Chairman Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) has announced that the House Committee on County Affairs will meet in Houston on February 6th to hear from experts and the public regarding interim charges related to Hurricane Harvey and flooding. Additionally, the Committee will discuss the implementation of Senate Bill 1849 otherwise known as the "Sandra Bland Act."

Chaired by Representative Coleman, the House Committee on County Affairs will meet Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at The University of Houston-Downtown Campus, Welcome Center Building, Milam and Travis Rooms, 201 Girard Street, Houston, TX 77002. A tour of the Hurricane Harvey-affected areas of the campus will be given at 9:00am and the Committee's public hearing will follow.

Elected officials and the general public from the Houston area are encouraged to attend and provide testimony to Committee members on ways to improve state and county-run programs scheduled for the hearing.

The Committee will be hearing invited and public testimony in regards to the implementation of the "Sandra Bland Act" and the following interim charges:

Examine how emergency response activities are organized, funded, and coordinated. Review the impact of natural disasters on county finances. Identify any deficiencies in authority for the most populous counties related to infrastructure planning, emergency response, and recovery. Explore ways to improve efficiencies and manage costs while protecting public safety. Additionally, study the relationship between the state, counties, non-governmental organizations, and churches in preparing for and responding to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and determine if preparedness plans are adequate.

Evaluate whether counties have the necessary ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas of Texas. Additionally, examine whether counties have adequate resources and authority to ensure that new development in unincorporated areas is not susceptible to flooding.