88R SB 258
by Sen. Eckhardt, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked
Introduced textLast action, May 17, 2023: Left pending in committee
Relating to energy efficiency goals for electric utilities.
Caption, 88R bill history
SB 1915
Eckhardt Bill’s 1% Savings Goal Can Wait Until 2032
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
SmellsInitial review
Both charges, and why
Delayed start
THE TEXT
…“establish an annual energy savings goal of one percent not later than the 2032 calendar year for each electric utility”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The rules come in 2025, but the one percent target does not have to be reached until 2032. That is seven years after the session and well past the next election.
Delayed startThe hole
THE TEXT
…“the commission may provide for cost caps for the implementation of this subsection and provide good cause exceptions for a utility that is unable to meet the goal in a cost-effective manner”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The commission may cap costs and excuse any utility that says it cannot meet the goal cheaply. That could let the main case, a utility falling short, escape the new goal, but the exceptions are optional, not automatic.
The holeInitial 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 energy efficiency goals for electric utilities.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Rules in 2025, the goal by 2032. Utilities that can’t do it cheaply may get excused.
The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write rules setting a yearly energy savings goal of one percent for each electric utility, to be reached no later than 2032. The goal sits on top of existing demand-reduction goals and is measured against electricity used by customers who pay the energy efficiency cost recovery fee. The commission must adopt the rules by December 31, 2025, but it may cap costs and excuse utilities that cannot meet the goal cost-effectively.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 258 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 258 (Died in committee). 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.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 5, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB1915 · 2025-03-05
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to energy efficiency goals for electric utilities.
WHAT IT DOES
Rules in 2025, the goal by 2032. Utilities that can’t do it cheaply may get excused.
The bill orders the Public Utility Commission to write rules setting a yearly energy savings goal of one percent for each electric utility, to be reached no later than 2032. The goal sits on top of existing demand-reduction goals and is measured against electricity used by customers who pay the energy efficiency cost recovery fee. The commission must adopt the rules by December 31, 2025, but it may cap costs and excuse utilities that cannot meet the goal cost-effectively.
CHARGES
[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 55%
THE TEXT
…“establish an annual energy savings goal of one percent not later than the 2032 calendar year for each electric utility”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The rules come in 2025, but the one percent target does not have to be reached until 2032. That is seven years after the session and well past the next election.
[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%
THE TEXT
…“the commission may provide for cost caps for the implementation of this subsection and provide good cause exceptions for a utility that is unable to meet the goal in a cost-effective manner”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The commission may cap costs and excuse any utility that says it cannot meet the goal cheaply. That could let the main case, a utility falling short, escape the new goal, but the exceptions are optional, not automatic.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER
DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID
THE TEXT
…“based on the existing and expected usage of electricity delivered in a utility's service area that is required to pay the annual energy efficiency cost recovery fee”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill sets grid energy savings targets measured against the customers who pay the efficiency cost recovery fee.
Smells
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Donald Henley$117,500Dale Linebarger$38,769Stephen McNally$24,000
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 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.
Donald Henley$117,500.00
Dale Linebarger$38,769.25
Stephen McNally$24,000.00
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
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.
FILED BEFORE
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Mar 5, 2025
03/17/2025 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
Companion
HB 4374 by Turner (identical)
Subjects
Energy--Conservation
Utilities--Electric
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
Text
The text as introduced · 197 words
89R7748 JXC-F By: Eckhardt, Johnson, Menéndez S.B. No. 1915 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to energy efficiency goals for electric utilities. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 39.905, Utilities Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a-1) In addition to meeting the demand goals provided by Subsection (a), the commission by rule shall provide a method to establish an annual energy savings goal of one percent not later than the 2032 calendar year for each electric utility. The method must be based on the existing and expected usage of electricity delivered in a utility's service area that is required to pay the annual energy efficiency cost recovery fee. In adopting rules, the commission may provide for cost caps for the implementation of this subsection and provide good cause exceptions for a utility that is unable to meet the goal in a cost-effective manner. SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by this Act to Section 39.905, Utilities Code, not later than December 31, 2025. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.