Taking Care
Texas Law to Train Leaders for Disaster Response
Texas requires justices of the peace to learn disaster response skills, especially for mass fatality events.
By Texas Legislature -- Apr 13, 2026
Overview
This Texas law helps our communities prepare for and respond to major disasters. It requires justices of the peace in counties without medical examiners to complete training on managing mass fatality events. This training makes sure our leaders know how to handle serious situations with care and coordination.
The law requires the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Division of Emergency Management to create a training program. Justices of the peace must learn how to make decisions about autopsies, identify and document bodies correctly, and work with other government agencies during mass fatality events. The training also covers how to collect and report information about missing people and how to give families real-time updates about victims.
Justices of the peace must finish this training within one year of being elected. If they do not complete the training, it counts as incompetency under Texas law and could lead to removal from office. This requirement makes sure every justice of the peace has the knowledge and skills needed to serve our communities during emergencies.
The law also allows the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the Texas Division of Emergency Management to access criminal history information for people who apply for licenses or register as volunteers for disaster response. This protects our communities by making sure people in these important roles are safe and trustworthy.
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About the source
The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of Texas, consisting of the House of Representatives with 150 members and the Senate with 31 members. Meeting in regular session every two years, the legislature passes state laws, sets the budget, and shapes policies affecting all 30 million Texans.
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