Texas HB 144 Compliance. Mapped. Automated. Sealed.
AcreSeal maps directly to every requirement of House Bill 144 (Sec. 38.103). Your pole inspection plan, your complaint process, your PUCT compliance reports — handled with forensic-grade documentation.
Already using another platform? See how AcreSeal integrates → · Verify any record's integrity → · See all 153+ utilities on the coverage map →
Texas HB 144 (Sec. 38.103), effective September 1, 2025, requires every electric cooperative, investor-owned utility, and municipally owned utility in Texas to submit a distribution pole inspection and management plan to the PUCT. The January 1, 2027 filing date comes from the PUCT's implementing rule, 16 TAC Sec. 25.63, which has not been adopted. Under Tex. Util. Code Sec. 38.103(b), the plan must cover seven required elements — scope and objectives, roles and responsibilities, training and certification, inspection and remedial-action timelines, landowner complaint handling, estimated cost (electric utilities only), and compliance-monitoring methods — plus an annual compliance update to the PUCT, due not later than May 1 (Sec. 38.103(c)). The PUCT has contracted Guidehouse to review every submission against these requirements.
Last reviewed July 2026 · Based on Texas Utilities Code Sec. 38.103 and the PUCT rule Tex. Util. Code Sec. 38.103(b).
HB 144 Pole Management Plan — Element by Element
Every required plan element (Tex. Util. Code §38.103(b)) mapped to the AcreSeal feature that addresses it. Coverage status shown for each element.
Beyond these seven plan elements, HB 144 requires one recurring filing: an annual compliance update due not later than May 1 of each year (Tex. Util. Code §38.103(c); 16 TAC §25.63(d), adopted). It also requires reconciliation to the SB 1789 (§38.006) structural-integrity standards once those are adopted.
Coming Soon
Budget projection tools for investor-owned utilities filing under §38.103(b)(6).
Configurable inspection criteria aligned to Sec. 38.006 once PUCT publishes final rules.
Export format will update automatically if the PUCT adopts 16 TAC Sec. 25.63, whose adopted text specifies searchable PDF plus Excel with formulas intact.
Coverage methodology: AcreSeal maps to all seven required plan elements of the PUCT rule (Tex. Util. Code §38.103(b)) — landowner-complaint documentation, inspection and remedial timelines, and compliance monitoring fully automated; scope, roles, and training template-assisted; the estimated-cost element (electric utilities only) on the roadmap. See the plan-element breakdown → For Texas landowners with utility poles on their property, our complete guide to landowner pole rights walks through how the landowner-complaint element plays out in practice.
Vegetation Management Companion
Senate Bill 1789 requires electric utilities to file vegetation management plans addressing tree trimming, right-of-way maintenance, and wildfire mitigation. AcreSeal's vegetation module tracks work orders, before/after photo documentation, and growth-rate predictions — providing the same forensic-grade evidence chain used for pole compliance. Compare the two laws in our HB 144 vs SB 1789 breakdown.
Work Order Tracking
Schedule, assign, and close vegetation work orders with GPS-tagged photo documentation.
Growth Prediction
Linear regression models predict re-growth rates to optimize trim cycles and reduce costs.
Wildfire Risk Zones
Map vegetation density against pole locations to prioritize high-risk corridors.
Not sure where your cooperative stands? Take the free HB 144 Readiness Assessment →
NERC FAC-003-5 Transmission Vegetation Management
Audit-Ready DocumentationFor utilities managing transmission lines, NERC FAC-003-5 requires documented Transmission Vegetation Management Programs (TVMPs) with inspection schedules, clearance verification, and outage reporting. AcreSeal's forensic evidence chains and before/after photo verification provide the auditable documentation that NERC Regional Entities require during compliance audits. See our full NERC FAC-003-5 documentation guide.
MVCD clearance tracking ensures vegetation encroachments are flagged before they become violations. Penalties for NERC FAC-003 non-compliance can exceed $1 million per day.
| Voltage Class | MVCD (ft) |
|---|---|
| 69 kV | 3.41 ft |
| 138 kV | 4.78 ft |
| 230 kV | 6.39 ft |
| 345 kV | 8.53 ft |
| 500 kV | 11.16 ft |
| 765 kV | 14.47 ft |
Values at 1.0 gap factor per NERC FAC-003-5 Table 2.
PUCT Review Process
Review-ReadyThe Public Utility Commission of Texas has engaged Guidehouse to review all utility pole inspection and management plan submissions under Sec. 38.103. AcreSeal's compliance exports are designed to produce structured, section-by-section documentation that aligns with regulatory review expectations. See exactly what Sec. 38.103(c) actually requires.
As PUCT publishes specific formatting requirements, AcreSeal will update export templates automatically — included at no additional cost during your subscription.
