A recent effort to bolster emergency communication infrastructure failed in the Texas Senate earlier this year

As the death toll from flash floods in Central Texas climbs past 80, scrutiny is mounting over Kerr County’s past decisions to reject an outdoor siren alert system due to cost concerns.

Kerr County, located in a flood-prone region of the Texas Hill Country, has previously dismissed proposals for siren-based warning systems, citing financial burden on local taxpayers.

A recent effort at the state level to bolster emergency communication infrastructure, House Bill 13, failed in the Texas Senate earlier this year. The bill would have funded improved disaster alert systems and provided grants for counties to build infrastructure like sirens and radio towers, according to the Texas Tribune.

Some lawmakers, including state Rep. Wes Virdell, voted against it due to its projected $500 million cost, though several now admit they’re reconsidering in the wake of recent events.