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Thursday, April 24, 2025

Texas Senate to review SB 2015 introduced by Paul Bettencourt on Monday, March 17

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Paul Bettencourt, Texas State Senator from 7th District (R) | https://x.com/TeamBettencourt

Paul Bettencourt, Texas State Senator from 7th District (R) | https://x.com/TeamBettencourt

Sen. Paul Bettencourt introduced SB 2015, a bill on City Government and Utilities, to the Texas Senate on Monday, March 17 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.

More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities for certain municipal projects’’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

The bill permits municipalities to require certificated telecommunications utilities and holders of state-issued certificates of franchise authority to relocate their facilities within municipal public rights-of-way at the municipality's expense. This is to accommodate municipal projects such as the widening or straightening of streets. Municipalities must provide at least 30 days' notice before relocation is required and specify the new location for the facilities within the right-of-way. The provisions outlined in this bill will take effect Sept. 1, 2025.

Paul Bettencourt, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and member of the Senate Committee on Transportation, proposed another 16 bills during the 89(R) legislative session.

Bettencourt graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS.

Paul Bettencourt is currently serving in the Texas State Senate, representing the state's 7th Senate district. He replaced previous state senator Dan Patrick in 2015.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Other Recent Bills Introduced by Sen. Paul Bettencourt in Texas Senate During 89(R) Legislative Session

Bill NumberDate IntroducedShort Description
SB 204803/17/2025Relating to the assumption of the powers and duties relating to driver's licenses, personal identification certificates, and other related programs, powers, and duties by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
SB 204703/17/2025Relating to liability of judges and magistrates for the improper release on personal bond of defendants accused of committing certain felony offenses
SB 204503/17/2025Relating to the prohibition of certain actions with respect to campaign contributions and expenditures by foreign persons; creating criminal offenses
SB 204403/17/2025Relating to the regulation of certain political communications, a prohibition on electioneering by school district and open-enrollment charter school officials and employees, and actions and other proceedings by a public school challenging the operations of the public school system; authorizing an administrative penalty; creating a criminal offense
SB 202903/17/2025Relating to authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters to indicate a preference for observing year-round standard time or daylight saving time
SB 201703/17/2025Relating to the creation of a criminal offense for operating a vehicle under certain circumstances causing a tire of the vehicle to spin, lose traction, or leave the surface of a highway
SB 154203/06/2025Relating to maintaining the accuracy of information contained within the statewide voter registration system; creating a criminal offense
SB 150903/06/2025Relating to the authority of a municipality to regulate within its extraterritorial jurisdiction
SB 150303/06/2025Relating to the expansion of the territory of an emergency services district into the territory of a municipality
SB 150103/06/2025Relating to the allocation of proceeds from the issuance of general obligation bonds by political subdivisions
SB 144103/06/2025Relating to state agency employment openings and aptitude assessments
SB 144003/06/2025Relating to required reporting of certain discretionary prosecutorial decisions of prosecuting attorneys
SB 143903/06/2025Relating to automatic recounts of certain elections
SB 143803/06/2025Relating to the procedure for a periodic rate adjustment by an electric utility
SB 143503/06/2025Relating to notice provided to certain state and local officials regarding an appeal of a municipal order filed by a transmission and distribution utility in a ratemaking proceeding
SB 81802/07/2025Relating to the establishment of the Health Impact, Cost, and Coverage Analysis Program; authorizing a fee

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