The bill, S.B. No. 483, introduces a new section, 17.011, to the Utilities Code, focusing on the sharing and protection of proprietary customer information by retail electric providers. It defines "proprietary customer information" as identifying details about individual customers, such as their name, telephone number, email address, and home address. The bill allows electric utilities to request this information from retail electric providers when necessary for communication regarding emergencies, service interruptions, or restoration of service. The retail electric provider is required to provide this information within 48 hours of the request without needing prior customer authorization.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that electric utilities may share proprietary customer information with other parties for similar communication purposes without prior customer consent, overriding certain existing regulations. It mandates that any entity obtaining this information must implement reasonable security practices to protect its confidentiality and may not retain the information longer than necessary. The bill clarifies that violations of this section are subject to specific provisions under Chapter 15, while also ensuring that the application of Chapter 541 of the Business & Commerce Code remains unaffected for entities that are not electric utilities or retail electric providers. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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