🟡Relating to information regarding certain charges for services provided by municipally owned utility systems
HB 1991
🟡 HB 1991: Utility “Transparency” Without Real Oversight
What it says it does:
HB 1991 tells cities that own their own utilities to post the terms and conditions of extra charges, like maintenance or improvement fees, on both the city’s and the utility’s websites. It also requires them to update that information within 30 days whenever those charges change.
What it actually changes:
Earlier versions required cities to publish the actual dollar amounts of those fees and send them to the Secretary of State for public listing in the Texas Register. The final version removed that statewide reporting. Now cities only have to post general terms locally, not the numbers themselves.
Who is pushing for it:
The Texas Public Power Association registered support during committee hearings. They represent municipally owned utilities that wanted to keep reporting requirements at the local level rather than a statewide standard.
Who benefits:
Municipal utilities and local governments that prefer flexibility in how they describe their charges. They can meet the letter of the law without exposing rate differences or cost increases to broader public comparison.
Who gets left out or exposed:
Regular ratepayers lose easy access to comparable data. Researchers, watchdogs, and consumer advocates lose a central record to track patterns or detect overcharging. Rural residents in small towns may only see vague website updates instead of clear numbers.
Why this matters long term:
It sets a precedent that posting “terms and conditions” counts as transparency, even when the public cannot see the actual figures. It weakens the statewide visibility that helps Texans understand what they pay compared to others, eroding accountability in local utilities.
What to watch next:
Future bills may copy this model, replacing real oversight with local self-reporting. Watch for “transparency” bills that sound open but remove centralized publication or auditing.
Bottom line:
HB 1991 offers surface-level openness but hides the details that matter most. Transparency without numbers is fine print, not accountability. Texans deserve a clear view of what they are charged, not a policy that only looks transparent on paper.
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