A BILL to amend and reenact § 44-146.18 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Emergency Management; emergency services and disaster preparedness programs; inclusion of federally recognized tribes.
HB349 amends Virginia’s emergency management statute governing the Department of Emergency Management. The bill expands the Department’s duties to explicitly include coordination with federally recognized tribes in emergency services, disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, planning, training, public information, and continuity-of-operations efforts. It also defines “federally recognized tribe” for purposes of the section and authorizes the Department to enter into contracts and memoranda of understanding with tribes for assistance under the statute.
The bill further adds or clarifies several operational responsibilities. These include maintaining statewide emergency assessments and plans, supporting school and higher-education crisis planning, coordinating victim assistance contacts in emergency plans, addressing household pets and service animals in disaster response, and creating an Emergency Management Equity Working Group focused on at-risk and disproportionately impacted populations. It also requires preparedness for electromagnetic pulses and geomagnetic disturbances and establishes a Coordinator of Search and Rescue with duties related to training, coordination, records, and best practices.
HB349 would amend § 44-146.18 of the Code of Virginia, broadening the Department of Emergency Management’s statutory responsibilities and formalizing tribal participation in emergency planning and response. It would require state emergency plans and assessments to incorporate federally recognized tribes where appropriate, and it would create new administrative structures and planning requirements, including an equity working group and a search-and-rescue coordinator. The bill would affect state agencies, local governments, schools, higher education institutions, private industry partners, and federally recognized tribes by expanding coordination and planning obligations.
The bill appears to have been received favorably in committee, as reflected by its continued status on a 15-0 vote in Finance and Appropriations. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate opposition or concerns in the available materials. The unanimous vote suggests broad support for the bill’s emergency preparedness and inclusion-focused provisions.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided voting history or transcripts. Based on the text, potential areas for debate could include the added administrative duties for the Department, the creation of a new equity working group, and the requirement to integrate federally recognized tribes into emergency planning and operations. However, the available record does not show any formal opposition or disputed amendments.