Monitoring the Session

HB 3069

bill to weigh customer savings on ERCOT transmission lines

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Drew DarbyRHouse 72

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 approval of a certificate of convenience and necessity for certain transmission projects.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

Long-range rules for projects not needed for reliability. Due September 1, 2026.

The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write new long-range, multi-decade planning rules for judging transmission line projects in the ERCOT region that are not needed for reliability standards. Those rules must weigh possible savings for customers, and the Commission must publish its findings on them when it rules on a project; it may also rely on ERCOT's own evaluation of a project. The rules are due by September 1, 2026, and apply only to project approval cases that start on or after that date.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2848 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2848 (Did not pass). 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.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 6, 2025. Died in the Senate: left pending in the Business & Commerce committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3069 · 2025-02-20

SOLD BY

Rep. Drew DarbyRHouse 72

ITEM

relating to the approval of a certificate of convenience and necessity for certain transmission projects.

WHAT IT DOES

Long-range rules for projects not needed for reliability. Due September 1, 2026.

The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write new long-range, multi-decade planning rules for judging transmission line projects in the ERCOT region that are not needed for reliability standards. Those rules must weigh possible savings for customers, and the Commission must publish its findings on them when it rules on a project; it may also rely on ERCOT's own evaluation of a project. The rules are due by September 1, 2026, and apply only to project approval cases that start on or after that date.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($153,508)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3069, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($747,401) 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 · ($153,508)

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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to State Affairs
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Committee substitute considered in committee
  10. Reported favorably as substituted
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Passed to engrossment
  18. Read 3rd time
  19. Passed
  20. Record vote RV#1453
  21. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  22. Reported engrossed
  23. Received from the House
  24. Read first time
  25. Referred to Business & Commerce
  26. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  27. Considered in public hearing
  28. Testimony taken in committee
  29. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“the commission by rule shall establish supplemental multi-decade transmission planning criteria for granting a certificate for a transmission project that serves the ERCOT power region”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The bill changes how the state decides which grid transmission lines get approved, and therefore built and paid for by ratepayers, by adding a long-range customer-savings test.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 137 yea · 9 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 6, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

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.

Votes1

House May 6, 2025

Yea
137
Nay
9
Present, not voting
1
Absent
3
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1453

HB 3069 was passed by (Record 1453): 137 Yeas, 9 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 137 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses18
For
10
Against
5
On
3
Names

For

  • Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation1 registration
  • Environmental Defense Fund1 registration
  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Project Vanguard1 registration
  • Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance1 registration
  • Texas Consumer Association1 registration
  • Texas Energy Buyers Alliance1 registration
  • Texas Transmission Project1 registration

Against

  • Oxy1 registration
  • Samsung1 registration
  • Texas Association of Manufacturers1 registration
  • Texas Chemistry Council1 registration
  • Texas Oil and Gas Association1 registration

On

  • Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)1 registration
  • Public Utility Commission of Texas1 registration
  • Self1 registration
Sources

18 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
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($153,508)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3069, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($747,401) 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 · ($153,508)

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 E by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 2848

by Rep. Darby, same lead author · Did not pass · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 24, 2023: Committee report sent to Calendars

Relating to the approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for certain transmission projects.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 20, 2025

05/22/2025 S Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

Sponsors
Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

House committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 15 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

City Government--Utilities

Utilities--Electric

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 287 words

89R6355 SCR-F

By: Darby
H.B. No. 3069

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the approval of a certificate of convenience and

necessity for certain transmission projects.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37.056(d), Utilities Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(d) The commission by rule shall establish criteria, in

addition to the criteria described by Subsection (c), for granting

a certificate for a transmission project that serves the ERCOT

power region and that is not necessary to meet state or federal

reliability standards. The criteria must include a comparison over

a period of not less than 10 years of the estimated cost of the

transmission project for consumers and the estimated congestion

cost savings for consumers that may result from the transmission

project, considering both current and future expected congestion

levels and the transmission project's ability to reduce those

congestion levels. The criteria must apply a three percent

discount rate to the quantified value of the congestion cost

savings after the fifth year of the comparison period. The

commission shall include with its decision on an application for a

certificate to which this subsection applies findings on the

criteria.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a proceeding affecting a certificate of public convenience and

necessity that commences on or after the effective date of this Act.

A proceeding affecting a certificate of public convenience and

necessity that commenced before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the proceeding is

commenced, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.