Monitoring the SessionHB 1603
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ensure the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region has adequate reserve power to prevent blackout conditions.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Last in line after every other source. Who pays? The rules decide.
The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write rules for buying emergency backup power generation capacity, on top of existing reliability services, to prevent blackouts from power shortages in the ERCOT region. It requires ERCOT to contract for a set amount of that reserve capacity and to use every other power source and demand reduction before calling on it. The rules must set how much reserve is needed and how the costs of keeping and using that reserve are shared.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 3178 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 3178 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 12, 2024 and referred to the House State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-HB1603 · 2024-12-12
relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ensure the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region has adequate reserve power to prevent blackout conditions.
Last in line after every other source. Who pays? The rules decide.
The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write rules for buying emergency backup power generation capacity, on top of existing reliability services, to prevent blackouts from power shortages in the ERCOT region. It requires ERCOT to contract for a set amount of that reserve capacity and to use every other power source and demand reduction before calling on it. The rules must set how much reserve is needed and how the costs of keeping and using that reserve are shared.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID
THE TEXT
“mechanisms for equitably sharing the costs of making the reserve capacity available and the costs of generated power provided to prevent blackout conditions”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill creates a paid emergency reserve of power generation for the ERCOT grid and leaves it to commission rules to decide who pays for it.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$85,000.00
Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Mar 25, 2026 to Sep 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Derived itemized flow · Mar 25, 2026 to Sep 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101056369, 101068193.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$85,000.00
Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Mar 25, 2026 to Sep 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Derived itemized flow · Mar 25, 2026 to Sep 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101056369, 101068193.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Rep. Rosenthal, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked
Introduced textLast action, Mar 15, 2023: Referred to State Affairs
Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ensure the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region has adequate reserve power to prevent blackout conditions.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Dec 12, 2024
03/12/2025 H Referred to State Affairs: Mar 12 2025 11:15AM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee
Disaster Preparedness & Relief
Utilities--Electric
ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS (ERCOT)
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
The text as introduced · 310 words
89R3502 ANG-F By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 1603 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ensure the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region has adequate reserve power to prevent blackout conditions. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 39.159, Utilities Code, is amended by adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows: (f) The commission by rule shall develop a process for procuring emergency reserve power generation capacity, in addition to ancillary and reliability services procured under Subsections (b) and (d), as necessary to prevent blackout conditions caused by shortages of generated power in the ERCOT power region. The rules must provide: (1) parameters for estimating the amount of emergency reserve power generation capacity necessary to prevent blackout conditions; and (2) mechanisms for equitably sharing the costs of making the reserve capacity available and the costs of generated power provided to prevent blackout conditions. (g) In accordance with rules adopted under Subsection (f), the independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region shall adopt procedures and enter contracts as necessary to ensure the availability of a defined amount of emergency reserve power generation capacity the organization may call on to prevent blackouts caused by shortages of generated power. Before the independent organization calls on the emergency reserve power generation capacity to prevent blackout conditions, the organization shall use all other sources of power and demand reduction available in accordance with commission rules adopted under this section. 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, 2025.