Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB13 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	87R16126 JXC-F
1	2		By: Paddie, et al. H.B. No. 13
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 13:
	4	+	By: Harless C.S.H.B. No. 13
2	5
3	6
4	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	8		AN ACT
6	9		relating to the establishment of the Texas Energy Disaster
7	10		Reliability Council.
8	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	12		SECTION 1. Chapter 186, Utilities Code, is amended by
10	13		adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
11	14		SUBCHAPTER F. TEXAS ENERGY DISASTER RELIABILITY COUNCIL
12	15		Sec. 186.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
13	16		(1) "Council" means the Texas Energy Disaster
14	17		Reliability Council established under this subchapter.
15	18		(2) "Disaster" means:
16	19		(A) a disaster defined by Section 418.004,
17	20		Government Code; or
18	21		(B) an extended power outage.
19	22		(3) "Division" means the Texas Division of Emergency
20	23		Management.
21	24		(4) "Extended power outage" means an interruption in
22	25		electric service lasting more than 24 hours.
23	26		(5) "Gas provider" means:
24		-	(A) a natural gas pipeline facility operator;
25		-	(B) an operator of a natural gas well; or
26		-	(C) an entity that produces, processes, or
27		-	transports natural gas in this state or otherwise participates in
28		-	the natural gas supply chain in this state.
	27	+	(A) a natural gas pipeline facility operator; or
	28	+	(B) an operator of a natural gas well.
29	29		(6) "Public utility" means an entity that generates,
30	30		transmits, or distributes electric energy to the public, including
31	31		an electric cooperative, an electric utility, a municipally owned
32	32		utility, or a river authority.
33	33		(7) "Railroad commission" means the Railroad
34	34		Commission of Texas.
35	35		(8) "Utility commission" means the Public Utility
36	36		Commission of Texas.
37	37		Sec. 186.102. COUNCIL. The Texas Energy Disaster
38	38		Reliability Council is established to:
39		-	(1) prevent extended ~~natural gas supply failures or~~
40		-	~~power outages caused by~~ disasters;
	39	+	(1) prevent extended power outages caused by
	40	+	disasters;
41	41		(2) implement procedures to manage emergencies caused
42	42		by disasters;
43	43		(3) maintain records of critical infrastructure
44	44		facilities to maintain service in a disaster;
45		-	(4) coordinate the delivery of fuel to serve human
46		-	needs natural gas customers and providers of electric generation
47		-	service in a disaster;
	45	+	(4) coordinate the delivery of fuel to providers of
	46	+	electric generation service in a disaster;
48	47		(5) monitor supply chains for the electric grid in
49	48		this state to minimize service disruptions; and
50	49		(6) study and make recommendations on methods to
51	50		maintain the reliability of the electric grid in this state during a
52	51		disaster, including methods for maintaining the reliability of
53	52		natural gas supply networks.
54	53		Sec. 186.103. MEMBERS. (a) The council consists of:
55	54		(1) the presiding officer of the utility commission;
56	55		(2) the executive director of the utility commission;
57	56		(3) the chairman of the railroad commission;
58	57		(4) the executive director of the railroad commission;
59	58		(5) the chief executive officer of the independent
60	59		organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power
61	60		region; and
62	61		(6) the chief of the division.
63	62		(b) The chief of the division shall serve as the presiding
64	63		officer of the council.
65	64		(c) The council shall hold meetings during the weeks of
66	65		March 1 and September 1 of each year.
67	66		(d) In addition to the meetings required by Subsection (c),
68	67		the council shall convene as soon as reasonably possible during or
69	68		in anticipation of a disaster to address an actual or potential
70	69		extended power outage caused by a disaster in order to coordinate
71	70		fuel supplies and minimize the duration of the outage.
72	71		(e) In carrying out its functions, the council may consult
73	72		and coordinate with:
74	73		(1) the United States Department of Energy;
75	74		(2) the United States Department of Homeland Security;
76	75		(3) the North American Electric Reliability
77	76		Corporation;
78	77		(4) the Texas Reliability Entity;
79	78		(5) federal and state agencies;
80		-	(6) local governmental officials, including mayors,
81		-	county judges, and emergency management officials;
82		-	(7) members of the electric industry;
83		-	(8) members of the natural gas industry; and
84		-	(9) grid security experts.
	79	+	(6) members of the electric industry;
	80	+	(7) members of the natural gas industry; and
	81	+	(8) grid security experts.
85	82		(f) A public utility or gas provider shall provide to the
86		-	council any information related to a disaster requested by the
87		-	council. Information obtained by the council under this subsection
88		-	is confidential and not subject to disclosure by the council if the
89		-	information is critical energy infrastructure information as
90		-	defined by the independent organization certified under Section
91		-	39.151 for the ERCOT power region or federal law.
92		-	(g) Except as provided by Subsection (g-1), the meetings of
93		-	the council and information obtained or created by the council are
94		-	not subject to the requirements of Chapter 551 or 552, Government
95		-	Code.
96		-	(g-1) Information written, produced, collected, assembled,
97		-	or maintained under law or in connection with the transaction of
98		-	official business by the council or an officer or employee of the
99		-	council is subject to Section 552.008, Government Code, in the same
100		-	manner as public information.
	83	+	council any information requested by the council.
	84	+	(g) The meetings of the council and information obtained or
	85	+	created by the council are not subject to the requirements of
	86	+	Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code.
101	87		(h) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
102	88		council.
103	89		Sec. 186.104. REPORT. (a) Not later than November 1 of
104	90		each even-numbered year, the council shall submit to the
105	91		legislature a report on the reliability and stability of the
106	92		electric supply chain in this state.
107	93		(b) The report must include recommendations on methods to
108	94		strengthen the electric supply chain in this state and to decrease
109	95		the frequency of extended power outages caused by a disaster in this
110	96		state.
111	97		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
112	98		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
113	99		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
114	100		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
115	101		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.