Texas Flood Safety Initiative: New Committee Set to Tour Kerr County for Disaster Preparedness

House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows recently announced the composition of a joint Disaster Preparedness and Flooding Committee, appointing nine state representatives—six Republicans and three Democrats. This formation comes in response to the catastrophic floods that impacted Central Texas over the July Fourth weekend. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick previously designated nine state senators to the committee. Their inaugural meeting is slated for July 23 in Austin, followed by another in Kerrville on July 31 to address local flood-related issues. Both Burrows and Patrick emphasise the importance of collaborative efforts to devise effective solutions. Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) will chair the committee, with Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco) serving as vice-chair, supported by other representatives. Tragically, as of July 15, at least 134 fatalities were reported, with over 100 individuals missing, as the Guadalupe River surged dramatically. Lawmakers will reconvene on July 21 to discuss urgent legislation concerning flood response systems and disaster relief, a matter pending since the regular session.