SB 1312

bill barring power shutoffs during governor’s weather disaster declarations

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 disconnection of electric service by certain entities during an extreme weather emergency.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

One county under a declaration is enough. Bill collection waits too.

The bill adds a third trigger to the existing Texas rule that bars electric companies from cutting off residential customers during an extreme weather emergency. Under the new trigger, the ban also applies when any county in a provider's service territory is under a weather-related disaster declaration by the governor. Retail electric providers and similar sellers must hold off on disconnections and defer bill collection during those declared disasters, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1312 · 2025-02-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Molly CookDSenate 15

ITEM

relating to the disconnection of electric service by certain entities during an extreme weather emergency.

WHAT IT DOES

One county under a declaration is enough. Bill collection waits too.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 14, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Feb 14, 2025Filed
Feb 28, 2025Read first time
Feb 28, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce

FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

“any county in the relevant service territory is the subject of a weather-related disaster declaration by the governor under Chapter 418, Government Code”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill widens the ban on cutting off home electric service to cover governor-declared weather disasters, so providers must carry unpaid bills during those periods.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Molly Cook

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KGregory Stocks$10,000Amber Alonso$6,500

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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

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

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

Gregory Stocks$10,000.00

Amber Alonso$6,500.00

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

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

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

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

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 14, 2025

02/28/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

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

Subjects

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Utilities--Electric

Text

The text as introduced · 249 words

89R9151 SCR-D

By: Cook
S.B. No. 1312

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the disconnection of electric service by certain

entities during an extreme weather emergency.

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

SECTION 1. Section 39.101(h), Utilities Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(h) A retail electric provider, power generation company,

aggregator, or other entity that provides retail electric service

may not disconnect service to a residential customer during an

extreme weather emergency or on a weekend day. The entity providing

service shall defer collection of the full payment of bills that are

due during an extreme weather emergency until after the emergency

is over and shall work with customers to establish a pay schedule

for deferred bills. For purposes of this subsection, "extreme

weather emergency" means a period when:

(1) the previous day's highest temperature did not

exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to

remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours according to the

nearest National Weather Service reports; [ or ]

(2) the National Weather Service issues a heat

advisory for any county in the relevant service territory, or when

such an advisory has been issued on any one of the previous two

calendar days ; or

(3) any county in the relevant service territory is

the subject of a weather-related disaster declaration by the

governor under Chapter 418, Government Code .

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