AcreSeal brings data innovation to utility compliance. Rather than static spreadsheets and manual documentation, every record is cryptographically sealed with SHA-256 hash chains, GPS coordinates, timestamps, and environmental conditions — creating a verifiable data layer that survives regulatory audit. This approach reflects the industry shift toward data-driven grid operations championed by ISOs nationwide.
HB 144 Compliance Timeline
HB 144 signed into law
Governor signs House Bill 144 (89th Legislature, Regular Session)
PUCT rulemaking begins
Commission opens rulemaking for Sec. 38.103 implementation
Now
AcreSeal available for early-access utilities
Plan submission deadline
Utilities must file pole inspection plans with PUCT (Sec. 38.103(a))
First annual compliance update due
First annual compliance update due May 1, 2028 under Sec. 38.103(c)
Full compliance required
All inspection, reporting, and training systems operational
Security Audit Roadmap
AcreSeal's cryptographic implementation will undergo independent third-party security audit upon first paying customer engagement. Target firms include Trail of Bits, NCC Group, or Bishop Fox — peer cryptographic audit firms with utility-sector experience. Audit findings will be publicly summarized at completion.
Regulatory Engagement
AcreSeal is engaged with ERCOT through the Research and Innovation Partnership Engagement (RIPE) program. Engagement with PUCT staff and FEMA Public Assistance program guidance is ongoing. Regulatory engagement is a continuous process; formal regulator endorsement is not claimed.
The Co-Op Manager’s Guide to HB 144 Compliance
An 8-page guide covering everything Texas cooperatives and utilities need to know about HB 144 filing requirements, the annual compliance update, common mistakes, and the compliance timeline through January 2027. Written by a T&D industry expert with 40 years of experience.
Download the Guide (PDF)
Enter your email to receive the guide instantly.
Don’t wait for the deadline.
Start building your HB 144 compliance record today. AcreSeal gives you the plan, the process, and the proof — before PUCT asks for it.
HB 144 — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions Texas utilities ask most about Sec. 38.103.
What is Texas HB 144?
Texas House Bill 144 is a 2025 law codified at Utilities Code Sec. 38.103 that requires every electric cooperative, investor-owned utility, and municipally owned utility in Texas to file a distribution pole inspection and management plan with the Public Utility Commission of Texas by January 1, 2027. Companion legislation SB 1789 directs the PUCT to adopt statewide structural integrity standards.
Who must comply with HB 144?
Every electric cooperative, investor-owned utility, and municipally owned utility in Texas that distributes electric energy to the public — approximately 75 cooperatives, 72 municipals, and 6 IOUs (roughly 153 utilities total). The scope applies regardless of utility size, from three-person cooperative offices managing 5,000 poles to IOUs managing hundreds of thousands across multiple regions.
What is the HB 144 compliance deadline?
January 1, 2027. Every covered utility must submit its initial distribution pole inspection and management plan to the PUCT by that date. After that, the recurring obligation is an annual compliance update due no later than May 1 of each year under Sec. 38.103(c). The rule at 16 TAC Sec. 25.63 — published July 30, 2026 under Project No. 59431 and effective August 19, 2026 — adds a January 1, 2028 affidavit-or-revised-plan milestone and revised plans on a staggered eight-year cycle from 2032, 2034 and 2036 by entity class. The enacted statute sets no revision cycle of its own.
What must an HB 144 pole management plan include?
Tex. Util. Code Sec. 38.103(b) requires a pole management plan to cover seven elements:
- Scope and objectives of the plan
- Roles and responsibilities
- Personnel training and certification, including third-party vendors
- Inspection and remedial-action timeline
- Landowner complaint documentation and response
- Estimated cost of implementation (electric utilities only)
- Compliance-monitoring methods
Utilities also file an annual compliance update — the one recurring filing HB 144 creates — due not later than May 1 of each year under Tex. Util. Code Sec. 38.103(c), elaborated by the rule at 16 TAC Sec. 25.63(d).
Who reviews HB 144 submissions?
Guidehouse, a $5.7 billion global consulting firm, was contracted by the PUCT for up to $3.5 million to review every utility submission. The PUCT authorized Guidehouse to hire 14 staff dedicated to the review process. This is not self-certification — every plan will be evaluated by professional consultants against defined criteria derived from Sec. 38.103.
What is AcreSeal?
AcreSeal is a forensic compliance documentation platform for Texas HB 144. It creates tamper-evident, SHA-256 hash-chained records for utility pole inspections, landowner complaints, and PUCT compliance reporting. Every record is sealed with GPS coordinates, timestamps, photo evidence, and environmental conditions. AcreSeal is founded by Lance Hayes — a former hospital IT leader based in San Antonio, Texas.