Committee adopts amendment to House Bill 3263 requiring utilities to file outage-notification plans with PSC

The Transportation Infrastructure Committee approved an amended version of House Bill 3263 on a voice vote, directing utilities to develop outage communication plans and file them with the Public Service Commission and then referring the bill to the Committee on Government Organization.

The measure, as explained by committee counsel Mariah, would add a section giving the Public Service Commission authority to require that "each utility shall have an outage communication plan in place to notify customers of planned and unexpected disruption of utility services to all customers." Mariah said the plans must include "a message for notifying customers and provide estimates about the length of time of the disruption" and a methodology for prior notice to affected customers.

Mariah told the committee that the Public Service Commission already requires some providers — specifically certain motor-carrier utilities and cable television service providers — to maintain processes for updating customer electronic contact information and to provide electronic notice by text message and email for outages. She said House Bill 3263 is broader and does not limit notice to electronic methods.

Committee members adopted a strike-and-insert amendment that clarified language and explicitly required utilities to file their outage communication plans with the Public Service Commission. Vice Chair (Taylor) moved the amendment and the committee adopted it by voice vote. The committee then voted to advance the engrossed, amended House Bill 3263 and referred it to the Committee on Government Organization. The committee also approved a title amendment.

Votes at a glance • Strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 3263 — Moved by Vice Chair (Taylor); adopted by voice vote (ayes have it). • Engrossed House Bill 3263, as amended — Moved by Vice Chair (Taylor); approved by voice vote and referred to the Committee on Government Organization. • Title amendment — Moved by Vice Chair (Taylor); adopted by voice vote.

No recorded roll-call tallies or individual yea/nay votes were provided in the committee transcript; the clerk announced voice votes with the result "the ayes have it." The transcript also shows a routine motion to adjourn was moved and carried.

What happens next The bill will be considered next by the Committee on Government Organization. The transcript does not specify a hearing date, vote counts, the bill sponsor's full name, or specific compliance deadlines for utilities; those details are not specified in the record provided.

(Direct quotations in this article are taken from the committee counsel's remarks in the committee transcript.)