HB 3044

Darby Bill Puts A 10-Year Clock On ERCOT Grid Bottlenecks

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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

Caption

relating to the periodic elimination of generic transmission constraints in the ERCOT power region.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caps on power flow between parts of the grid must come off within 10 years.

The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write a rule requiring ERCOT, the grid operator, to run a program that removes each generic transmission constraint. A generic transmission constraint is a group of power lines between two parts of the grid where ERCOT caps how much power can flow to keep the grid stable. Each such cap must be removed no later than 10 years after it was set, which pushes ERCOT and the commission toward fixing the bottlenecks instead of living with them.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House State Affairs committee on Apr 2, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3044 · 2025-02-19

SOLD BY

Rep. Drew DarbyRHouse 72

ITEM

relating to the periodic elimination of generic transmission constraints in the ERCOT power region.

WHAT IT DOES

Caps on power flow between parts of the grid must come off within 10 years.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($460,523)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 1, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3044, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($921,046) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($460,523)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Feb 19, 2025Filed
Mar 20, 2025Read first time
Mar 20, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Apr 2, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 2, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 2, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 2, 2025Left pending in committee

FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“transmission constraint not later than the 10th anniversary of the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill sets a 10-year deadline for ERCOT to remove transmission bottlenecks that limit how much power can move across the Texas grid.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Drew Darby

Donors

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$50KGideon Powell$30,000Dustin Burrows Campaign$28K

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 9, 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 Truth and Liberty PAC$50,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

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

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 8, 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: 101007659, 101072052.

Gideon Powell$30,000.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign$27,600.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$27,600.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $27,600.00
Total: $27,600.00

polling $27,600.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Aug 5, 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: 101068080.

Money

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

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

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

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 8, 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: 101007659, 101072052.

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$27,600.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $27,600.00
Total: $27,600.00

polling $27,600.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Aug 5, 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: 101068080.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($460,523)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 1, 2025

First year · FY 2026 · ($460,523)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 19, 2025

04/02/2025 H Left pending in committee

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

Subjects

Utilities--Electric

Utilities--General

ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS (ERCOT)

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 164 words

89R4245 SCR-D

By: Darby
H.B. No. 3044

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the periodic elimination of generic transmission

constraints in the ERCOT power region.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is

amended by adding Section 39.171 to read as follows:

Sec. 39.171. GENERIC TRANSMISSION CONSTRAINT ELIMINATION.

(a) In this section, "generic transmission constraint" means a

defined group of transmission lines connecting two areas of the

ERCOT power grid for which the independent organization certified

under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region has assigned a power

flow limit to maintain grid stability.

(b) The commission by rule shall require the independent

organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power

region to implement a program to eliminate each generic

transmission constraint not later than the 10th anniversary of the

date on which the generic transmission constraint was established.

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