flood mitigation

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took action on 14 bills Wednesday, signing all but one into law. Among those signed were measures aimed at increasing access to ivermectin and allowing private citizens to sue out-of-state abortion pill prescribers.

If this summer's special sessions were a midterm exam on disaster preparation, Texas lawmakers would probably get an A. But their final grade will depend on how changes are actually implemented — and how quickly that happens.

The legislation was crafted in response to the state's historic July 4 floods which killed more than 130 people, including nearly 40 children.

The first State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming.