| 1 | 1 | | 89R6198 ANG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bhojani H.B. No. 3131 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a study by the Public Utility Commission of Texas of the |
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| 10 | 10 | | effects that current laws, rules, and regulations of this state and |
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| 11 | 11 | | its political subdivisions regarding pole attachments have on the |
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| 12 | 12 | | expansion of broadband service. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) "Commission" means the Public Utility Commission |
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| 16 | 16 | | of Texas. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Electric cooperative" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 18 | 18 | | Section 181.048, Utilities Code. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) "Pole" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 20 | 20 | | 252.001, Utilities Code. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (4) "Pole attachment" means an affixture of cables, |
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| 22 | 22 | | strands, wires, and associated equipment attached to a pole |
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| 23 | 23 | | directly or indirectly for the provision of broadband service. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) The commission, in consultation with the Texas |
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| 25 | 25 | | Broadband Development Office, shall conduct a study of current |
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| 26 | 26 | | laws, rules, and regulations of this state and its political |
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| 27 | 27 | | subdivisions related to pole attachments to determine the effects |
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| 28 | 28 | | those laws, rules, and regulations have on broadband service |
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| 29 | 29 | | expansion. The study must include an evaluation of: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) the average time for the preparation and placement |
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| 31 | 31 | | of a pole attachment, including: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (A) the time it takes for an electric cooperative |
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| 33 | 33 | | or an electric cooperative's affiliate to approve a new pole |
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| 34 | 34 | | attachment requested by a broadband provider; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (B) ways to decrease or standardize the time it |
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| 36 | 36 | | takes for the completion of a new pole attachment; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) the effectiveness of laws, rules, or regulations |
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| 38 | 38 | | regarding the timely relocation or removal of: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) poles that are functionally obsolete; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (B) poles that violate the Americans with |
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| 41 | 41 | | Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.); and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (C) poles that obstruct current or future |
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| 43 | 43 | | municipal infrastructure; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (3) the commission's current resources to educate |
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| 45 | 45 | | broadband providers, electric cooperatives, and electric |
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| 46 | 46 | | cooperative affiliates regarding the right to install a pole |
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| 47 | 47 | | attachment. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (c) Not later than February 15, 2026, the commission shall |
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| 49 | 49 | | submit an initial report regarding the results of the study |
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| 50 | 50 | | conducted under Subsection (b) of this section to each legislative |
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| 51 | 51 | | standing committee with jurisdiction over issues regarding |
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| 52 | 52 | | broadband services. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (d) Not later than December 1, 2026, the commission shall |
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| 54 | 54 | | submit a final report regarding the results of the study conducted |
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| 55 | 55 | | under Subsection (b) of this section to each legislative standing |
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| 56 | 56 | | committee with jurisdiction over issues regarding broadband |
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| 57 | 57 | | services. |
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| 58 | 58 | | (e) This Act expires December 31, 2026. |
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| 59 | 59 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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