate to provide timely notification

of emergencies affecting the institution or its students and staff.

Information provided through the emergency alert system must be in

English and Spanish.

SECTION 2. Section 411.306, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.306. CONTENT OF POWER OUTAGE ALERT. The power

outage alert must be in English and Spanish and include a statement

that electricity customers may experience a power outage.

SECTION 3. Section 411.352, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.352. STATEWIDE AMERICA'S MISSING: BROADCAST

EMERGENCY RESPONSE (AMBER) ALERT SYSTEM FOR ABDUCTED CHILDREN AND

MISSING PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. With the

cooperation of the Texas Department of Transportation, the office

of the governor, and other appropriate law enforcement agencies in

this state, the department shall develop and implement a statewide

alert system to be activated on behalf of an abducted child or a

missing person with an intellectual disability. The department

shall require that the information provided through the alert

system, including information sent through text messages or

displayed on dynamic message signs, be in English and Spanish.

SECTION 4. Section 411.372, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.372. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ALERT

SYSTEM. With the cooperation of the Texas Department of

Transportation, the office of the governor, and other appropriate

law enforcement agencies in this state, the department shall

develop and implement an alert system to be activated on report of

an active shooter. The department shall require that the

information provided through the alert system, including

information sent through text messages or displayed on dynamic

message signs, be in English and Spanish.

SECTION 5. Section 411.388, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.388. CONTENT OF SILVER ALERT. The alert must be

in English and Spanish and include:

(1) all appropriate information that is provided by

the local law enforcement agency and that may lead to the safe

recovery of the missing senior citizen or person with Alzheimer's

disease; and

(2) a statement instructing any person with

information related to the missing senior citizen or person with

Alzheimer's disease to contact a local law enforcement agency.

SECTION 6. Section 411.448, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.448. CONTENT OF ALERT. The alert must be in

English and Spanish and include:

(1) all appropriate information that is provided by

the law enforcement agency under Section 411.446 and that may lead

to the apprehension of the missing suspect; and

(2) a statement instructing any person with

information related to the missing suspect to contact a law

enforcement agency.

SECTION 7. Section 411.468, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 411.468. CONTENT OF ALERT. The alert must be in

English and Spanish and include:

(1) all appropriate information that may lead to the

safe recovery of the missing adult, as determined by the

department; and

(2) a statement instructing any person with

information related to the missing adult to contact a local or state

law enforcement agency.

SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas,

and each institution of higher education and private or independent

institution of higher education, as those terms are defined by

Section 61.003, Education Code, shall adopt rules to implement the

changes in law made by this Act.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.