Under a new federal law, National Weather Service warnings of life-threatening flash floods or other emergencies could be sent to cellphones via satellite if cell service goes down.
The law, called the “Mystic Alerts Act,” comes more than a year after devastating flash flooding in July 2025 killed more than 100 people in the Texas Hill Country, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic and the camp’s co-executive director.
“By bringing satellite technology into our emergency alert system, we’re making sure warnings reach people when they need them most,” said U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican who sponsored the legislation and whose district sits just north of the camp.
During the July disaster, the National Weather Service pushed out multiple flash flooding alerts, which are designed to trigger automatic warnings from cell towers in the affected area via carriers that participate in the program. But cell service is notoriously spotty in the region, and the alerts didn’t reach everyone. Some people also turn off the automatic alerts on their cell phones.
Texas legislators responded by requiring flood-prone counties impacted by the disaster to install outdoor warning sirens, a process that is ongoing. Emergency response experts said sirens could help in rural places but that they are no silver bullet. People might not hear sirens indoors during a storm, and without education, they might not know how to respond appropriately when sirens do go off.
Under the new federal law, the Federal Communications Commission will set up policies for integrating satellite technology into the automatic cell phone system in case a cell tower goes down. Cell carriers will have to give notice to the FCC about whether they will use satellite technology under the new regulations. If they don’t plan to use it, they must tell their subscribers.
“We’re making sure warnings reach people when they need them most.”
U.S. Rep. August Pfluger
The FCC has a year and a half to issue a final rule about how using satellite technology will work, according to the law. The rule wouldn’t take effect for at least three years after that.
“This law will address this technology shortfall and honor the memory of those lost by ensuring Texans and all Americans can receive wireless emergency alerts on their mobile devices via satellite even when disaster strikes,” Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said in a statement.
President Donald Trump signed the act into law on Thursday.
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