Overview

• Texas legislators convened July 31 in Kerrville for the first public field hearing on deadly July 4 Hill Country floods with testimony from two dozen officials, scientists and survivors.
• Newly released texts and emails show local leaders focused on Independence Day festival planning and signed a disaster declaration only by 8:30 a.m.
• Survivors described acute shortages of housing, running water and food and called on lawmakers to tap the state Rainy Day Fund for immediate relief.
• Advocates noted that FEMA’s average $8,000 home-repair award falls far short of rebuilding costs and urged community-based phone alerts and river sirens.
• Lawmakers filed bills to finance early-warning systems, upgrade emergency communications and strengthen flood-prone infrastructure in rural counties.