Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and preparedness and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

BILL ANALYSIS

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 5 establishes a framework for funding the response to, and recovery from, the catastrophic storms that struck the Central Texas region in July 2025. S.B. 5 seeks to makes supplemental appropriations for disaster relief.

Specifically, S.B. 5 includes $200 million to cover the projected 25 percent non-federal matching funds for FEMA reimbursement; $50 million for the purchase of sirens, rain gauges, and other equipment in the Central Texas flood region; $24 million to develop enhanced atmospheric measurement and modeling techniques; and $20 million toward a new swift water training facility.

As proposed, S.B. 5 amends current law relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: FEMA MATCH AND DISASTER FUNDS. Provides that the amount of $200,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor (governor's office) for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used to match federal money received related to disaster response, relief, and recovery and for the disaster needs of this state in a manner consistent with Strategy A.1.1, Disaster Funds, as listed in Chapter 1170 (H.B. 1), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the General Appropriations Act), and Chapter 1185 (S.B. 1), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025 (the General Appropriations Act).

SECTION 2. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: LOCAL GRANTS. Provides that the amount of $50,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the governor's office for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for the purpose of making grants to assist counties, municipalities, or other local governments operating within certain counties, as provided by the governor's declaration of disaster on July 4, 2025, regarding a heavy rainfall and flooding event and the subsequent amendments to that declaration, in establishing and implementing a system of flood warning sirens and flood gauges and purchasing other related equipment.

SECTION 3. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: METEOROLOGICAL FORECASTING. Provides that the amount of $24,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the governor's office for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for the purpose of providing disaster preparedness grants for enhanced atmospheric measurement and modeling techniques to improve meteorological forecasting, enhance weather intelligence and forecasting accuracy, and improve flood management and timeliness of flood warnings.

SECTION 4. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: SWIFT WATER TRAINING FACILITY. Provides that the amount of $20,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the governor's office for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for the purpose of providing grants to the Harris Fort Bend Emergency Services District No. 100 for a swift water training facility for operation and rescue to prepare first responders.

SECTION 5. LIMITATION, REPORTING, AND TRANSFER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACTS APPLY. Provides that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the provisions relating to limitations, reporting, or transfer of Chapter 1170 (H.B. 1), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the General Appropriations Act), and Chapter 1185 (S.B. 1), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025 (the General Appropriations Act), apply to the appropriations made by this Act.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. (a) Effective date, subject Subsection (b) of this section: the later of the earliest date on which it is authorized to take effect under Section 14 (Approval or Veto of Bills; Return and Reconsideration; Failure to Return; Veto of Items of Appropriation), Article IV (Executive Department), Texas Constitution, or September 1, 2025.

(b) Provides that this Act takes effect only if it receives a vote of two-thirds of the members present in each house of the legislature, as provided by Section 49-g(m) (relating to authorizing the legislature, by a two-thirds vote of the members present in each house, to appropriate amounts from the economic stabilization fund at any time and for any purpose), Article III (Legislative Department), Texas Constitution.