Relating to plans for the management and inspection of distribution poles, the official text

H.B. No. 144

AN ACT

relating to plans for the management and inspection of distribution

poles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter E, Chapter 38,

Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER E. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE [REPORT]

SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is

amended by adding Section 38.103 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.103. DISTRIBUTION POLE PLAN. (a) Each electric

cooperative, electric utility, and municipally owned utility that

distributes electric energy to the public shall submit to the

commission a plan for the management and inspection of distribution

poles the cooperative or utility owns in the cooperative's or

utility's distribution system.

(b) Each plan submitted under Subsection (a) must include:

(1) a statement of the plan's scope and objectives for

ensuring public safety through the effective management,

inspection, maintenance, and repair of distribution poles;

(2) the roles and responsibilities of individuals

responsible for overseeing and executing the plan;

(3) processes for training and certifying personnel,

including third-party vendors, who inspect distribution poles;

(4) an estimated timeline for completing inspections

and remedial action required for any pole identified as unreliable,

unsafe, or needing repair;

(5) processes for documenting and responding to a

report or complaint made by a landowner regarding the condition or

repair of a distribution pole;

(6) for a plan submitted by an electric utility, the

estimated cost of implementing the plan; and

(7) a description of the cooperative's or utility's

methods to monitor compliance with the plan.

(c) Not later than May 1 of each year, an entity to which

this section applies shall submit an update to the commission

detailing the entity's compliance with the plan's objectives, the

costs of implementing the plan to date, and the results of the

entity's inspection of distribution poles, including the number of

poles inspected and any remediation or replacement action taken.

An electric utility may submit the update in a report required under

Section 38.101.

(d) The commission shall review each plan and update

submitted under this section to determine whether the entity that

submitted the plan or update is in compliance with the plan's

objectives described by Subsection (b)(1) and notify the entity

whether or not the entity is in compliance with those objectives.

(e) The commission may accept in place of the information

required under this section any information required under other

law that is substantially similar to the information required under

this section.

SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2027, each entity to

which Section 38.103, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, applies

shall submit the plan required by that section to the Public Utility

Commission of Texas. The Public Utility Commission of Texas may

establish different plan submission dates for each class of entity

to which Section 38.103, Utilities Code, as added by this Act,

applies.

SECTION 4. 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, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 144 was passed by the House on April

29, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 125, Nays 21, 1 present, not

voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

No. 144 on May 29, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 110, Nays 18,

1 present, not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 144 was passed by the Senate, with

amendments, on May 26, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays

0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor