Sec. 418.002. PURPOSES. The purposes of this chapter are to:

(1) reduce vulnerability of people and communities of this state to damage, injury, and loss of life and property resulting from natural or man-made catastrophes, riots, or hostile military or paramilitary action;

(2) prepare for prompt and efficient rescue, care, and treatment of persons victimized or threatened by disaster;

(3) provide a setting conducive to the rapid and orderly restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property affected by disasters;

(4) clarify and strengthen the roles of the governor, state agencies, the judicial branch of state government, and local governments in prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from disasters;

(5) authorize and provide for cooperation in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery;

(6) authorize and provide for coordination of activities relating to disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery by agencies and officers of this state, and similar state-local, interstate, federal-state, and foreign activities in which the state and its political subdivisions may participate;

(7) provide an emergency management system embodying all aspects of predisaster preparedness and postdisaster response;

(8) assist in mitigation of disasters caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for and regulation of public and private facilities and land use;

(9) encourage state agencies, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, private entities, and individuals to adopt the goals of the strategic plan of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from a disaster that emphasize cooperation among federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, private entities, and individuals in each activity or project undertaken to ensure that this state is prepared to effectively respond to and recover from a disaster; and

(10) provide the authority and mechanism to respond to an energy emergency.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 992, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1280 (H.B. 1831), Sec. 5.03, eff. June 19, 2009.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1281 (H.B. 1861), Sec. 3, eff. June 19, 2009.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 286 (H.B. 2340), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.