80R8102 TAD-F
 
  By: Dutton H.B. No. 1893
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring a municipality to notify certain public
utilities and telecommunications utilities on receiving an
application for a permit to excavate or construct underground
facilities.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Chapter 282, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 282.004 to read as follows:
       Sec. 282.004.  JOINT TRENCH NOTIFICATION LIST.  (a)  In this
section:
             (1)  "Certificated telecommunications utility" has the
meaning assigned by Section 17.002, Utilities Code.
             (2)  "Public utility" has the meaning assigned by
Section 11.004, Utilities Code.
       (b)  A municipality shall create and maintain a joint trench
notification list of public utilities and certificated
telecommunications utilities that request notification when
another public utility or certificated telecommunications utility
files an application for a permit to excavate or construct
underground facilities in the municipality.
       (c)  A municipality shall provide notice to each public
utility and certificated telecommunications utility on the joint
trench notification list on receiving an application, or an intent
to file an application, from another public utility or certificated
telecommunications utility for a permit to excavate or construct
underground facilities in the municipality. The municipality shall
provide the notice at least 60 days before the excavation or
construction is scheduled to begin.  The notice must include:
             (1)  the general location of the planned construction;
             (2)  the estimated construction dates;
             (3)  the types of facilities to be constructed; and
             (4)  the responsible party with the public utility or
certificated telecommunications utility filing the application,
including the party's contact information.
       (d)  A public utility or certificated telecommunications
utility receiving notice under Subsection (c) may file an
application for a permit to excavate or construct an underground
facility in the same trench and at the same time as the original
public utility or certificated telecommunications utility that
filed the original permit for the trench.
       (e)  Each public utility or certificated telecommunications
utility excavating or constructing in the same trench at the same
time shall resolve cost sharing issues or engage in binding
arbitration. A public utility or certificated telecommunications
utility found by an arbitrator to have engaged in uncooperative or
unreasonable activity regarding cost sharing shall pay the entire
cost of arbitration. A dispute regarding construction details
shall be resolved by the municipality in the permitting process.
       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.