HB440 - Relating to requiring certain alert messages to be in English and Spanish.

  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.