89R19311 ANG-D     By: King, Darby, Hunter, Fairly, Anchía, H.B. No. 143       et al.       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas and   the Public Utility Commission of Texas to address a failure by an   operator to maintain an electrical power line serving a well site or   certain surface facilities in accordance with the National   Electrical Code.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 91.019, Natural Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 91.019.  STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND   MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER LINES.  (a) An operator shall   construct, operate, and maintain an electrical power line serving a   well site or other surface facility employed in operations incident   to oil and gas development and production in accordance with:                (1)  the National Electrical Code published by the   National Fire Protection Association and adopted by the Texas   Commission of Licensing and Regulation under Chapter 1305,   Occupations Code; or                (2)  16 T.A.C. Sections 25.94, 25.95, and 25.96, as   those provisions existed on September 1, 2025, if the operator is a   utility as defined by Section 11.004, Utilities Code, engaged in   the maintenance of an electronic transmission and distribution   system.          (b)  If, during an inspection by the commission of a well   site or surface facility employed in operations incident to oil and   gas development and production or on the receipt of a written notice   submitted by a landowner or lessee, the commission discovers a   condition involving an electrical power line, pole, or any other   related electrical equipment that does not meet the standards   described by Subsection (a) and poses a risk of causing a fire or   injury to a person, the commission shall, not later than three days   after the discovery of the condition, notify the Public Utility   Commission of Texas and the operator. The notification provided by   the commission must include a description of the condition and   whether the well is abandoned.  To resolve the condition, the   commission and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, in   collaboration, shall, not later than 10 days after the Public   Utility Commission of Texas receives notice from the commission,   notify the landowner of the condition and inform the landowner of   the actions the commission and the Public Utility Commission of   Texas will take to resolve the condition, and:                (1)  request that the state fire marshal or a local   government authority inspect the condition at the well site or   surface facility and require the operator to mitigate any dangerous   conditions identified by the state fire marshal or local government   authority;                (2)  request that the electric utility that provides   electric service to the well site or surface facility investigate   the condition and disconnect electric service to the well site or   surface facility, if necessary; or                (3)  take any other action the commission and the   Public Utility Commission of Texas consider necessary and   appropriate to resolve the condition.          (c)  If electric service was disconnected by an electric   utility pursuant to a request made under Subsection (b)(2), the   utility must restore electric service to the well site or surface   facility on receipt of notice by the commission that the condition   has been resolved.          SECTION 2.  Section 91.019, Natural Resources Code, as   amended by this Act, applies to an inspection that occurs on or   after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.