Texas Senate Takes on Crypto Mining

The State Wants to Know if Bitcoin Miners are Bankrupting Locals

So we have a situation on our hands: the Texas Senate has called a meeting to discuss a new bill that could potentially put restrictions on Bitcoin mining operations in the state, and the people have an opinion.

Opinions about this new bill range from “it’s about time!” to “what the heck?” but there’s no doubt that the issue is pitting the energy-hungry Bitcoin miners against local businesses who say their energy costs are skyrocketing due to the miners.

The debate centers around the fact that miners use large amounts of electricity, often in public utilities, to generate the cryptocurrency. This mining activity can be quite profitable but also puts a strain on core utilities as well as other businesses in the area.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The Bill: It’s called “Senate Bill 1403” and it would limit certain arrangements that Bitcoin miners have with electric companies in Texas, including setting certain caps on consumption.

  • Opponents of the Bill: The main opponents of the bill include investors, miners, and some companies who would be affected by it. They argue that the bill is too restrictive, and would make it difficult for miners to profit from their operations.

  • Supporters of the Bill: Supporters include those who feel the miners are taking too much from the local energy market, and worry that it could cause the prices to skyrocket if no restrictions are in place.

It All Comes Down to Economics

At the end of the day, it’s all about economics: Bitcoin has made some investors rich, but are they costing locals too much in terms of energy?

The Texas Senate hearing should answer some questions and provide some clarity to the matter. Until then, all eyes will be on Austin.

In the meantime, let’s all just take a step back and laugh at the fact that cryptocurrency mining is even a topic of discussion in the Texas Senate. Who knows – maybe in a few years we’ll get to see a presentation on how to make a fortune mining cryptocurrency!

Either way, this should be interesting.