Newly formed Texas disaster preparedness and flooding committee will visit Kerr County

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House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows on Tuesday named nine state representatives — six Republicans and three Democrats — who will serve on the joint Disaster Preparedness and Flooding committee, formed in response to the devastating floods that tore through Central Texas over the July Fourth weekend.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named the nine state senators to the panel on Monday.

The House and Senate joint committee will first meet on July 23 in Austin and then in Kerrville on July 31 to hear from Hill Country residents regarding their flood-related concerns. Patrick and Burrows have both stated that their committees will meet jointly to find solutions.

“Right now, we must focus on the recovery of those still missing, then rebuilding communities in flooded areas,” Patrick said in a July 10 press release. “In the coming year, and into the next regular legislative session, we will gather all the facts and answer the many questions to which the public demands answers.”

Reps. Ken King, R-Canadian, will be the committee’s chair and Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, will serve as vice-chair.

The rest of the House panel includes Republican Reps. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood, Drew Darby of San Angelo, A.J. Louderback of Victoria, Wes Virdell of Brady and Terry Wilson of Georgetown, and Democrats Ann Johnson of Houston and Joe Moody of El Paso.

“I am confident Representative King will be effective as the chairman of this select committee, having led the House on legislation during the regular session to improve our state’s disaster response and enhance protections for Texas communities,” Burrows, R-Lubbock, said in a press release.

The Senate panel committee will be chaired by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, and Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, will serve as vice chairman.

Sens. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, Adam Hinojosa, R-Corpus Christi, Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, and Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, will also serve on the committee, along with Democrats César Blanco of El Paso and José Menéndez of San Antonio.

At least 134 people died and more than 100 remain missing as of July 15 after heavy rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise 36 feet, hitting Kerr County the hardest.

Lawmakers are set to return to the Capitol on July 21 for a special session. Among the agenda items Gov. Greg Abbott has set for lawmakers to pass measures that would address the state’s flood warning systems, flood emergency communications, natural disaster preparation and recovery and relief funding for the impacted areas.

This comes after lawmakers failed to pass legislation during the regular session that would have improved the state’s disaster response.

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