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Senate Bill 2154 |
Senate Author: Schwertner et al. |
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Effective: 6-18-21 |
House Sponsor: Paddie |
Senate Bill 2154 amends the Utilities Code to expand the membership of the Public Utility Commission of Texas from three commissioners to five. The bill revises the eligibility requirements for appointment as a commissioner to include Texas residency as an eligibility requirement, to change the number of commissioners who must be well informed and qualified in the field of public utilities and utility regulation from all commissioners to at least two commissioners, and to include at least five years of experience as a professional engineer among the qualifying professional experience for appointment. The bill changes the period within which an applicable conflict of interest disqualifies a person from appointment as a commissioner from two years preceding appointment to one year preceding appointment and includes as a disqualifying conflict of interest previous service as governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller of public accounts, commissioner of the General Land Office, or attorney general. The bill also restricts a former commissioner's ability to engage in lobbying activity for the first year following the date they cease to be a commissioner.