| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an advisory body on the security of the electric grid. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 39.917 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 39.917. TEXAS ELECTRIC GRID SECURITY COUNCIL. (a) The |
|
|
legislature finds that there is a public interest in mitigating the |
|
|
risk of cyber and physical attacks that may affect the reliability |
|
|
of electric systems operating in Texas. The Texas Electric Grid |
|
|
Security Council is established as an advisory body to facilitate |
|
|
the creation, aggregation, coordination, and dissemination of best |
|
|
security practices for the electric industry, including the |
|
|
generation, transmission, and delivery of electricity. |
|
|
(b) The Texas Electric Grid Security Council is composed of: |
|
|
(1) the commissioner designated as presiding officer |
|
|
of the commission under Section 12.052 or a representative |
|
|
designated by the commissioner; |
|
|
(2) the chief executive officer of the independent |
|
|
organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power |
|
|
region or a representative designated by the chief executive |
|
|
officer; and |
|
|
(3) the governor or a representative designated by the |
|
|
governor. |
|
|
(c) The member of the council designated by Subsection |
|
|
(b)(1) shall serve as presiding officer. |
|
|
(d) The council shall convene at the call of the presiding |
|
|
officer. |
|
|
(e) A member of the council is not entitled to compensation. |
|
|
Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel and other |
|
|
necessary expenses related to the activities of the council as |
|
|
provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
|
|
(f) A member of the council may apply for a secret security |
|
|
clearance or an interim security clearance granted by the United |
|
|
States government. A member of the council may not access |
|
|
classified information or participate in a briefing or meeting |
|
|
involving classified information unless the member has a secret |
|
|
security clearance. |
|
|
(g) The independent organization certified under Section |
|
|
39.151 shall: |
|
|
(1) provide information and resources requested by the |
|
|
council; and |
|
|
(2) maintain nonclassified information obtained or |
|
|
created by the council, provide members of the council with access |
|
|
to the information, and retain the information for five years after |
|
|
the date that the council obtains or creates the information. |
|
|
(h) In carrying out its functions, the council may consult |
|
|
and coordinate with: |
|
|
(1) the Texas Division of Emergency Management; |
|
|
(2) the United States Department of Energy; |
|
|
(3) the United States Department of Homeland Security; |
|
|
(4) the North American Electric Reliability |
|
|
Corporation; |
|
|
(5) the Texas Reliability Entity; |
|
|
(6) federal and state agencies; |
|
|
(7) members of the electric industry; and |
|
|
(8) grid security experts. |
|
|
(i) On a request by the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
|
|
the chair of the house of representatives committee having |
|
|
jurisdiction over energy utility regulation, or the chair of the |
|
|
senate committee having jurisdiction over energy utility |
|
|
regulation, the council shall issue to the requestor |
|
|
recommendations regarding: |
|
|
(1) the development of educational programs or |
|
|
marketing materials to promote the development of a grid security |
|
|
workforce; |
|
|
(2) the development of grid security best practices; |
|
|
(3) preparation for events that threaten grid |
|
|
security; and |
|
|
(4) amendments to the state emergency management plan |
|
|
to ensure coordinated and adaptable response and recovery efforts |
|
|
after events that threaten grid security. |
|
|
(j) The council may prepare a report outlining grid security |
|
|
response efforts that do not involve classified or highly |
|
|
sensitive, company-specific information. If the council prepares |
|
|
the report, the council shall deliver the report to the governor, |
|
|
lieutenant governor, and legislature on or before the December 1 |
|
|
immediately preceding a regular session of the legislature. |
|
|
(k) The meetings of the council and information obtained or |
|
|
created by the council are not subject to the requirements of |
|
|
Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |