TX
Texas House Bill HB4150

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4150 Compare Versions

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1-H.B. No. 4150
1+By: Paddie, et al. H.B. No. 4150
2+ (Senate Sponsor - Hughes, Zaffirini)
3+ (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
4+ May 6, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Business &
5+ Commerce; May 20, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
6+ Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0;
7+ May 20, 2019, sent to printer.)
8+Click here to see the committee vote
9+ COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 4150 By: Nichols
210
311
12+ A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
413 AN ACT
514 relating to safety and inspection requirements for certain
615 utilities that provide electricity.
716 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
817 SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the William Thomas Heath
918 Power Line Safety Act.
1019 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 35, Utilities Code, is
1120 amended by adding Section 35.010 to read as follows:
1221 Sec. 35.010. COSTS RELATED TO REPORTING ON SAFETY PROCESSES
1322 AND INSPECTIONS FOR CERTAIN UTILITIES. (a) This section applies
1423 only to a municipally owned utility or electric cooperative that
1524 has wholesale transmission rates established by the commission.
1625 (b) Costs incurred by a municipally owned utility or
1726 electric cooperative to comply with Section 38.102 shall be
1827 recorded as a regulatory asset for timely recovery in wholesale
1928 transmission rates established by the commission.
2029 (c) The commission may adopt rules relating to the recording
2130 of regulatory assets under this section.
2231 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 36, Utilities Code, is
2332 amended by adding Section 36.066 to read as follows:
2433 Sec. 36.066. COSTS RELATED TO REPORTING ON SAFETY PROCESSES
2534 AND INSPECTIONS FOR CERTAIN UTILITIES. (a) Costs incurred by an
2635 electric utility to comply with Section 38.102 shall be recorded as
2736 a regulatory asset for timely recovery in rates established by the
2837 commission.
2938 (b) The commission may adopt rules relating to the recording
3039 of regulatory assets under this section.
3140 SECTION 4. Section 38.004, Utilities Code, is amended to
3241 read as follows:
3342 Sec. 38.004. MINIMUM CLEARANCE STANDARD. (a)
3443 Notwithstanding any other law, a transmission or distribution line
3544 owned by an electric utility or an electric cooperative must be
3645 constructed, operated, and maintained, as to clearances, in the
3746 manner described by the National Electrical Safety Code Standard
3847 ANSI (c)(2), as adopted by the American National Safety Institute
3948 and in effect at the time of construction.
4049 (b) An electric utility, municipally owned utility, or
4150 electric cooperative shall meet the minimum clearance requirements
4251 specified in Rule 232 of the National Electrical Safety Code
4352 Standard ANSI (c)(2) in the construction of any transmission or
4453 distribution line over the following lakes:
4554 (1) Abilene;
4655 (2) Alan Henry;
4756 (3) Alvarado Park;
4857 (4) Amistad;
4958 (5) Amon G. Carter;
5059 (6) Aquilla;
5160 (7) Arlington;
5261 (8) Arrowhead;
5362 (9) Athens;
5463 (10) Austin;
5564 (11) Averhoff;
5665 (12) B. A. Steinhagen;
5766 (13) Bachman;
5867 (14) Balmorhea;
5968 (15) Bardwell;
6069 (16) Bastrop;
6170 (17) Baylor Creek;
6271 (18) Belton;
6372 (19) Benbrook;
6473 (20) Big Creek;
6574 (21) Bob Sandlin;
6675 (22) Bonham;
6776 (23) Bonham State Park;
6877 (24) Brady Creek;
6978 (25) Brandy Branch;
7079 (26) Braunig;
7180 (27) Brazos;
7281 (28) Bridgeport;
7382 (29) Brownwood;
7483 (30) Bryan;
7584 (31) Bryson;
7685 (32) Buchanan;
7786 (33) Buffalo Creek;
7887 (34) Buffalo Springs;
7988 (35) Caddo;
8089 (36) Calaveras;
8190 (37) Canyon;
8291 (38) Casa Blanca;
8392 (39) Cedar Creek;
8493 (40) Champion Creek;
8594 (41) Choke Canyon;
8695 (42) Cisco;
8796 (43) Cleburne State Park;
8897 (44) Clyde;
8998 (45) Coffee Mill;
9099 (46) Coleman;
91100 (47) Coleto Creek;
92101 (48) Colorado City;
93102 (49) Conroe;
94103 (50) Cooper;
95104 (51) Corpus Christi;
96105 (52) Crook;
