Bill Text: TX SB475 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to an advisory body on the security of the electric grid.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-07 - Effective immediately [SB475 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB475-Enrolled.html
| S.B. No. 475 | ||
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| relating to an advisory body on the security of the electric grid. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 39.917 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 39.917. TEXAS ELECTRIC GRID SECURITY COUNCIL. | ||
| (a) The legislature finds that there is a public interest in | ||
| mitigating the risk of cyber and physical attacks that may affect | ||
| the reliability of electric systems operating in Texas. The Texas | ||
| Electric Grid Security Council is established as an advisory body | ||
| to facilitate the creation, aggregation, coordination, and | ||
| dissemination of best security practices for the electric industry, | ||
| including the generation, transmission, and delivery of | ||
| electricity. | ||
| (b) The Texas Electric Grid Security Council is composed of: | ||
| (1) the commissioner designated as presiding officer | ||
| of the commission under Section 12.052 or a representative | ||
| designated by the commissioner; | ||
| (2) the chief executive officer of the independent | ||
| organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power | ||
| region or a representative designated by the chief executive | ||
| officer; and | ||
| (3) the governor or a representative designated by the | ||
| governor. | ||
| (c) The member of the council designated by Subsection | ||
| (b)(1) shall serve as presiding officer. | ||
| (d) The council shall convene at the call of the presiding | ||
| officer. | ||
| (e) A member of the council is not entitled to compensation. | ||
| Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel and other | ||
| necessary expenses related to the activities of the council as | ||
| provided by the General Appropriations Act. | ||
| (f) A member of the council may apply for a secret security | ||
| clearance or an interim security clearance granted by the United | ||
| States government. A member of the council may not access | ||
| classified information or participate in a briefing or meeting | ||
| involving classified information unless the member has a secret | ||
| security clearance. | ||
| (g) The independent organization certified under Section | ||
| 39.151 shall: | ||
| (1) provide information and resources requested by the | ||
| council; and | ||
| (2) maintain nonclassified information obtained or | ||
| created by the council, provide members of the council with access | ||
| to the information, and retain the information for five years after | ||
| the date that the council obtains or creates the information. | ||
| (h) In carrying out its functions, the council may consult | ||
| and coordinate with: | ||
| (1) the Texas Division of Emergency Management; | ||
| (2) the United States Department of Energy; | ||
| (3) the United States Department of Homeland Security; | ||
| (4) the North American Electric Reliability | ||
| Corporation; | ||
| (5) the Texas Reliability Entity; | ||
| (6) federal and state agencies; | ||
| (7) members of the electric industry; and | ||
| (8) grid security experts. | ||
| (i) On a request by the governor, the lieutenant governor, | ||
| the chair of the house of representatives committee having | ||
| jurisdiction over energy utility regulation, or the chair of the | ||
| senate committee having jurisdiction over energy utility | ||
| regulation, the council shall issue to the requestor | ||
| recommendations regarding: | ||
| (1) the development of educational programs or | ||
| marketing materials to promote the development of a grid security | ||
| workforce; | ||
| (2) the development of grid security best practices; | ||
| (3) preparation for events that threaten grid | ||
| security; and | ||
| (4) amendments to the state emergency management plan | ||
| to ensure coordinated and adaptable response and recovery efforts | ||
| after events that threaten grid security. | ||
| (j) The council may prepare a report outlining grid security | ||
| response efforts that do not involve classified or highly | ||
| sensitive, company-specific information. If the council prepares | ||
| the report, the council shall deliver the report to the governor, | ||
| lieutenant governor, and legislature on or before the December 1 | ||
| immediately preceding a regular session of the legislature. | ||
| (k) The meetings of the council and information obtained or | ||
| created by the council are not subject to the requirements of | ||
| Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2019. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 475 passed the Senate on | ||
| April 3, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that | ||
| the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 21, 2019, by the | ||
| following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 475 passed the House, with | ||
| amendment, on May 15, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, | ||
| Nays 0, two present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
