Texas lawmakers review flood response, warning system needs in flood-ravaged Kerr County

KERRVILLE, Texas (CN) – Members of the Texas House and Senate committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding held a remote public hearing in Kerrville Thursday to hear what local officials and citizens believe the state can do to support the Hill Country after the devastating July 4 floods.

Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. fought back tears as he thanked the volunteers who had come to help his city and the lawmakers who had traveled over two hours from Austin to hear from those who had been most impacted.

“We are grieving, we are shaken, but we are not broken,” Herring told the committee.

As part of the ongoing special legislative session, called by Governor Greg Abbott, lawmakers are examining the state and local response to the flood and considering possible changes to the law to prevent loss of life in future floods.

“My main purpose today is to join Lieutenant Governor [Dan] Patrick in calling for a flood warning system to be designed and installed in Kerr County before next summer,” Herring said. “Whether it is, a series of warning sirens or an automated, data-driven alerting system or even a hybrid of both, we need solutions in place that protect the public and save lives.”

Herring’s request was echoed by fellow officials and members of the public who testified before the committee.

Alicia Jeffery Baker’s parents and 11-year-old daughter were killed when the Guadelupe River rose, overtaking their cabin in Hunt. She recalled the painful days that preceded as she waited to learn where her loved ones were. While Baker’s parents were found just two days after the flood, her daughter was not found until July 10 and could only be identified by the charm bracelet on her wrist.

Baker wiped away tears as she told lawmakers how a text message alert may not have been enough to warn her parents of the oncoming danger.

“My suggestion would be that, instead of just sirens, we have sensors in the water that would alert sirens to go off,” Baker recommended. “Because if you just have sirens that go off, people stop paying attention to them.”

“When we know better, we do better, and so we need to do better for the people in this community, for the people who are suffering,” Baker said.

Tensions rose during the hearing as lawmakers questioned Kerr County officials about their whereabouts and actions in the early hours of July 4 as the tragedy unfolded.

Texas House Representative Ann Johnson, a Democrat from Houston, asked them if the county had any warning system to alert people before or around the time calls were coming in to emergency services, reporting flooding.

“Was there a way for Camp Mystic, at 2:00 A.M., to tell you we have water at our ankles?” Johnson questioned, referencing the girls’ Christian summer camp that had been hard hit by the flood.

Kerr County emergency coordinator William Thomas said he believed the camps could have contacted the sheriff’s office. County Sheriff Larry Leitha replied that no calls ever came from Camp Mystic.

Representative Drew Darby, a Republican from San Angelo, criticized Upper Guadalupe River Authority president William Rector for having data showing early warning systems save lives but failing to act on it.

“That’s particularly disturbing to me to think about folks asleep in their cabins that could have been warned,” Darby said.

In addition to concerns surrounding alerts, lawmakers inquired about the role of local officials in the lead-up to the flood.

A lot of attention was given to Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who was out of the county at the time the flood was unfolding. He was criticized by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who was the acting governor on July 4, for being absent during the early moments of the response.

“I don’t know where you were on day one, on July 4, but you should have been here,” Patrick said, looking directly at Kelly. “You should have been here directing that response. That’s your responsibility… I am not pointing a finger. I am not blaming you. I just want to set the record straight. Everyone was here that day, working their ass off, and you were nowhere to be found.”

The committee heard from local officials from the impacted area throughout the day, with lawmakers expected to draft legislation in the coming weeks. Disaster preparedness and response will remain a top priority as the 2027 regular session approaches.

Governor Greg Abbott also called on lawmakers to tackle congressional redistricting and THC regulation, among other politically divisive issues, during the 30-day special session.

More than 130 deaths have been confirmed, including 116 in Kerr County. As of Thursday, two people—an adult and a child—remain missing.

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