HB 1606
AN ACT relating to notice provided to a retail electric customer of the
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Requires electric utilities, municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives to include information about vegetation management procedures on customer bills. Specifically, utilities must provide customers with clear instructions on how to request vegetation management near transmission or distribution lines. The requirement aims to help customers proactively manage vegetation that could potentially interfere with electrical infrastructure, starting September 1, 2025.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to notice provided to a retail electric customer of the procedure for requesting vegetation management near a transmission BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 17.003, Utilities Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d-1) and adding Subsection (d-2) to read as (d-1) An electric utility providing electric delivery service for a retail electric provider, as defined by Section 31.002, shall provide to the retail electric provider, and the retail electric provider shall periodically provide to the retail electric provider's retail customers together with bills sent to the customers, information about: (1) the electric utility's procedures for implementing involuntary load shedding initiated by the independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power (2) the types of customers who may be considered critical care residential customers, critical load industrial customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted (3) the procedure for a customer to apply to be considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules adopted under Section 38.076; [and] (4) reducing electricity use at times when involuntary load shedding events may be implemented; and (5) the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. (d-2) A retail electric utility shall periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the utility information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. SECTION 2. Section 17.005(f), Utilities Code, is amended to (f) A municipally owned utility shall periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the utility information (1) the utility's procedure for implementing (2) the types of customers who may be considered critical care residential customers, critical load industrial customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted (3) the procedure for a customer to apply to be considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules adopted under Section 38.076; [and] (4) reducing electricity use at times when involuntary load shedding events may be implemented; and (5) the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. SECTION 3. Section 17.006(f), Utilities Code, is amended to (f) An electric cooperative shall periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the cooperative information (1) the cooperative's procedure for implementing (2) the types of customers who may be considered critical care residential customers, critical load industrial customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted (3) the procedure for a customer to apply to be considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules adopted under Section 38.076; [and] (4) reducing electricity use at times when involuntary load shedding events may be implemented; and (5) the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to notice provided to a retail electric customer of the
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