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Read. Follow. Verify.Texas grants emergency management agency power to declare local disasters and order evacuations
Last action · August 15, 2025: FiledSponsors: Sarah Eckhardt and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
The Texas Division of Emergency Management can now monitor local conditions, declare a local state of disaster if local officials are unavailable during imminent harm, and order mandatory evacuations or control area access. The measure also increases criminal penalties for certain offenses committed in disaster areas or under emergency evacuation orders, taking effect on the 91st day after the legislative session ends.
Local residents face potential mandatory evacuation orders and movement restrictions issued directly by a state agency rather than elected local officials, while criminal offenses committed in designated disaster zones face escalated penalties.
- The Texas Division of Emergency Management operates as part of the Texas A&M University System and coordinates state emergency response and disaster recovery operations. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Texas Division of Emergency Management
The division gains new supervisory authority to monitor localities, issue local disaster declarations, and order mandatory evacuations.
Local government officials in Texas
Local leaders are subject to state intervention and oversight if they do not respond promptly during imminent disaster conditions.
Residents in Texas political subdivisions
Residents face potential mandatory evacuation orders from a state agency and increased criminal penalties for offenses committed in disaster areas.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can local officials cancel a disaster declaration made by the state?
How long can a state-declared local disaster last without local approval?
What happens to criminal penalties in a designated disaster area?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the Senate · in the House.
Procedural history
2 actions- Aug 15, 2025SenateIntroducedFiled
- Aug 15, 2025SenateReceived by the Secretary of the Senate
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Centralization of Emergency Powers
The legislation shifts traditional local disaster declaration and evacuation authorities toward a centralized state agency.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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