This bill amends existing provisions related to the notification process for excavators before beginning excavation work. Specifically, it revises Section 49-7A-5 to clarify that excavators must notify the one-call notification center at least forty-eight hours prior to starting any excavation, with the notice period beginning at 12:01 a.m. the day after the notice is submitted, excluding weekends and legal holidays. The bill also allows the board to establish rules that could shorten this notice period for emergencies or extend it for non-excavation requests.

Additionally, Section 49-7A-8 is amended to outline the responsibilities of operators upon receiving notice from excavators. Operators must mark the location of underground facilities within eighteen inches of the facilities and must do so within a specified response time, which is defined as either a forty-eight-hour period starting the day after notice is received or the time frame between the notice and the excavation start time. The bill emphasizes the importance of maintaining a minimum horizontal clearance of eighteen inches from marked underground facilities and outlines procedures for excavators when working close to these facilities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 12/19/2025: 49-7A-5, 49-7A-8
Enrolled, 02/04/2026: 49-7A-5, 49-7A-8