Governor Of The State Of Texas Declares Disaster In Texas Counties

July 22, 2015 | Austin, Texas | Proclamation

WHEREAS, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, issued Emergency Disaster Proclamations on May 11, May 15, May 25, May 26, May 29, June 3, June 18 and June 22, 2015, certifying that the severe weather, tornado and flooding event that began on May 4, 2015, has caused a disaster in many Texas counties.  Disaster conditions persist in many parts of the state.

THEREFORE, in accordance with the authority vested in me as the Acting Governor and by Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code, I hereby amend the aforementioned proclamations and declare a disaster in Angelina, Archer, Atascosa, Austin, Bastrop, Baylor, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Collin, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, DeWitt, Dickens, Duval, Eastland, Edwards, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Gonzales, Grayson, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hall, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hartley, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jack, Jackson, Jasper, Jim Wells, Johnson, Jones, Kaufman, Kendall, Lamar, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Lubbock, Lynn, Madison, Matagorda, McLennan, Milam, Montague, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Palo Pinto, Parker, Polk, Real, Red River, Refugio, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Somervell, Starr, Tarrant, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Uvalde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton, Wichita, Williamson, Wilson, Wise, Young and Zavala counties.

Pursuant to Section 418.017 of the code, I authorize the use of all available resources of state government and of political subdivisions that are reasonably necessary to cope with this disaster.

Pursuant to Section 418.016 of the code, any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business or any order or rule of a state agency that would in any way prevent, hinder or delay necessary action in coping with this disaster shall be suspended upon written approval of the Office of the Governor.  However, to the extent that the enforcement of any state statute or administrative rule regarding contracting or procurement would impede any state agency’s emergency response that is necessary to protect life or property threatened by this declared disaster, I hereby authorize the suspension of such statutes and rules for the duration of this declared disaster.

In accordance with the statutory requirements, copies of this proclamation shall be filed with the applicable authorities.

Dan Patrick
Acting Governor

View a PDF of the Proclamation here