BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1606 By: Metcalf State Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that overgrown vegetation near power lines, especially in neighborhoods and areas where lines run close to residential homes and roadways, can create risks for power outages, fire hazards, and other safety issues for both residents and workers, and that some consumers might not be aware of the process to request vegetation management to prevent these risks. H.B. 1606 resolves this issue by requiring retail electric utilities, retail electric providers, electric cooperatives, and municipally owned utilities to periodically include notice on customer bills about how to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1606 amends the Utilities Code to require the following entities to periodically provide to their retail customers together with bills sent to the customers information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line: a retail electric provider, which must be provided that information by an electric utility providing electric delivery service for the provider; a retail electric utility; a municipally owned utility; and an electric cooperative. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1606
By: Metcalf
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1606
By: Metcalf
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that overgrown vegetation near power lines, especially in neighborhoods and areas where lines run close to residential homes and roadways, can create risks for power outages, fire hazards, and other safety issues for both residents and workers, and that some consumers might not be aware of the process to request vegetation management to prevent these risks. H.B. 1606 resolves this issue by requiring retail electric utilities, retail electric providers, electric cooperatives, and municipally owned utilities to periodically include notice on customer bills about how to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1606 amends the Utilities Code to require the following entities to periodically provide to their retail customers together with bills sent to the customers information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line: a retail electric provider, which must be provided that information by an electric utility providing electric delivery service for the provider; a retail electric utility; a municipally owned utility; and an electric cooperative.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that overgrown vegetation near power lines, especially in neighborhoods and areas where lines run close to residential homes and roadways, can create risks for power outages, fire hazards, and other safety issues for both residents and workers, and that some consumers might not be aware of the process to request vegetation management to prevent these risks. H.B. 1606 resolves this issue by requiring retail electric utilities, retail electric providers, electric cooperatives, and municipally owned utilities to periodically include notice on customer bills about how to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1606 amends the Utilities Code to require the following entities to periodically provide to their retail customers together with bills sent to the customers information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line:
a retail electric provider, which must be provided that information by an electric utility providing electric delivery service for the provider;
a retail electric utility;
a municipally owned utility; and
an electric cooperative.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.