All Roll Calls
Yes: 301 • No: 68
TexasSB 178989th Legislature Regular SessionSenate
Relating to electric service quality and reliability; providing an administrative penalty.
Sponsored By: John McQueeney, Charles Schwertner (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Disaster Preparedness & ReliefUtilities--ElectricPUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Texas utilities face stronger outage enforcement
Beginning September 1, 2025, Texas regulators have stronger enforcement tools for electric utility outages. Regulators can act when a power line serving at least 10 customers has unusually poor reliability over any two-year period. Its average outage duration or frequency must be more than 200% higher than the system-wide feeder average, replacing 300%. The law removes the prior start-year limit and requires regulators to consider outage duration alongside maintenance history, causes, utility responses, and repair costs and benefits. These enforcement changes apply only to actions started after the law takes effect. Regulators can also lower a utility’s allowed return on equity at its next rate review when it failed pole standards and weather or a natural disaster damaged its system. That reduction covers infrastructure used or installed to repair or replace damaged parts; the law guarantees no customer savings.
Texas utilities face stronger pole standards
Beginning September 1, 2025, Texas law requires state standards for inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and replacing electric poles. These rules cover investor-owned utilities, city utilities, and cooperatives operating transmission or distribution assets. State regulators must set work deadlines, require records, prioritize high-risk poles, and allow reasonable timelines for existing poles. Covered utilities must report maintenance schedules, inspection results, and repair or replacement work each year by May 1. City utilities and cooperatives must adopt revised standards within 120 days after they take effect. Their first report after adopting initial or revised standards must include a compliance statement from their highest-ranking authorized official. State regulators can impose administrative penalties on city utilities and cooperatives that violate these standards or related rules.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
John McQueeney
House
Charles Schwertner
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Richard Hayes
House
Keresa Richardson
House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 5/26/2025
Record vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0
House vote • 5/20/2025
Record vote
Yes: 107 • No: 40
House vote • 5/19/2025
Record vote
Yes: 110 • No: 28
Senate vote • 4/23/2025
Record vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/23/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
Committee vote: State Affairs
Yes: 12 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Committee vote: Business & Commerce
Yes: 10 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Effective on 9/1/25
6/20/2025HouseSigned by the Governor
6/20/2025HouseSent to the Governor
5/28/2025HouseSigned in the House
5/28/2025HouseSigned in the Senate
5/27/2025SenateReported enrolled
5/26/2025SenateSenate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported
5/26/2025HouseRecord vote
5/26/2025SenateSenate concurs in House amendment(s)
5/26/2025SenateRead
5/26/2025SenateHouse amendment(s) laid before the Senate
5/26/2025SenateHouse passage as amended reported
5/20/2025SenateStatement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
5/20/2025HouseRecord vote (RV#3023)
5/20/2025HousePassed
5/20/2025HouseRead 3rd time
5/20/2025HouseStatement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
5/19/2025HouseRecord vote (RV#2953)
5/19/2025HousePassed to 3rd reading as amended
5/19/2025HouseAmended (1-McQueeney)
5/19/2025HouseRead 2nd time
5/19/2025HousePlaced on General State Calendar
5/16/2025HouseConsidered in Calendars
5/14/2025HouseCommittee report sent to Calendars
5/10/2025HouseCommittee report distributed
5/9/2025House
Bill Text
Engrossed
Enrolled
House Committee Report
Introduced
Senate Committee Report
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