97106 (53) Cypress Springs;
98107 (54) Daniel;
99108 (55) Davy Crockett;
100109 (56) Diversion;
101110 (57) Dunlap;
102111 (58) Eagle Mountain;
103112 (59) E. V. Spence;
104113 (60) Fairfield;
105114 (61) Falcon;
106115 (62) Fayette County;
107116 (63) Findley;
108117 (64) Fork;
109118 (65) Fort Parker State Park;
110119 (66) Fort Phantom Hill;
111120 (67) Fryer;
112121 (68) Georgetown;
113122 (69) Gibbons Creek;
114123 (70) Gilmer;
115124 (71) Gladewater;
116125 (72) Gonzales;
117126 (73) Graham;
118127 (74) Granbury;
119128 (75) Granger;
120129 (76) Grapevine;
121130 (77) Greenbelt;
122131 (78) Halbert;
123132 (79) Hawkins;
124133 (80) Holbrook;
125134 (81) Hords Creek;
126135 (82) Houston;
127136 (83) Houston County;
128137 (84) Hubbard Creek;
129138 (85) Inks;
130139 (86) Jacksboro;
131140 (87) Jacksonville;
132141 (88) J. B. Thomas;
133142 (89) Joe Pool;
134143 (90) Kemp;
135144 (91) Kickapoo;
136145 (92) Kirby;
137146 (93) Kurth;
138147 (94) Lady Bird;
139148 (95) Lake O' The Pines;
140149 (96) Lavon;
141150 (97) Leon;
142151 (98) Lewisville;
143152 (99) Limestone;
144153 (100) Livingston;
145154 (101) Lone Star;
146155 (102) Lost Creek;
147156 (103) Lyndon B. Johnson;
148157 (104) Mackenzie;
149158 (105) Marble Falls;
150159 (106) Marine Creek;
151160 (107) Martin Creek;
152161 (108) McClellan;
153162 (109) Medina;
154163 (110) Meredith;
155164 (111) Meridian State Park;
156165 (112) Mexia;
157166 (113) Mill Creek;
158167 (114) Millers Creek;
159168 (115) Mineral Wells;
160169 (116) Monticello;
161170 (117) Moss;
162171 (118) Mountain Creek;
163172 (119) Muenster;
164173 (120) Murvaul;
165174 (121) Nacogdoches;
166175 (122) Naconiche;
167176 (123) Nasworthy;
168177 (124) Navarro Mills;
169178 (125) New Ballinger;
170179 (126) Nocona;
171180 (127) Oak Creek;
172181 (128) O. C. Fisher;
173182 (129) O. H. Ivie;
174183 (130) Palestine;
175184 (131) Palo Duro;
176185 (132) Palo Pinto;
177186 (133) Pat Cleburne;
178187 (134) Pat Mayse;
179188 (135) Pinkston;
180189 (136) Placid;
181190 (137) Possum Kingdom;
182191 (138) Proctor;
183192 (139) Purtis Creek;
184193 (140) Quitman;
185194 (141) Raven;
186195 (142) Ray Hubbard;
187196 (143) Ray Roberts;
188197 (144) Red Bluff;
189198 (145) Richland-Chambers;
190199 (146) Sam Rayburn;
191200 (147) Sheldon;
192201 (148) Somerville;
193202 (149) Squaw Creek;
194203 (150) Stamford;
195204 (151) Stillhouse Hollow;
196205 (152) Striker;
197206 (153) Sulphur Springs;
198207 (154) Sweetwater;
199208 (155) Tawakoni;
200209 (156) Texana;
201210 (157) Texoma;
202211 (158) Timpson;
203212 (159) Toledo Bend;
204213 (160) Tradinghouse Creek;
205214 (161) Travis;
206215 (162) Twin Buttes;
207216 (163) Tyler;
208217 (164) Waco;
209218 (165) Walter E. Long;
210219 (166) Waxahachie;
211220 (167) Weatherford;
212221 (168) Welsh;
213222 (169) Wheeler Branch;
214223 (170) White River;
215224 (171) White Rock;
216225 (172) Whitney;
217226 (173) Wichita;
218227 (174) Winnsboro;
219228 (175) Winters-Elm Creek;
220229 (176) Wood;
221230 (177) Worth; and
222231 (178) Wright Patman.
223232 SECTION 5. Subchapter E, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is
224233 amended by adding Section 38.102 to read as follows:
225234 Sec. 38.102. REPORTS ON SAFETY PROCESSES AND INSPECTIONS.
226235 (a) Each electric utility, municipally owned utility, and electric
227236 cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission or
228237 distribution assets shall submit to the commission a report that
229238 includes:
230239 (1) a summary description of hazard recognition
231240 training documents provided by the utility or electric cooperative
232241 to its employees related to overhead transmission and distribution
233242 facilities; and
234243 (2) a summary description of training programs
235244 provided to employees by the utility or electric cooperative
236245 related to the National Electrical Safety Code for the construction
237246 of electric transmission and distribution lines.
238247 (b) An electric utility, municipally owned utility, or
239248 electric cooperative shall submit an updated report not later than
240249 the 30th day after the date the utility or electric cooperative
241250 finalizes a material change to a document or program included in a
242251 report submitted under Subsection (a).
243252 (c) Not later than May 1 every five years, each electric
244253 utility, municipally owned utility, and electric cooperative that
245254 owns or operates overhead transmission facilities greater than 60
246255 kilovolts shall submit to the commission a report for the preceding
247256 five-year period ending on December 31 of the preceding calendar
248257 year that includes:
249258 (1) the percentage of overhead transmission
250259 facilities greater than 60 kilovolts inspected for compliance with
251260 the National Electrical Safety Code relating to vertical clearance
252261 in the reporting period; and
253262 (2) the percentage of the overhead transmission
254263 facilities greater than 60 kilovolts anticipated to be inspected
255264 for compliance with the National Electrical Safety Code relating to
256265 vertical clearance during the five-year period beginning on January
257266 1 of the year in which the report is submitted.
258267 (d) Subject to Subsection (f), not later than May 1 of each
259268 year, each electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric
260269 cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission facilities
261270 greater than 60 kilovolts shall submit to the commission a report on
262271 the overhead transmission facilities for the preceding calendar
263272 year that includes information regarding:
264273 (1) the number of identified occurrences of
265274 noncompliance with Section 38.004 regarding the vertical clearance
266275 requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code for overhead
267276 transmission facilities;
268277 (2) whether the utility or electric cooperative has
269278 actual knowledge that any portion of the utility's or electric
270279 cooperative's transmission system is not in compliance with Section
271280 38.004 regarding the vertical clearance requirements of the
272281 National Electrical Safety Code; and
273282 (3) whether the utility or electric cooperative has
274283 actual knowledge of any violations of easement agreements with the
275284 United States Army Corps of Engineers relating to Section 38.004
276285 regarding the vertical clearance requirements of the National
277286 Electrical Safety Code for overhead transmission facilities.
278287 (e) Subject to Subsection (f), not later than May 1 of each
279288 year, each electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric
280289 cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission facilities
281290 greater than 60 kilovolts or distribution facilities greater than 1
282291 kilovolt shall submit to the commission a report for the preceding
283292 calendar year that includes:
284293 (1) the number of fatalities or injuries of
285294 individuals other than employees, contractors, or other persons
286295 qualified to work in proximity to overhead high voltage lines
287296 involving transmission or distribution assets related to
288297 noncompliance with the requirements of Section 38.004; and
289298 (2) a description of corrective actions taken or
290299 planned to prevent the reoccurrence of fatalities or injuries
291300 described by Subdivision (1).
292301 (f) Violations resulting from, and incidents, fatalities,
293302 or injuries attributable to a violation resulting from, a natural
294303 disaster, weather event, or man-made act or force outside of a
295304 utility's or electric cooperative's control are not required to be
296305 included in the portions of the reports required under Subsections
297306 (d) and (e).
298307 (g) Not later than September 1, each year the commission
299308 shall make the reports publicly available on the commission's
300309 Internet website.
301310 (h) A report, and any required information contained in a
302311 report, made on an incident or violation under this section is not
303312 admissible in a civil or criminal proceeding against the electric
304313 utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative, or the
305314 utility's or electric cooperative's employees, directors, or
306315 officers. The commission may otherwise take enforcement actions
307316 under the commission's authority.
308317 SECTION 6. Any electric utility, municipally owned utility,
309318 or electric cooperative that owns a transmission or distribution
310319 line over a lake listed in Section 38.004(b), Utilities Code, as
311320 added by this Act, that is not in compliance on the effective date
312321 of this Act with the clearance standards of Rule 232 of the National
313322 Electrical Safety Code Standard ANSI (c)(2) in effect at the time
314323 the line was constructed shall bring the line into compliance not
315324 later than December 31, 2021. Any line over a lake listed in
316325 Section 38.004(b), Utilities Code, as added by this Act, that must
317326 be rebuilt to comply with this section must be constructed in
318327 accordance with the clearance standards of Rule 232 of the National
319328 Electrical Safety Code Standard ANSI (c)(2) in effect on the
320329 effective date of this Act.
321330 SECTION 7. An electric utility, a municipally owned
322331 utility, or an electric cooperative required to submit a report
323332 under Section 38.102, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, is not
324333 required to submit the report until May 1, 2020.
325334 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
326- ______________________________ ______________________________
327- President of the Senate Speaker of the House
328- I certify that H.B. No. 4150 was passed by the House on May 3,
329- 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not
330- voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
331- No. 4150 on May 24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0,
332- 2 present, not voting.
333- ______________________________
334- Chief Clerk of the House
335- I certify that H.B. No. 4150 was passed by the Senate, with
336- amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
337- 0.
338- ______________________________
339- Secretary of the Senate
340- APPROVED: __________________
341- Date
342- __________________
343- Governor
335+ * * * * *