89R4122 SCR-F
By: Thompson H.B. No. 5145
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the sharing and protection of certain utility
proprietary customer information.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is
amended by adding Section 17.011 to read as follows:
Sec. 17.011. SHARING PROPRIETARY CUSTOMER INFORMATION. (a)
In this section, "proprietary customer information" means any
identifying information compiled by a retail electric provider
about an individual customer that may be used for communication
regarding emergencies, billing, or service-related matters,
including the customer's:
(1) name;
(2) telephone number;
(3) e-mail address; or
(4) home address.
(b) An electric utility providing electric delivery
services for a retail electric provider may request from the retail
electric provider any proprietary customer information reasonably
necessary for the electric utility to communicate with a customer
regarding an emergency affecting service, an interruption of
service, or restoration of service. The retail electric provider
shall provide to the electric utility the proprietary customer
information not later than 48 hours after the request is made. The
retail electric provider is not required to obtain a prior
verifiable authorization from the customer before complying with
this subsection.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 39.157(d)(4), an electric
utility may provide the proprietary customer information to another
person without prior verifiable authorization from the customer as
necessary for communication with the customer regarding an
emergency affecting service, an interruption of service, or
restoration of service.
(d) An electric utility or another person who obtains
proprietary customer information under this section:
(1) shall, for purposes of protecting the
confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of the information,
establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative,
technical, and physical data security practices that are
appropriate to the volume and nature of the information at issue,
including encryption and secure data storage; and
(2) may not retain the information for longer than
reasonably necessary to communicate with the customer regarding an
emergency affecting service, an interruption of service, or
restoration of service.
(e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), Subchapter B,
Chapter 15, does not apply to a violation of this section.
(f) Section 15.021 applies to a violation of this section.
(g) This section does not affect the application of Chapter
541, Business & Commerce Code, to a person that is not an electric
utility or a retail electric provider.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.