| 1 | 1 | | 86R3648 BRG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Holland H.B. No. 2493 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to an advisory body on the security of the electric grid. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 39.917 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 39.917. TEXAS ELECTRIC GRID SECURITY COUNCIL. (a) The |
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| 12 | 12 | | legislature finds that there is a public interest in mitigating the |
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| 13 | 13 | | risk of cyber and physical attacks that may affect the reliability |
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| 14 | 14 | | of electric systems operating in Texas. The Texas Electric Grid |
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| 15 | 15 | | Security Council is established as an advisory body to facilitate |
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| 16 | 16 | | the creation, aggregation, coordination, and dissemination of best |
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| 17 | 17 | | security practices for the electric industry, including the |
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| 18 | 18 | | generation, transmission, and delivery of electricity. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The Texas Electric Grid Security Council is composed of: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) the commissioner designated as presiding officer |
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| 21 | 21 | | of the commission under Section 12.052 or a representative |
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| 22 | 22 | | designated by the commissioner; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) the chief executive officer of the independent |
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| 24 | 24 | | organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power |
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| 25 | 25 | | region or a representative designated by the chief executive |
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| 26 | 26 | | officer; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) the governor or a representative designated by the |
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| 28 | 28 | | governor. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (c) The member of the council designated by Subsection |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b)(1) shall serve as presiding officer. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d) The council shall convene at the call of the presiding |
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| 32 | 32 | | officer. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (e) A member of the council is not entitled to compensation. |
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| 34 | 34 | | Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel and other |
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| 35 | 35 | | necessary expenses related to the activities of the council as |
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| 36 | 36 | | provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (f) A member of the council may apply for a secret security |
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| 38 | 38 | | clearance or an interim security clearance granted by the United |
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| 39 | 39 | | States government. A member of the council may not access |
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| 40 | 40 | | classified information or participate in a briefing or meeting |
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| 41 | 41 | | involving classified information unless the member has a secret |
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| 42 | 42 | | security clearance. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (g) The independent organization certified under Section |
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| 44 | 44 | | 39.151 shall provide information and resources requested by the |
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| 45 | 45 | | council. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (h) In carrying out its functions, the council may consult |
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| 47 | 47 | | and coordinate with: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) the Texas Division of Emergency Management; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (2) the United States Department of Energy; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (3) the United States Department of Homeland Security; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (4) the North American Electric Reliability |
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| 52 | 52 | | Corporation; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (5) federal and state agencies; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (6) members of the electric industry; and |
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| 55 | 55 | | (7) grid security experts. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (i) On a request by the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
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| 57 | 57 | | the chair of the house of representatives committee having |
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| 58 | 58 | | jurisdiction over energy utility regulation, or the chair of the |
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| 59 | 59 | | senate committee having jurisdiction over energy utility |
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| 60 | 60 | | regulation, the council shall issue to the requestor |
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| 61 | 61 | | recommendations regarding: |
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| 62 | 62 | | (1) the development of a grid security workforce; |
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| 63 | 63 | | (2) the development and implementation of grid |
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| 64 | 64 | | security standards and practices; |
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| 65 | 65 | | (3) preparation for events that threaten grid |
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| 66 | 66 | | security; and |
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| 67 | 67 | | (4) amendments to the state emergency management plan |
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| 68 | 68 | | to ensure coordinated and adaptable response and recovery efforts |
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| 69 | 69 | | after events that threaten grid security. |
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| 70 | 70 | | (j) The council may prepare a report outlining grid security |
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| 71 | 71 | | response efforts that do not involve classified information. If the |
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| 72 | 72 | | council prepares the report, the council shall deliver the report |
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| 73 | 73 | | to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature on or before |
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| 74 | 74 | | the December 1 immediately preceding a regular session of the |
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| 75 | 75 | | legislature. |
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| 76 | 76 | | (k) The meetings, recommendations, work, and findings of |
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| 77 | 77 | | the council are not subject to the requirements of Chapters 551 or |
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| 78 | 78 | | 552, Government Code. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 80 | 80 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 81 | 81 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 82 | 82 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 83 | 83 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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