AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the nine senators — seven Republicans, two Democrats — who will serve on the recently announced Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding.
Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, will serve as chair of the committee, which will meet in Austin for the first time on July 23. He will be joined by Sens. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, César Blanco, D-El Paso, Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, Adam Hinojosa, R-Corpus Christi, Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, José Menéndez, D-San Antonio and Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown.
After the first hearing at the Capitol, Patrick said a subsequent hearing will take place in Kerrville, Texas, July 31 for residents of the area to testify before the committee.
Gov. Greg Abbott added multiple flood-related items to the special session agenda, including increasing disaster preparedness and improving emergency alert systems. No such bills have been filed at the time of publication, but officials have said in the days since the flood that they wanted legislators to investigate the best course of action before announcing specific legislation.
Bettencourt previously announced he would file a bill at the “earliest opportunity” to create flood warning sirens in areas more prone to flooding in river valleys.