By: Parker H.B. No. 3791
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Electric Grid
  Security and Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 39.917, Utilities Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), (i), (j), and (k) and adding
  Subsections (a-1), (c-1), (i-1), (i-2), (i-3), (i-4), (l), and (m)
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.917.  TEXAS ELECTRIC GRID SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
  PREPAREDNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a) The legislature finds that
  there is a public interest in mitigating the risk of cyber and
  physical attacks, as well as natural disasters and extreme weather,  
  that may affect the reliability of electric systems operating in
  Texas. The Texas Electric Grid Security and Emergency Preparedness
  Advisory Council is established as an advisory body to facilitate
  the creation, aggregation, coordination, and dissemination of best
  security and emergency preparedness practices for the electric
  industry, including the generation, transmission, and delivery of
  electricity.
         (a-1)  In this section:
               (1)  "Critical infrastructure" means electric utility
  facilities located in ERCOT.  The term does not include power
  generation facilities.
               (2)  "Cybersecurity" means the activity, process,
  ability, capability, or state where information and communication
  systems and the information contained in those systems are
  protected from and defended against damage, unauthorized use,
  modification, or exploitation.
               (3)  "Electromagnetic pulse threat" means an
  electromagnetic pulse caused by intentional means, including an act
  of terrorism.
               (4)  "Extreme weather emergency" means a period when:
                     (A)  the previous day's highest temperature did
  not exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is forecasted
  by the National Weather Service or any similar state or national
  agency to remain at or below that temperature for the next 24 hours;
  or 
                     (B)  the National Weather Service or any similar
  state or national agency issues a heat advisory for any county in
  the relevant service territory or has issued a heat advisory in the
  last two days.
               (5)  "Geomagnetic disturbance" means an event caused by
  the interaction of a cloud of charged particles produced by the
  sun's solar storms and the earth's magnetic field.
         (b)  The Texas Electric Grid Security and Emergency
  Preparedness Advisory Council is composed of 13 members as follows:
               (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]
               (31)  the governor or a representative designated by
  the governor; and
               (42)  three members described by each of the following
  paragraphs with the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
  the house of representatives each appointing one of the three:
                     (A)  members to study electromagnetic pulse
  threats;
                     (B)  members to study cybersecurity;
                     (C)  members to study extreme weather
  emergencies; and
                     (D)  members to study terrorism and other threats
  to homeland security in this state under Section 421.002,
  Government Code.
         (c-1)  Each member of the council appointed under Subsection
  (b)(4) must have professional experience or technical training in:
               (1)  cybersecurity;
               (2)  electromagnetic interference;
               (3)  electric power generation or transmission;
               (4)  electromagnetic pulse hardening;
               (5)  physical security and controls;
               (6)  space physics and weather;
               (7)  supervisory controls and data acquisition;
               (8)  emergency preparedness; or
               (9)  extreme weather preparedness.
         (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
  recommendationsNot later than October 1, 2022, the council shall
  submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
  house of representatives a report of its findings, including any
  recommendations for legislation resulting from the findings, 
  regarding:
               (1)  the development of educational programs or
  marketing materials to promote the development of a grid security
  and emergency preparedness workforce;
               (2)  the development of grid security and emergency
  preparedness best practices;
               (3)  preparation for events that threaten grid security
  and reliability; [and]
               (4)  amendments to the state emergency management plan
  to ensure coordinated and adaptable response and recovery efforts
  after events that threaten grid security and reliability; and 
               (5)  appropriate measures and strategies to secure
  critical infrastructure in ERCOT and the electric grid and
  associated computer systems and networks against: 
                     (A)  electromagnetic pulses;
                     (B)  natural threats, including solar flares and
  extreme weather emergencies;
                     (C)  geomagnetic disturbances; and
                     (D)  cybersecurity threats and other attacks.
         (i-1)  In developing recommendations under Subsection
  (i)(5), the council shall take into account the estimated costs
  associated with the recommendations.
         (i-2)  In developing recommendations under Subsection
  (i)(5), the council may use research and data on electromagnetic
  pulse threats, extreme weather emergencies, and cybersecurity
  gathered by the United States Department of Defense, the United
  States Department of Energy, the United States Department of
  Homeland Security, the National Weather Service, and the Electric
  Power Research Institute.
         (i-3)  The council may share recommendations developed under
  Subsection (i)(5) with any state agency it considers important to
  the security and reliability of the electric grid or associated
  computer systems or networks. To the extent allowed by law, a state
  agency with which the council shares recommendations is encouraged
  to implement any recommendations that the agency determines will
  improve the security and emergency preparedness of the state's
  electric grid or associated computer systems or networks.
         (i-4)  The Texas Electric Grid Security and Emergency
  Preparedness Advisory Council shall, to the extent possible, begin
  implementing any critical recommendations from the during the
  interim period without further legislative action. 
         (j)  The council may prepare asubsequent reports outlining
  grid security response efforts that do not involve classified or
  highly sensitive, company-specific information. If the council
  prepares thea subsequent 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.  Each member of the council
  shall sign a nondisclosure agreement stating that the member will
  not disclose to the public any sensitive or identifiable
  information related to grid security or emergency preparedness
  measures or plans. 
         (l)  This section is not intended to penalize electric
  providers in this state.  If deficiencies in the security or
  emergency preparedness of the electric grid in ERCOT are determined
  through the work of the council and the legislature, in
  consultation with the governor, determines upgrades to the electric
  grid are necessary, the legislature shall determine whether
  upgrades will be funded by appropriating general revenue, through a
  ratepayer cost recovery mechanism, or by a combination of those
  methods.
         (m)  This section is not intended to prevent an electric
  utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative from
  making prudent investments and reasonable and necessary
  expenditures to secure the electric grid and seeking recovery of
  associated costs as authorized by this code. 
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.918.  INFORMATION RELATED TO GRID SECURITY AND
  EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. The independent organization certified
  under Section 39.151 shall collect and compile information related
  to the security of the electric grid.  The information is
  confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,
  Government Code.
         SECTION 3.  The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker
  of the house of representatives shall appoint members to the Texas
  Electric Grid Security and Emergency Preparedness Advisory
  Council, as required by this Act, as soon as practicable after the
  effective date of this Act, but not later than the 90th day after
  the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, but not later than December 31, 2021, the Texas
  Electric Grid Security and Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council
  shall hold its initial meeting.
         SECTION 5.  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, 2021.