89R16324 CXP-F     By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 2344       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the placement of telephone corporation facilities in   the right-of-way of certain county roads.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 181, Utilities Code, is   amended by adding Section 181.0821 to read as follows:          Sec. 181.0821.  REGULATION BY CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This   section applies only to a county with a population of less than   75,000 that is located in a standard metropolitan statistical area   with a population of more than 1.5 million.          (b)  A telephone corporation may install a facility of the   corporation in the right-of-way of a county road under Section   181.082 only after the corporation submits to the county and the   commissioners court of the county approves an application to use   the right-of-way for the facility, according to procedures provided   by an order adopted by the commissioners court of the county.          (c)  The procedures adopted by the commissioners court of the   county:                (1)  may not include procedures or forms that are   substantially different from the application procedures and forms   used for locating other utility facilities in the right-of-way of a   county road;                (2)  must provide that the county, not later than the   10th business day after the date an application for use of the   right-of-way is submitted, will provide notice to the telephone   corporation that the application:                      (A)  is approved as filed; or                      (B)  must be modified to comply with location or   construction schedule requirements to reduce conflicts with county   road construction projects;                (3)  must allow for resubmission of an application for   which a modification is requested under Subdivision (2)(B) not   later than the 15th day after the date the corporation receives   notice under that paragraph; and                (4)  must provide that an application resubmitted under   Subdivision (3) is considered to be approved if the county does not   deny the application before the sixth business day after the date   the resubmitted application is submitted.          (d)  The commissioners court of the county may require a   telephone corporation that has installed a facility in the   right-of-way of a county road under Section 181.082 to relocate the   facility at the corporation's expense to allow for the widening or   other modification of a traffic lane.          (e)  To impose a requirement under Subsection (d), the   commissioners court of the county must give the telephone   corporation written notice of the requirement not later than the   45th day before the date the relocation is to be made. The notice   must identify the facility to be relocated and indicate the   location in the right-of-way where the corporation may reinstall   the facility.          (f)  The telephone corporation shall pay the cost of   repairing a county road damaged by the relocation.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.