This bill clarifies the timeline for notifying utility companies before excavation work begins and for those companies to mark underground utility lines. Excavators must still give at least 48 hours' notice (excluding weekends and holidays), but the bill specifies that utility operators have until whichever comes later: 48 hours after receiving notice or the excavation start time the excavator provided. The bill also allows the state board to adjust these timelines through rules for emergencies or other special situations.
This bill does not directly amend codified state law.
The amendment clarified and reorganized the technical requirements for excavation notifications and underground facility marking by removing exclusions of weekends and holidays from the initial notice period (instead specifying that the 48-hour period begins at 12:01 a.m. the day after notice) and restructuring the operator response timeline into two alternative periods rather than a single standard, which CLARIFIES and STRENGTHENS the bill's enforcement mechanisms without changing its core purpose of protecting underground utilities during excavation.
Signed by the Governor S.J. 256
Delivered to the Governor S.J. 197
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 229
Signed by the President S.J. 186
House of Representatives Do Pass Passed, YEAS 48, NAYS 19. H.J. 210
Commerce and Energy Do Pass Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 1.
Commerce and Energy Scheduled for hearing
First read in House and referred to House Commerce and Energy H.J. 125
Senate Do Pass Passed, YEAS 18, NAYS 16. S.J. 84
Senate Remove from Consent Calendar S.J. 75
Commerce and Energy Certified uncontested, placed on consent
Commerce and Energy Do Pass Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 0.
Commerce and Energy Scheduled for hearing S.J. 1
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce and Energy S.J. 10
Do Pass
Commerce and Energy — Do Pass
Do Pass
Commerce and Energy — Do Pass