Bill Caption

Relating to the purchase of food and beverages by the Texas Division of Emergency Management for certain division personnel.

Fiscal Notes

Bill Analysis

House Bill 120 would amend the Government Code to allow the Texas Division of Emergency Management to use appropriated funds to purchase food and beverages for division personnel who are activated to provide services in response to a disaster and unable to leave or required to remain at their assigned areas due to the disaster.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Because the Texas Division of Emergency Management sends personnel in response to disasters. Due to conditions in the disaster area and the amount of work to be done, disaster response personnel sometimes have to remain at their assigned location for a number of hours. It seems within the scope of a limited, responsible government to allow the division to provide to their disaster response team a reasonable lunch or dinner if they are not allowed to go and buy it for themselves.

Additionally, the fiscal note indicates that the costs associated with providing this authority could be absorbed within existing resources.

As a consequence, we support House Bill 120.