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Senate Bill 3 Implementation

In response to the devastating July 2025 Hill Country floods, the Texas Legislature passed several bills aimed at improving Texas' preparedness for future flood events, including Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), which relates to outdoor warning sirens in flash flood-prone areas. Governor Abbott signed SB 3 into law on September 5, 2025.

SB 3 directs the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to assess the 30 counties included in the disaster declaration issued by the Governor in July 2025 to identify flash flood-prone areas with a history of consistent or severe flooding where outdoor warning sirens are warranted.

The bill requires:

  • the appropriate municipality or county within those areas identified by the TWDB to install, maintain, and operate an outdoor warning siren system—which is defined to include all components essential to the system's functionality,
  • the TWDB to facilitate the development of best management practices and guidance for the operation of outdoor warning sirens, and
  • the TWDB to develop rules relating to requirements for outdoor warning systems in flash flood-prone areas.

SB 3 also requires the Office of the Governor to establish and administer a grant program to assist municipalities, counties, and other governmental entities with the costs of installing outdoor warning sirens. In November 2025, the Office of the Governor delegated this responsibility to the TWDB. The grant program will be developed in the weeks and months to come, and as details regarding the program become available, they will be added to this page.

Senate Bill 5, also passed by the Texas Legislature and signed by the Governor on September 18, 2025, appropriated funding from the state's economic stabilization fund to the Office of the Governor for a variety of purposes related to disaster relief and preparedness. There is $50 million in allocated funding for grants to assist counties, municipalities, and other local governmental entities within the 30 counties identified by the disaster declaration to establish and implement a system of flood warning sirens and flood gages and to purchase other related equipment. In November 2025, the Office of the Governor entered into an agreement with the TWDB to administer the grant program outlined in SB 3.

As part of the SB 3 implementation process, draft versions of the identified flash flood-prone areas, the best management practices and guidance document, and the associated rulemaking will include opportunities for public input that will be publicized on the TWDB website, social media channels, and through emails. Stay informed on flood-related topics, including SB 3 implementation, by signing up for the TWDB “Flood” mailing list.

The TWDB is working to implement SB 3 on a highly accelerated timeline, and updates will be made to this webpage as more resources and information become available. For questions related to SB 3 implementation, please send an email to Flood Sirens Program

Resources

  • Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) - SB 3 directs the TWDB to 1) assess the 30 counties included in the July 2025 disaster declaration to identify flash flood-prone areas, 2) facilitate the development of best management practices and guidance for the operation of outdoor warning sirens, and 3) develop rules relating to requirements for outdoor warning systems in flash flood-prone areas. The TWDB is also responsible for the development of the grant program described in SB 3, as the Office of the Governor has delegated this responsibility to the agency.
  • Senate Bill 5 (SB 5) - SB 5 appropriated $50 million in funding from the state's economic stabilization fund to the Office of the Governor for grants to assist entities within the 30 counties identified by the disaster declaration. This funding must be used to establish and implement a system of flood warning sirens and flood gages and to purchase other related equipment. The Office of the Governor has entered into an agreement with the TWDB that empowers the agency to administer these grants.
  • July 2025 Flood Disaster Proclamation - On July 22, 2025, the Governor issued a disaster proclamation for 30 counties impacted by flooding in early July 2025. These are the same counties impacted by SB 3.
  • Flood Early Warning Systems Guidance - Effective Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) are essential to reducing flood impacts on Texas communities. The TWDB developed this guidance document to provide stakeholders with a resource to support FEWS planning, financing, deployment, and management.
  • Alternative Flood Early Warning Systems Guide - This guide was developed to provide communities with information on how to select, install, and operate a commercially available and scalable low-cost flood sensor (LCFS) flood warning system that provides real-time flood alert communications at roadways.