TX
Texas House Bill HB144

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB144 Compare Versions

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1-89R19444 CXP-F
1+89R9316 CXP-F
22 By: King H.B. No. 144
3- Substitute the following for H.B. No. 144:
4- By: McQueeney C.S.H.B. No. 144
3+
4+
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77 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
88 AN ACT
9- relating to plans for the management and inspection of transmission
10- and distribution poles.
9+ relating to plans for the management and inspection of distribution
10+ poles.
1111 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1212 SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter E, Chapter 38,
1313 Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:
1414 SUBCHAPTER E. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE [REPORT]
1515 SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is
1616 amended by adding Section 38.103 to read as follows:
17- Sec. 38.103. TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION POLE PLAN. (a)
18- Each electric cooperative, electric utility, and municipally owned
19- utility that distributes electric energy to the public shall submit
20- to the commission a plan for the management and inspection of
21- transmission and distribution poles in the entity's transmission
22- and distribution system.
17+ Sec. 38.103. DISTRIBUTION POLE PLAN. (a) Each electric
18+ cooperative, electric utility, and municipally owned utility that
19+ distributes electric energy to the public shall submit to the
20+ commission a plan for the management and inspection of distribution
21+ poles in the entity's distribution system.
2322 (b) Each plan submitted under Subsection (a) must include:
2423 (1) a statement of the plan's scope and objectives;
25- (2) the roles, responsibilities, and accountability
26- of individuals responsible for overseeing and executing the plan;
24+ (2) the roles and responsibilities of individuals
25+ responsible for overseeing and executing the plan;
2726 (3) a description of the cooperative's or utility's
2827 processes for:
29- (A) the management, repair, and inspection of
30- transmission and distribution poles on the entity's transmission
31- and distribution system;
28+ (A) the management and inspection of
29+ distribution poles on the entity's distribution system; and
3230 (B) the training and certifying of personnel,
33- including third-party vendors, who inspect and repair transmission
34- and distribution poles; and
35- (C) the documentation of and response to a report
36- or complaint made by a landowner regarding the condition or repair
37- of transmission or distribution poles;
38- (4) for each transmission and distribution pole to be
39- inspected:
40- (A) a deadline by which the inspection will be
41- completed;
42- (B) a process by which inspection records will be
43- submitted; and
44- (C) a timeline for any remedial action required
45- for a pole identified as unreliable, unsafe, or needing repair; and
46- (5) a proposed budget for implementing the plan.
31+ including third-party vendors, who inspect distribution poles; and
32+ (4) a proposed budget for implementing the plan.
4733 (c) The commission shall approve, modify, or reject a plan
4834 submitted to the commission under Subsection (a) not later than the
4935 180th day after the date the plan is submitted.
50- (d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), at least once
51- every three years, an entity to which this section applies shall
52- submit an update to the commission detailing the entity's
53- compliance with the plan's objectives, the costs of implementing
54- the plan, and the entity's inspection results and repair schedule.
55- An electric utility may submit the update in a report required under
56- Section 38.101.
57- (e) At least once each month, an entity to which this
58- section applies shall submit an update to the commission of the
59- information described by Subsection (b)(4). An update must include
60- for each transmission and distribution pole inspected an indication
61- of whether the pole passed inspection and was determined to be safe,
62- reliable, and able to withstand extreme weather conditions,
63- including high winds.
36+ (d) At least once every three years, an entity to which this
37+ section applies shall submit an update to the commission detailing
38+ the entity's compliance with the plan's objectives and the costs of
39+ implementing the plan. An electric utility may submit the update in
40+ a report required under Section 38.101.
6441 SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2026, each entity to
6542 which Section 38.103, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, applies
6643 shall submit the plan required by that section to the Public Utility
6744 Commission of Texas.
6845 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
6946 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
7047 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
7148 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
7249 Act takes effect September 1, 2025.