The bill aims to improve disaster response and preparedness in Texas by establishing new training requirements for justices of the peace and creating a licensing system for emergency managers. It introduces Section 27.0055 to the Government Code, which mandates that justices of the peace in counties without a medical examiner complete a training program on managing mass fatality events. This training includes protocols for autopsy referrals, body identification, and coordination with governmental agencies, with the potential for removal from office for incompetency if not completed within one year of election. Additionally, the bill adds Subchapters M and N to Chapter 418 of the Government Code, detailing the licensing process for emergency managers, including eligibility criteria, training requirements, and the establishment of a statewide volunteer management system overseen by the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

The legislation also introduces provisions for volunteer management and mass fatality operations during disaster response. It requires the Texas Division of Emergency Management, along with state agencies and local governments, to implement a volunteer management system for credentialing and deploying volunteers, including conducting criminal history checks. A framework for mass fatality operations is established, which includes the creation of a rapid response team and a centralized fatality tracking system. The bill protects current justices of the peace from removal for not completing the required training until December 1, 2026, and outlines effective dates for various sections of the legislation.

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