BILL AS INTRODUCED S.223
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1 S.223
2 Introduced by Senators Cummings, Brock, Chittenden, McCormack and Ram
3 Hinsdale
4 Referred to Committee on
5 Date:
6 Subject: Internal security and public safety; emergency management;
7 assessment
8 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the
9 Vermont Emergency Management Division to conduct an assessment of the
10 State’s disaster preparedness, report the findings, and provide a disaster
11 preparedness improvement plan if necessary.
12 An act relating to the assessment of the Vermont Emergency Management
13 Division’s disaster preparedness
14 Sec. 1. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT AND REPORT
15 (a) Assessment. On or before June 30, 2024, the Vermont Emergency
16 Management Division shall conduct an assessment of the State’s disaster
17 preparedness leading up to, during, and after the 2023 summer flooding events
18 throughout the State, overseen by the Director of the Vermont Emergency
19 Management Division. The disaster preparedness assessment shall examine
20 the adequacy of:
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1 (1) early warning and evacuation orders;
2 (2) designated evacuation routes and emergency shelters;
3 (3) the present system of local emergency management directors in
4 wide-spread emergencies; and
5 (4) the State’s present emergency communications systems.
6 (b) Report. On or before January 25, 2025, the Director of the Vermont
7 Emergency Management Division shall submit a written report to the House
8 Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs and the Senate
9 Committee on Government Operations with its findings regarding the disaster
10 preparedness assessment and, if the Director determines there to be
11 inadequacies present in the State’s disaster preparedness, a plan for improving
12 the State’s disaster preparedness, which may include any recommendations for
13 legislative action.
14 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
15 This act shall take effect on passage.
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