SB 2015
Bettencourt Bill Shifts Phone And Cable Relocation Costs To Cities
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Carve-out
THE TEXT
…“[ utility's ] expense from their collected right-of-way fees as”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill moves relocation costs off telephone utilities and cable franchise holders and onto city budgets. The caption, about the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities, does not say who now pays.
Carve-outInitial 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 relocation or adjustment of certain facilities for certain municipal projects.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
The city pays, out of the right-of-way fees it collects. The caption never says who pays.
The bill makes cities pay when they order telephone companies to move their lines and equipment out of the way for street widening or straightening, instead of the companies paying, with the money drawn from the right-of-way fees the city collects. It also makes cities pay when they order cable and video franchise holders to move their equipment for street work or any other city project. Cities must give at least 30 days' notice before the move date and name the new location, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 6, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2015 · 2025-03-06
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities for certain municipal projects.
WHAT IT DOES
The city pays, out of the right-of-way fees it collects. The caption never says who pays.
The bill makes cities pay when they order telephone companies to move their lines and equipment out of the way for street widening or straightening, instead of the companies paying, with the money drawn from the right-of-way fees the city collects. It also makes cities pay when they order cable and video franchise holders to move their equipment for street work or any other city project. Cities must give at least 30 days' notice before the move date and name the new location, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
…“[ utility's ] expense from their collected right-of-way fees as”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill moves relocation costs off telephone utilities and cable franchise holders and onto city budgets. The caption, about the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities, does not say who now pays.
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
THE TEXT
…“facility in a municipal public right-of-way at the municipality's”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
Cities, not telecom and cable companies, would pay to move private company equipment out of public streets, funded by right-of-way fees.
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.
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.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Mar 6, 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 4272 by Patterson (identical)
Subjects
City Government--General
Utilities--Telecommunications
Text
The text as introduced · 234 words
2025S0181-1 03/06/25 By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2015 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities for certain municipal projects. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 54.203(c), Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows: (c) The governing body of a municipality may require a certificated telecommunications utility to relocate the utility's facility in a municipal public right-of-way at the municipality's [ utility's ] expense from their collected right-of-way fees as described by Section 283.051, Local Government Code, to permit the widening or straightening of a street by: (1) giving the utility notice at least 30 days before the date relocation is required [ 30 days' notice ]; and (2) specifying the new location for the facility along the right-of-way of the street. SECTION 2. Section 66.011, Utilities Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: (d-1) A municipality may require a holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority to relocate the holder's facility in a municipal public right-of-way at the municipality's expense to permit the widening or straightening of a street or to accommodate another municipal project by: (1) giving the holder notice at least 30 days before the date relocation is required; and (2) specifying the new location for the facility along the right-of-way. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.