BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1606
89R3038 CS-D	By: Metcalf et al. (Zaffirini)
	Business & Commerce
	5/6/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Overgrown vegetation near power lines, especially in neighborhoods and areas where lines run close to residential homes and roadways, can create dangerous conditions. These can include power outages, fire hazards, and other safety issues for both residents and workers.

What's more, some consumers might not be aware of the process to request vegetation management to prevent these risks. H.B. 1606 resolves this issue by requiring retail electric utilities, retail electric providers, electric cooperatives, and municipally owned utilities to periodically include notice on customer bills about how to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line.

H.B. 1606 amends current law relating to notice provided to a retail electric customer of the procedure for requesting vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 17.003, Utilities Code, by amending Subsection (d-1) and adding Subsection (d-2), as follows:

(d-1) Requires an electric utility providing electric delivery service for a retail electric provider, as defined by Section 31.002 (Definitions), to provide to the retail electric provider, and the retail electric provider to periodically provide to the retail electric provider's retail customers together with bills sent to the customers, certain information, including information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(d-2) Requires a retail electric utility to periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the utility information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 17.005(f), Utilities Code, to require a municipally owned utility to �periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the utility certain information, including information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line, and to make nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 17.006(f), Utilities Code, to require an electric cooperative to periodically provide with bills sent to retail customers of the cooperative certain information, including information about the procedure for a customer to request vegetation management near a transmission or distribution line, and to make nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.