After witnessing a week of state emergency preparedness drills, Gov. Rick Perry said the State of Texas is prepared to respond to the effects of a hurricane of any size this season, but that getting to that level of preparedness hasn’t been easy.
"We've got this sequestration going on and we got the Texas Army National Guard and our Air Guard that are facing some mandated furloughs. These are individuals who remain very committed to our state and we need them on the job full time," Perry said.
While Perry is at ease with how the state would respond during a hurricane there is some concern about what financial assistance the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association would be able to provide.
The Governor said there is definite need for lawmakers to address the issue during this special session.
"It’s a complex issue as diverse as this state is with the huge exposure we have along the Gulf Coast, but let me just leave it at it is a possibility as a special session item," Perry said.
State lawmakers have shown that TWIA doesn’t have the funds to provide coverage during a major hurricane like one the size of Hurricane Ike in 2008.
One idea being floated by Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-League City, would be to subsidize with taxpayer money to a certain level and allow the coastal homeowner to provide the remaining funds needed to fix the problem.