Bill seeks to bolster firefighting efforts amid a worsening climate
AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs heard testimony Monday on a bill that would bolster firefighting efforts and better prepare the state for future blazes.
State Sen. Kevin Sparks, R-Midland, filed Senate Bill 34 to address issues discovered in an investigation conducted in the months following the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the most destructive fire in the state's history. In part, investigators found that rural volunteer fire departments were underfunded.
'Despite the heroic efforts of volunteer firefighters, response times were hindered by a lack of timely air support and poor communication between agencies' responders, largely due to incompatible equipment,' Sparks said.
Sparks' bill increases the funding cap for the Texas Rural Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) Assistance Program. Run by the Texas A&M Forest Service, the program provides rural volunteer fire departments with funds to purchase firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry hydrants, computer systems and firefighter training.
Sparks said the bill increases the funding cap for that program from $30 million to $40 million.
'This will ensure volunteer fire departments, which cover more than 85% of the state's land, receive the necessary resources to prepare for and respond to increasingly severe fire seasons,' Sparks said.
The bill would also require more inspections of power lines, which ignited the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
'Wildfires started by power lines have been among the most destructive in the region between 2002 and 2024,' he said.
Austin Firefighter Association President Bob Nicks said he is heartened by the prospect of more funds being pumped into rural volunteer fire departments.
'These folks are your real heroes in the state of Texas when it comes to firefighting,' said Nicks, who was a battalion chief for 37 years. 'Funding is a constant issue.'
'Their job is harder than ever with the advent of increased wildfires,' he continued. 'Any funds that go to volunteer departments in Texas will definitely provide them the support that will help them do their job better.'
Nicks said, every year, conditions worsen, increasing the risk of larger and more intense fires. He said it has never been more important to have competent and committed firefighters.
'They need to be well-trained and have the right equipment,' he said. 'These community heroes really need the support, and I'm glad that legislators are looking after them.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
What Texas lawmakers did after the state's largest wildfire
LUBBOCK — Texas lawmakers approved a series of bills this year that aim to better prepare Texas for wildfires and to mitigate their damage. The legislation includes a study on wildfire risk zones, increasing funding for rural volunteer fire departments, and creating a statewide inventory of firefighting equipment that is accessible to all fire departments in Texas. The legislative package was inspired by the state's largest wildfire in history. The Smokehouse Creek fire scorched more than 1 million acres in the Panhandle and killed three people. A special House committee was formed following the fires to investigate the cause and make legislative recommendations. Senate Bill 34, filed by state Sen. Kevin Sparks, R-Midland, is the most sweeping proposal. It includes a study on fuel loads, which is material that is likely to catch fire in a specific area, such as dry grass or vegetation. The study would also establish wildfire risk zones for residents, homes and businesses. The bill also creates a statewide database of firefighting equipment and increases funding to volunteer fire departments in areas at high risk for large wildfires. Rep. Ken King, a Republican who lives in Canadian where much of the damage from the wildfires took place, co-sponsored the bill. King led the House committee that investigated the fires and later released a detailed report about the disaster. 'We took a lot of testimony, and a lot of work went on to do what's right for our volunteer firefighters,' King said. 'Senate Bill 34 combines several volunteer firefighter priorities.' The bill requires that at least 10% of the money in the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance program go to volunteer fire departments in areas at high risk for large wildfires. Texas A&M Forest Service and West Texas A&M University will launch a study to determine wildfire risk zones based on fuel loads of flammable material like vegetation. Most of the wildfires that burned through the Panhandle started when power lines came into contact with dry vegetation. The Smokehouse Creek fire started when a rotten utility pole snapped and the power lines landed on dry grass. The bill requires that researchers consider several factors when determining these risk zones, including the projected loss of life, property and natural resources should a wildfire occur in the zone and the financial impact of costs associated with recovering after a wildfire. This study is due by Dec. 1, 2026, and would be submitted to the governor, lieutenant governor, and the Legislature. 'Constant wildfire threats that require preparation, coordination, and resources is the most pressing issue for the Panhandle,' Sparks said in a previous statement. Another recommendation from the House committee report was the statewide inventory of firefighting equipment that is available during a wildfire. According to the report, there was an uncoordinated response between responding agencies during the Panhandle fires, and a lack of knowledge about what equipment agencies had and what was needed. Texas A&M Forest Service, the state agency that manages Texas' forests and natural resources, will operate and maintain the database. Fire departments will be able to see equipment descriptions, search by location and equipment types, and have contact information for fire departments listed in the database. Volunteer stations will also have access to the inventory. One of King's bills also addresses what he and other lawmakers have deemed a regulatory 'no man's land,' as state agencies lacked the authority to inspect power lines at oilfield well sites and facilities. Lawmakers identified this as a problem after the investigative committee concluded that unmaintained electrical lines for oilfield equipment started the Smokehouse Creek Fire and others in that same week. Data from the Forest Service shows power lines have caused roughly 60% of fires throughout the Panhandle since 2006. Under King's bill, the Railroad Commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry, will notify the Public Utility Commission when it identifies substandard power lines at well sites or at other facilities used for oil and gas production. The notification must include a description of the condition and whether the well is abandoned. The Railroad Commission must also notify the landowner. The two agencies will then work together to request that a state fire marshal or local authority to inspect the site, and request that the electric service provider disconnect service. While the Legislature made a lot of progress toward improving the state's response to wildfires, one bill that failed to pass would have created a statewide network to connect all first responders and state agencies. House Bill 13, by King, sought to create the Texas Interoperability Council, which would be tasked with the implementation of a statewide plan for emergency communication use. The proposal was praised by first responders during the legislative process. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd testified to lawmakers in March that it was the 'boldest move' he's seen in his career. That bill passed the House in April, but was not taken up by the Senate. Disclosure: Texas A&M University and West Texas A&M University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bill to require Texas illegal immigration impact study dies
AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's been nearly 20 years since Texas last studied the impact of mass deportations, and there's no plan to revisit the effort anytime soon. As the federal government continues widespread deportations of undocumented immigrants and workers, a bill that would have required an annual study of the effect unauthorized migrants have on the state has died. Senate Bill 825 would have required a biennial report cataloging the economic, environmental and financial impacts of illegal immigration. The governor's office could have contracted with a state or federal agency, a nonprofit or an institution of higher education to conduct the research. In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn released the first, and last, comprehensive study on unauthorized workers' impact on the state's finances. Undocumented immigrants in Texas generated 'more taxes and other revenue than the state spends on them,' the study found. Employing undocumented workers in Texas is illegal, but rarely enforced Back then, 31% of undocumented immigrants worked in the service industry, followed by 19% in construction. The study found a quarter of all farm workers were undocumented. Deporting 1.4 million undocumented workers would have dropped gross state product by $17.7 billion with the state unable to fully recover the loss of labor over a 20-year period, according to the report. Today, the American Immigration Council, estimates Texas has more than two million undocumented immigrants making up 9% of the workforce. The AIC estimates 27% of construction workers, 17% of agriculture workers and 11% of manufacturing jobs in the state are done by undocumented workers. But, without official data, the exact numbers are hard to know. EXPLORE: KXAN's Undocumented investigative series Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller previously acknowledged 'we don't have the data,' but said, 'using cowboy logic,' he didn't foresee much economic damage from a spike in immigration enforcement — at least not for farming, which his office oversees. 'I'm not advocating spending a lot of tax dollars on it,' Miller told KXAN last month when asked if the state should revisit the issue and once again study the economic impact. 'The private industry is moving so fast I don't know that they could even catch them at this point. So, at some point, it would be nice to at least get 20 years [of] updated [data] and see what we've got. And, I think we could do that…with pretty reasonable research.' Miller credited automation and new technology for lessening the need to hire undocumented farm workers. Amid ongoing reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on businesses and job sites around the country a KXAN investigation previously found the federal government has focused far more on going after migrants than the bosses who hire and pay them. SB 825 passed the Senate but never made it to a floor vote in the House. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
On final day of session, Gov. Abbott vetoes Botox patient safety bill filed after KXAN investigation
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed legislation which aimed to enhance Botox patient safety and transparency Monday, calling the measure 'unnecessary and overly-burdensome' for business in Texas. Senate Bill 378 would have prohibited barbers, cosmetologists and estheticians from administering Botox and other injectables unless they were licensed or authorized to give the shots. The measure would also have given the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation more disciplinary authority over those professionals. 'The passage of SB 378 is a critical step that protects the public from unqualified individuals administering potentially dangerous injections. This common-sense legislation ensures cosmetologists and barbers are not performing injections without proper physician supervision,' the bill's author, Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, explained after the measure was sent to the governor on May 21. KXAN has reached out to Schwertner's office for comment after the veto. 'Texas should be removing barriers for small businesses and occupational licensees,' Senate Secretary Patsy Spaw said on the chamber floor Monday, reading the governor's written words verbatim. 'Senate Bill 378 by Schwertner does just the opposite by, among other things, prohibiting a licensed cosmetologist or barber from 'making an incision into the dermis, layer of a person's skin.' Barbers who nick a customer's neck during a straight razor shave should not fear the loss of their licenses as we work to make government more efficient and less intrusive for Texans and businesses.' While most of the governor's vetoes will be delivered after the session, SB 378's passage timeline required him to take action sooner or the bill would have gone into law without his signature. It is his first veto of a Senate bill this session. 'I disapprove of this bill,' Abbott wrote to Senators before sine die, the official end of the session. 'Since you remain gathered in regular session and continue to conduct formal business, I am delivering this disapproval message directly to you along with the unsigned official enrolled copy of the bill.' Schwertner told lawmakers earlier in the session there have been increased reports of 'Botox parties' which include unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and family without proper supervision. RELATED: 'Botox party' bill heads to governor Schwertner previously shared with KXAN investigators that, by law, estheticians and cosmetologists can only perform injections, including Botox, under the authority of a physician. He added that while the Texas Medical Board has disciplinary authority over physicians who are authorizing the injections, there is no oversight when it comes to professionals including estheticians or cosmetologists who could be in violation. During a House committee hearing in April, lawmakers received nearly 50 written comments from many Texas estheticians and injectors opposing the legislation and sharing concerns about their businesses being impacted. KXAN INVESTIGATION: Backroom Botox a 'wild west' in Texas Patient protection advocates have been pushing for oversight in the growing industry. The legislation was filed after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone in Texas can become certified to do injections, including Botox. KXAN's 'Backroom Botox' investigation highlighted medical concerns after a Botox treatment led to an emergency in the back room of a local boutique in Dublin, a city north of Austin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
