Bill Text: TX HB440 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to requiring certain alert messages to be in English and Spanish.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB440 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB440-Introduced.html

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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.