AUSTIN, Texas – Texas lawmakers met on Wednesday to address deadly flooding in the Hill Country and Central Texas for the first time in the special legislative session.
The joint committee discussed the state’s response to the flooding on July 4, disaster preparations and flood infrastructure.
The committee was assembled by Gov. Greg Abbott, who called a special session in the days following the deadly flooding over the Fourth of July weekend.
Flood warning systems, disaster preparation and recovery, and funding are just some items on lawmakers’ agenda for the overtime session.
TheTXLoop sat down with state Sen. Pete Flores, the vice chair of the new joint committee, as well as state Rep. Wes Virdell, who is also on the committee and lives in Kerrville, on Monday.
To all the residents who live along the Guadalupe River, Virdell said there is one obvious priority.
“Mainly cell phone service,” Virdell said. “Down in that area, there’s almost no cell phone services. And so, it was hard the morning of the 4th, trying to communicate with the camps and with residents. Like, there was almost no communication.”
A special session can last up to 30 days, during which state lawmakers are limited to addressing only the items specified by the governor. Abbott can call more special sessions if he deems necessary.
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