Charles Schwertner, Texas State Senator from 5th District (R) | https://www.facebook.com/drschwertner
Charles Schwertner, Texas State Senator from 5th District (R) | https://www.facebook.com/drschwertner
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to risk mitigation planning and associated liability for providers of electric service’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill amends Sections 36.064 and adds Section 38.080 to the Utilities Code, facilitating risk mitigation planning and establishing liability guidelines for electric service providers in Texas. It allows electric utilities to self-insure against liabilities or property losses from events like wildfires and imposes conditions for plan approval by the commission, ensuring public interest and cost-effectiveness. Utilities in high wildfire risk areas must submit a wildfire mitigation plan detailing inspection processes, vegetation management, operation strategies, and public awareness plans. The bill provides limits on liability for utilities, shielding them from damages caused by wildfires unless proven negligent or non-compliant with approved plans. The Public Utility Commission of Texas is tasked with adopting necessary rules by a specific deadline, and the act's provisions apply to actions accruing after its effective date, which is immediate upon receiving sufficient legislative support or, alternatively, Sept. 1, 2025.
Charles Schwertner, chair of the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce and member of the Senate Committee on State Affairs, proposed another 26 bills during the 89(R) legislative session.
Schwertner graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS.
Charles Schwertner is currently serving in the Texas State Senate, representing the state's 5th Senate district. He replaced previous state senator Steve Ogden in 2013.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB 1945 | 03/17/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of certain individuals younger than 65 years of age to purchase Medicare supplement benefit plans |
| SB 1889 | 03/17/2025 | Relating to vision screenings for students in public or private school, including vision screening information reporting for public school students and the creation of a matching grant program for visual devices for certain students |
| SB 1881 | 03/17/2025 | Relating to the use of political contributions by the secretary of state to maintain a residence in Travis County |
| SB 1880 | 03/17/2025 | Relating to the creation of an additional judicial district in Williamson County |
| SB 1876 | 03/17/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to retain assistance for regional proceedings affecting certain electric utilities and consumers |
| SB 2872 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to connection reservation contracts |
| SB 1826 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to career and technology education programs in public schools and the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program, including funding for those programs under the Foundation School Program, and to the new instructional facility allotment and the permissible uses of funding under the Foundation School Program |
| SB 1665 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to a study by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on the feasibility of constructing certain extra high voltage transmission lines |
| SB 1586 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the issuance by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of permits for certain wastewater treatment facilities |
| SB 1560 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the submission to the legislature of financial information of an independent organization certified for a power region |
| SB 1518 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain tax revenue for hotel and convention center projects |
| SB 1517 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to receive certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project and to pledge certain tax revenue for the payment of obligations related to the project |
| SB 1496 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to receive certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project and to pledge certain tax revenue for the payment of obligations related to the project |
| SB 1290 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to requiring backup generation at certain wastewater treatment facilities |
| SB 1272 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of attempted capital murder of a peace officer; increasing a criminal penalty; changing eligibility for parole and mandatory supervision |
| SB 1117 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to the administration of botulinum toxin by dentists |
| SB 859 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fee subsidies paid for public school teachers and students |
| SB 858 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to certain criminal offenses involving the attachment or display of a wrong license plate or registration insignia; increasing criminal penalties |
| SB 778 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the establishment and administration of the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve; making an appropriation |
| SB 743 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program |
| SB 742 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the adequacy and effectiveness of managed care plan networks |
| SB 658 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to agreements between sheriffs and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law |
| SB 622 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the definition of emergency care for purposes of certain health benefit plans |
| SB 551 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to selection of statewide competition locations by the University Interscholastic League |
| SB 386 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the jurisdiction of certain international organizations |
| SB 369 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to an appraisal procedure for disputed losses under personal automobile insurance policies |
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