Signed by Governor Greg Abbott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits cities from banning natural gas hookups in new buildings.

Highlights:

• Prohibits any regulatory authority, planning authority, or political subdivision of this state from adopting rules, ordinances, resolutions, regulation, code, order, policy, or other measure that has the purpose, intent, or effect of directly or indirectly banning, limiting, restricting, discriminating against, or prohibiting the connection or reconnection of a utility service or the construction, maintenance, or installation of residential, commercial, or other private or public infrastructure for a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered to the end-use customer (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits a regulatory authority, planning authority, political subdivision, or utility from imposing additional charges or pricing differences on a development of building permanent applicant for utility infrastructure that does the following, including (Sec. 1):

• Encourage the construction of homes, buildings, and other structural improvements to connect to a utility service based on the type or source or energy to be delivered; or

• Discourages the installation of facilities for the delivery of or use of a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered.

• Specifies that this bill shall not limit the ability of a regulatory authority or political subdivision to choose utility services for properties owned by the regulatory authority or political subdivision (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits cities from banning natural gas hookups in new buildings.

Highlights:

• Prohibits any regulatory authority, planning authority, or political subdivision of this state from adopting rules, ordinances, resolutions, regulation, code, order, policy, or other measure that has the purpose, intent, or effect of directly or indirectly banning, limiting, restricting, discriminating against, or prohibiting the connection or reconnection of a utility service or the construction, maintenance, or installation of residential, commercial, or other private or public infrastructure for a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered to the end-use customer (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits a regulatory authority, planning authority, political subdivision, or utility from imposing additional charges or pricing differences on a development of building permanent applicant for utility infrastructure that does the following, including (Sec. 1):

• Encourage the construction of homes, buildings, and other structural improvements to connect to a utility service based on the type or source or energy to be delivered; or

• Discourages the installation of facilities for the delivery of or use of a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered.

• Specifies that this bill shall not limit the ability of a regulatory authority or political subdivision to choose utility services for properties owned by the regulatory authority or political subdivision (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text