Natural Disasters

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on penalties for misuse of grant funds or specific evaluation criteria used by TEMA.

Tennessee Disaster Relief Program

This bill creates a State Disaster Relief Program to be administered by TEMA for counties that have experienced natural disasters not qualifying for federal aid.

What This Bill Does

• Creates the State Disaster Relief Program run by TEMA (Tennessee Emergency Management Agency).
• Allows county emergency management agencies to request grants from this program if they have declared a state of emergency due to a disaster and don't meet federal relief thresholds.
• Specifies that counties can use grant money for repairing infrastructure, saving lives, protecting public health and safety, and removing debris.
• Requires TEMA to evaluate requests, determine the amount of the grant, and disburse it if criteria are met.
• Limits each county's annual grant disbursement from this program to $250,000.

Who It Names or Affects

• Counties in Tennessee that have experienced natural disasters not qualifying for federal aid.
• Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) which will manage the program.
• Local governments and residents affected by eligible disasters.

Terms To Know

Disaster

A significant event like a hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, or other catastrophe causing substantial damage or injury to property.

TEMA

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency which will administer the State Disaster Relief Program.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money is allocated for this program.
• It's unclear if there are any penalties for misuse of grant funds.
• The exact criteria TEMA uses to evaluate requests and determine grants are not detailed in the summary.

Official Summary Text

This bill creates a state disaster relief program ("
program
")
to be administered by the
Tennessee emergency management agency (TEMA)
.

This bill authorizes a
county emergency management agency
to
request a grant from the program to hel
p offset the costs incurred by the county in responding to a disaster if
(i) a
disaster has occurred within the county;
(ii) the
county executive has declared a state of emergency; and
(iii) t
he damages resulting from the disaster do not meet the threshold
for federal disaster relief.

AWARD OF GRANTS

This bill authorizes a
county receiving a grant
to
use the money
(i) t
o repair or replace public roads, buildings, utilities, and other infrastructure owned by the local governments;
(ii) for
emergency measu
res for saving lives;
(iii) t
o protect public health and safety or property; and
(iv) t
o remove debris from publicly owned land and waterways.

This bill requires TEMA to
evaluate a request for a grant, determine the amount of the grant, and disburse the
grant if the agency determines that the criteria in
this bill
have been met.
However, g
rants are contingent upon the availability of funds that have been specifically allocated for the program in the general appropriations act.

MAXIMUM GRANT DISBURSEMENT
AMOUNT

This bill prohibits a
county
from
receiv
ing
more than $250,000 in grant disbursements under this
bill
in a fiscal year.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 42
By Walley

HOUSE BILL 557
By Capley

HB0557
000228
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 58,
Chapter 2, Part 1, relative to natural disasters.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 58, Chapter 2, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) There is created a program to be administered by the agency that is known
and may be cited as the "State Disaster Relief Program."
(b) A county emergency management agency may request a grant from the
program to help offset the costs incurred by the county in responding to a disaster if:
(1) A disaster has occurred within the county;
(2) The county executive has declared a state of emergency; and
(3) The damages resulting from the disaster do not meet the threshold
for federal disaster relief.
(c) A county receiving a grant under this section may use the money:
(1) To repair or replace public roads, buildings, utilities, and other
infrastructure owned by the local governments;
(2) For emergency measures for saving lives;
(3) To protect public health and safety or property; and
(4) To remove debris from publicly owned land and waterways.
(d) The agency shall evaluate a request for a grant, determine the amount of the
grant, and disburse the grant if the agency determines that the criteria in subsection (b)
have been met.

- 2 - 000228

(e) Grants under this section are contingent upon the availability of funds that
have been specifically allocated for the program in the general appropriations act. It is
the legislative intent that appropriations to the program recur on a yearly basis.
(f) A county must not receive more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000) in grant disbursements under this section in a fiscal year.
(g) As used in this section:
(1) "Disaster" means a hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-
driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide,
mudslide, snowstorm, ice storm, drought, fire, explosion, civil disturbance, or
other catastrophe that causes or may cause substantial damage or injury to
property; and
(2) "Program" means the state disaster relief program created in
subsection (a).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.