Monitoring the Session

SB 1566

utilities can hook up land released from a city’s ETJ

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

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 connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No municipal plat certificate needed, with a certificate of convenience and necessity.

The bill adds a new exception letting utility providers connect water, sewer, electricity, gas or other service to land without the usual municipal plat certificate. The exception covers land that was removed from a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction under the state's ETJ release process, as long as the provider holds a certificate of convenience and necessity to serve that land. Landowners in subdivisions that left a city's ETJ can get utilities hooked up without first getting city plat paperwork.

Labels

Labels: BUZZER BEATER. Final vote May 31, 2025: both chambers adopted the conference committee report. 2 days before the session ended Jun 2, 2025.INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1566 · 2025-02-24

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

WHAT IT DOES

No municipal plat certificate needed, with a certificate of convenience and necessity.

The bill adds a new exception letting utility providers connect water, sewer, electricity, gas or other service to land without the usual municipal plat certificate. The exception covers land that was removed from a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction under the state's ETJ release process, as long as the provider holds a certificate of convenience and necessity to serve that land. Landowners in subdivisions that left a city's ETJ can get utilities hooked up without first getting city plat paperwork.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 30, 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Local Government
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  12. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  13. Committee report printed and distributed
  14. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  15. Laid before the Senate
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Vote recorded in Journal
  18. Three day rule suspended
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to State Affairs
  27. Posting rule suspended
  28. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  29. Considered in public hearing
  30. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  31. Left pending in committee
  32. Considered in formal meeting
  33. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  34. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  35. Committee report distributed
  36. Committee report sent to Calendars
  37. Considered in Calendars
  38. Placed on General State Calendar
  39. Read 2nd time
  40. Passed to 3rd reading
  41. Record vote RV#3076
  42. Read 3rd time
  43. Postponed 5/22/25 9:00 AM
  44. Laid out as postponed business
  45. Postponed 5/22/25 3:30 PM
  46. Laid out as postponed business
  47. Amended 1-C. Bell
  48. Record vote RV#3233
  49. Passed as amended
  50. Record vote RV#3234
  51. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  52. House passage as amended reported
  53. House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
  54. Read
  55. Senate refuses to concur
  56. Senate requests conference committee
  57. Senate appoints conferees
  58. Senate refuses to concur-reported
  59. Senate requests conference committee-reported
  60. Senate appoints conferees-reported
  61. House grants request for conference committee
  62. House appoints conferees
  63. House grants request for conf comm-reported
  64. House appoints conferees-reported
  65. Conference committee report filed
  66. Conf. Comm. Report distributed
  67. House adopts conference committee report
  68. Record vote RV#4112
  69. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  70. House adopts conf. comm. report-reported
  71. Senate adopts conference committee report
  72. Record vote
  73. Senate adopts conf. comm. report-reported
  74. Reported enrolled
  75. Signed in the Senate
  76. Signed in the House
  77. Sent to the Governor
  78. Signed by the Governor
  79. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 138 yea · 1 nay

Senate · 30 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 22, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 10, 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

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Paul Bettencourt.

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.

Money

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

Votes8

Senate May 31, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

On motion of Senator Bettencourt, the Conference Committee Report was adopted by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House May 31, 2025

Yea
132
Nay
0
Present, not voting
3
Absent
1
Excused
14
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 4112

Representative Darby moved to adopt the conference committee report on SB 1566. The motion to adopt the conference committee report on SB 1566 prevailed by (Record 4112): 132 Yeas, 0 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 132 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 14 (derived from named list)

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

House May 22, 2025

Yea
138
Nay
1
Present, not voting
3
Absent
2
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3234

SB 1566, as amended, was passed by (Record 3234): 138 Yeas, 1 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 138 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

House May 22, 2025

Yea
137
Nay
1
Present, not voting
3
Absent
3
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3233

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 3233): 137 Yeas, 1 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 137 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

House May 20, 2025

Yea
140
Nay
2
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3076

SB 1566 was passed to third reading by (Record 3076): 140 Yeas, 2 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 140 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Final passage

Yea
30
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

SB 1566 (Bettencourt) Relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
30
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

SB 1566 (Bettencourt) Relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Passage to engrossment

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

SB 1566 (Bettencourt) Relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses6
For
6
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP1 registration
  • City of San Antonio1 registration
  • Schwartz, Page & Harding, LLP2 registrations
  • Texas Association of Builders2 registrations
Sources

6 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.

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

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 30, 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 I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 24, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Sponsors

House committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 14 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

City Government--Annexation

City Government--Utilities

Utilities--General

Text

The text as introduced · 258 words

89R5756 SCL-D

By: Bettencourt
S.B. No. 1566

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain

subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial

jurisdiction.

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

SECTION 1. Section 212.012(c), Local Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(c) An entity described by Subsection (b) may serve or

connect land with water, sewer, electricity, gas, or other utility

service regardless of whether the entity is presented with or

otherwise holds a certificate applicable to the land issued under

Section 212.0115 if:

(1) the land is covered by a development plat approved

under Subchapter B or under an ordinance or rule relating to the

development plat;

(2) the land was first served or connected with

service by an entity described by Subsection (b)(1), (b)(2), or

(b)(3) before September 1, 1987; [ or ]

(3) the land was first served or connected with

service by an entity described by Subsection (b)(4), (b)(5), or

(b)(6) before September 1, 1989 ; or

(4) the land was removed from a municipality's

extraterritorial jurisdiction under Subchapter D or E, Chapter 42,

and the entity holds a certificate of convenience and necessity to

serve the land .

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.