A new bill authored by State Rep. Isaac in the Texas House seeks to improve risk mitigation and liability management for electric utilities, focusing on wildfire prevention and public safety measures, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on City Government, County Government, Environment, Property Interests, and Water category, introduced as HB 145 during the 89(2) legislative session on Friday, Aug. 15, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to certain requirements related to water availability, including requirements that certain plats for the subdivision of land include evidence of groundwater supply’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends the Utilities Code to enhance risk mitigation planning and liability management for electric service providers in Texas. It allows electric utilities to self-insure against potential liabilities from catastrophic events like wildfires, provided plans are in the public interest and offer cost savings. A wildfire mitigation plan must be filed by electric utilities operating in high-risk areas, detailing vegetation management, operational procedures, and community outreach to reduce wildfire risks. Utilities can limit liability for wildfire-related damages if a court determines they were compliant with an approved plan. The Public Utility Commission of Texas is tasked with implementing necessary rules, and the act becomes effective immediately with a two-thirds legislative vote or on Sept. 1, 2025.
Carrie Isaac, a member of the House Committee on Elections, proposed another two bills during the 89(2) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs and a member of the House Committee on S/C on Defense & Veterans’ Affairs.
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.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(2) | HB 147 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to prohibited considerations in governmental entity contracting and elimination of the state’s historically underutilized business program |
| 89(2) | HB 146 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to temporary vehicle tags and the offense of tampering with a governmental record |
| 89(1) | HB 251 | 08/01/2025 | Relating to prohibited considerations in governmental entity contracting and elimination of the state’s historically underutilized business program |
| 89(1) | HB 250 | 08/01/2025 | Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit and the manner in which a proposed ad valorem tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval tax rate is approved; making conforming changes |
| 89(1) | HB 208 | 07/25/2025 | Relating to temporary vehicle tags and the offense of tampering with a governmental record |
| 89(1) | HB 184 | 07/23/2025 | Relating to a reduction in the maximum compressed tax rate of a school district; making an appropriation |
| 89(1) | HB 183 | 07/23/2025 | Relating to certain requirements related to water availability, including requirements that certain plats for the subdivision of land include evidence of groundwater supply |
| 89(R) | HB 5657 | 03/27/2025 | Relating to the boundaries of, and validating certain acts and proceedings of, the Driftwood Conservation District |
| 89(R) | HB 5599 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to water conservation and reclamation equipment installed on recreational vehicles |
| 89(R) | HB 5337 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote; creating criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 5325 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to requirements that certain plats for the subdivision of land include evidence of groundwater supply |
| 89(R) | HB 5215 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the criminal penalty for practicing chiropractic without a license; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 5014 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the rights of special forces veterans who hold a license to carry a handgun |
| 89(R) | HB 4993 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the improvement of health, fitness, and readiness of the Texas military forces |
| 89(R) | HB 4977 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the composition of districts 45 and 73 for the Texas House of Representatives |
| 89(R) | HB 4956 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to requiring a certification for peace officers to conduct certain polygraph examinations |
| 89(R) | HB 4475 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the acceptance of a voter executing a declaration of reasonable impediment; providing a limitation |
| 89(R) | HB 4467 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertisement for sale, rental, or lease, or conveyance of real property, including the removal of certain unauthorized occupants of a dwelling; creating criminal offenses; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 4465 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the dietitian licensure compact; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 3690 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to a review of library materials included in public school libraries; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 3670 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to access to the catalog of a public school’s library materials |
| 89(R) | HB 3144 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the use of a public school or institution of higher education as a polling place |
| 89(R) | HB 3143 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to establishing the safety protection grant program under which the parent of a student whose safety is in jeopardy may elect to transfer the student to another public school campus or receive funding for the student to attend private school |
| 89(R) | HB 3142 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to school marshals, including eligibility for appointment as a school marshal, and licensure and training requirements |
| 89(R) | HB 2889 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to requiring political subdivisions to provide funding for communications from opponents of bond measures of the political subdivision |
| 89(R) | HB 2888 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the right of a motorist who fails to hold a driver’s license or maintain motor vehicle liability insurance or other financial responsibility for a motor vehicle to recover damages arising from a motor vehicle collision |
| 89(R) | HB 2887 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the jurisdiction of certain international organizations |
| 89(R) | HB 2882 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the definition of short-barrel firearm for purposes of certain criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 2881 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the enforcement of certain federal laws restricting the acquisition, manufacture, or possession of ammunition in this state |
| 89(R) | HB 2879 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the justified use of force, including deadly force, by certain persons on certain residential property or manufactured home community property |
| 89(R) | HB 2839 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain military personnel |
| 89(R) | HB 2817 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the use of water withdrawn from the Edwards Aquifer |
| 89(R) | HB 2812 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the exemption of public water supply wells from regulation, permitting, or metering by the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District |
| 89(R) | HB 2739 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to requiring the address on certain identification documents presented by a voter match the address of the voter on the list of registered voters |
| 89(R) | HB 2738 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to acceptable forms of identification for voting |
| 89(R) | HB 2565 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in food and drinks provided by school districts |
| 89(R) | HB 2562 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to a limitation on the salary of superintendents and chief executive officers of school districts and open-enrollment charter schools |
| 89(R) | HB 2289 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project |
| 89(R) | HB 2269 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to a property owners’ association’s authority to require installation or maintenance of grass or turf landscaping |
| 89(R) | HB 2268 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to create certain special districts |
| 89(R) | HB 2267 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the monitoring of emissions from certain facilities that emit air contaminants |
| 89(R) | HB 2266 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the processing of an application for an authorization to use a standard permit for a rock or concrete crushing facility |
| 89(R) | HB 2265 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to county land use regulatory authority in certain counties; providing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 1337 | 11/14/2024 | Relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another state |
| 89(R) | HB 218 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the allocation and deposit of certain surplus state revenue to the property tax relief fund for use in reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 1135 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to temporary vehicle tags and the offense of tampering with a governmental record |
| 89(R) | HB 1133 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the authority of a property owners’ association to prohibit or regulate certain swim instruction provided in a pool on an owner’s or resident’s property |
| 89(R) | HB 1130 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to liability of a cavern entity for injuries arising from certain activities |
| 89(R) | HB 1128 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition on the carrying of a concealed handgun at a polling place |
