HB 1710

bill requiring a state certificate for new ERCOT grid ties

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the issuance of a certificate of convenience or necessity for a facility to import or export power into or out of the ERCOT power region.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Narrow federal approval alone won’t do. One already-approved line keeps its fast track.

The bill says nobody, including a utility or a city-owned utility, may hook a facility to the Texas ERCOT grid that lets more power flow in or out of Texas unless federal regulators approve it only under the sections of federal power law that keep the Texas grid out of full federal control, and the Texas utility commission also grants a certificate. It touches companies and utilities planning power lines that connect Texas to grids in other states, along with the Public Utility Commission. On the ground, new grid ties need both the narrow federal approval and a state certificate that the commission must find serves the public interest, while one already-approved line keeps its fast-track approval.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 122 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 122 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House State Affairs committee 13-0 on Mar 26, 2025. Taken up on the floor on Apr 22, 2025 and postponed. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1710 · 2024-12-30

SOLD BY

Rep. Brooks LandgrafRHouse 81

ITEM

relating to the issuance of a certificate of convenience or necessity for a facility to import or export power into or out of the ERCOT power region.

WHAT IT DOES

Narrow federal approval alone won’t do. One already-approved line keeps its fast track.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · March 26, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Dec 30, 2024Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Mar 19, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 19, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 19, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 19, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 19, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 26, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 26, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 26, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 1, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 1, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 17, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 22, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 22, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 22, 2025Postponed 6/9/25 12:00 PM

FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“may not interconnect a facility to the ERCOT transmission grid that enables additional power to be imported into or exported out of the ERCOT power grid unless”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill sets who may tie the Texas grid to outside grids, requiring narrow federal approval and a state certificate before any new import or export link.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Brooks Landgraf

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$50K Ovintiv USA Inc. PAC$19K Diamondback Energy PAC$15K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

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 23, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$50,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$50,000.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $50,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 26, 2024 to Sep 14, 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: 100977404, 101009994, 101033682, 101069723.

Ovintiv USA Inc. PAC$19,000.00

Ovintiv USA Inc. PAC

$19,000.00

Cash: $19,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $19,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 12, 2024 to Sep 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Dec 22, 2025. 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: 100977404, 101033682.

Diamondback Energy PAC$15,000.00

Diamondback Energy PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 13, 2024 to Aug 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 13, 2024 to Aug 14, 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: 100977404, 101061488, 101069723.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$50,000.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $50,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 26, 2024 to Sep 14, 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: 100977404, 101009994, 101033682, 101069723.

Ovintiv USA Inc. PAC

$19,000.00

Cash: $19,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $19,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 12, 2024 to Sep 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Dec 22, 2025. 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: 100977404, 101033682.

Diamondback Energy PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 13, 2024 to Aug 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 13, 2024 to Aug 14, 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: 100977404, 101061488, 101069723.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses3

For: 1
Against: 0
On: 2

Names

For

Texas Association of Manufacturers1 registration

On

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)1 registration
Public Utility Commission of Texas1 registration

Sources

3 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · March 26, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Dec 30, 2024

04/22/2025 H Postponed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Utilities--Electric

FEDERAL RELATIONS

ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS (ERCOT)

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 122 words

By: Landgraf
H.B. No. 1710

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certificates of convenience and necessity for the

construction, ownership, or operation of facilities for the

transmission of electricity.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 37.056, Utilities Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:

(j) The commission may not grant a certificate to build,

own, or operate a facility that enables power to be imported into or

exported out of the ERCOT power grid if the effect of the granted

certificate would place facilities within the ERCOT power region

under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.