BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2033

By: Guillen

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is not represented on the Texas Electricity Supply Chain Security and Mapping Committee. This presents an issue in an event where TxDOT needs access to the electricity supply chain map in order to repair damages and respond to emergencies. Moreover, roads and critical infrastructure such as water or wastewater treatment plants are not considered to be part of the electricity supply chain. C.S.H.B. 2033 seeks to ensure that TxDOT has access to the electricity supply chain map for future repairs needs and that the definition of electricity supply chain is expansive enough to encompass roads and water and wastewater treatment plants.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2033 amends the Utilities Code to do the following with respect to the Texas Electricity Supply Chain Security and Mapping Committee:

· classify roads necessary to access facilities in the electricity supply chain as part of that supply chain;

· establish that a reference in state law governing the committee to the "electricity supply chain" includes water and wastewater treatment plants;

· include the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) as a member of the committee;

· include TxDOT among the agencies required to provide staff as necessary to assist the committee in carrying out its duties and responsibilities; and

· require the committee to provide access to the electricity supply chain map to TxDOT staff whose duties include making repairs after disasters or emergencies.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2033 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes provisions absent from the introduced that do the following:

· classify the roads necessary to access facilities in the electricity supply chain as part of that supply chain; and

· establish that a reference in state law governing the committee to the "electricity supply chain" includes water and wastewater treatment plants.