Sec. 418.005. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING

(a) This section applies only to an elected law enforcement officer or county judge, or an appointed public officer of the state or of a political subdivision, who has management or supervisory responsibilities and:

(1) whose position description, job duties, or assignment includes emergency management responsibilities; or

(2) who plays a role in emergency preparedness, response, or recovery.

(b) Each person described by Subsection (a) shall complete a course of training provided or approved by the division of not less than three hours regarding the responsibilities of state and local governments under this chapter not later than the 180th day after the date the person:

(1) takes the oath of office, if the person is required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as a public officer; or

(2) otherwise assumes responsibilities as a public officer, if the person is not required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties.

(c) The division shall develop and provide a training course related to the emergency management responsibilities of state-level officers and a training course related to the emergency management responsibilities of officers of political subdivisions. The division shall ensure that the training courses satisfy the requirements of Subsection (b).

(d) The division may provide the training and may also approve any acceptable course of training offered by a governmental body or other entity. The division shall ensure that at least one course of training approved or provided by the division is available on videotape or a functionally similar and widely available medium at no cost.

(e) The division or other entity providing the training shall provide a certificate of course completion to public officers who complete the training required by this section. A public officer who completes the training required by this section shall maintain and make available for public inspection the record of the public officer's completion of the training.

(f) The failure of one or more public officers of the state or a political subdivision to complete the training required by this section does not affect the validity of an action taken by the state or the political subdivision.

(g) The hours spent in a training course required by Subsection (b) may be applied toward the continuing education requirements for county commissioners under Section 81.0025, Local Government Code.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 258 , Sec. 19.01, eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1280 , Sec. 1.02, eff. September 1, 2009.