The bill, S.B. No. 501, aims to enhance underground facility safety by amending various sections of the Utilities Code. Key changes include a broader definition of "underground facility" to encompass various forms of telecommunications services, electrical energy, natural gas, petroleum products, water, slurry, sewage, steam, and hazardous liquids. Additionally, the bill modifies the requirements for operators to provide general information about excavation activities to all residential customers, regardless of the number of customers served. It also establishes a fee structure for operators and notification centers, ensuring that all operators participate in a notification center as a condition of doing business in Texas.

Furthermore, the bill removes the classification of "Class A underground facility" from several sections, streamlining the regulations for all operators. It mandates that operators mark the approximate location of their underground facilities upon notification of excavation and requires immediate reporting of any damage to these facilities. The bill also introduces penalties for unauthorized removal or damage to markers indicating the location of underground facilities. The provisions of the Utilities Code that are repealed include specific definitions and classifications that are no longer deemed necessary. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Utilities Code 251.002, Utilities Code 251.009, Utilities Code 251.060, Utilities Code 251.062, Utilities Code 251.105, Utilities Code 251.107, Utilities Code 251.157, Utilities Code 251.159, Utilities Code 251.203 (Utilities Code 251)