House Bill No. 4302 introduces new provisions for the recovery of vegetation management costs by electric utilities in Texas. It adds Section 36.2031 to Subchapter E, Chapter 36 of the Utilities Code, allowing the commission to review and adjust an electric utility's vegetation management factor. The bill mandates the implementation of procedures for timely adjustments, requiring utilities to collect eligible vegetation management costs as soon as reasonably possible. It also stipulates that any under-collected or over-collected amounts must be allocated among customer classes based on actual usage and addressed through interim adjustments, with specific timelines for recovery or refunds.

Additionally, the bill outlines the process for protests against the vegetation management factor or interim adjustments, emphasizing that the prudence of costs will not be considered in these proceedings. It establishes that the commission may hold hearings on protests if the adjustments would lead to significant bill increases or are due to extraordinary costs. Furthermore, electric utilities are required to reconcile their vegetation management costs at least every two years, with the commission having the authority to set the timing for these reconciliations. The provisions aim to ensure that utilities do not substantially under-collect or over-collect their vegetation management costs while providing a structured process for adjustments and customer engagement. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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