BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1968 By: HOLZHEAUSER March 20, 1995 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Texas Energy Coordination Council was created by the Legislature in 1993. It is responsible for coordinating energy research among Texas' major universities and energy industries. The council is also required to serve as a policy resource to the Legislature and state energy policy makers. Members of the council include ex-officio (which means by virtue of an office) representatives from Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, and West Texas A&M University. These are combined with appointed representatives of the natural gas industry, oil industry, alternative fuels industry, renewable energy industry, electric utility industry, and an energy consumer/environmental representative. The council was also supposed to include a representative of industrial energy consumers. Due to a drafting mistake in an amendment during the 73rd Legislative Session, the industrial energy consumer representative was included as an ex-officio, rather than an appointed, member. This prevented the governor from appointing the representative to the council. PURPOSE To make the industrial energy consumer representative of the Texas Energy Coordination Council an appointed, rather than ex-officio member. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1. Amends Section 3.01, Article 4413(47f), V.T.C.S., by removing the representative for industrial energy consumers from the list of ex-officio members of the Texas Energy Coordination Council and adding it to the list of appointed members of the Council. Section 2. Emergency Clause. Effective Date: upon passage. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION HB 1968 was considered by the Energy Resources Committee in a public Hearing on March 20, 1995. Jon K. Fisher, representing the Texas Chemical Council testified in favor of the bill. No one testified against the bill. The bill was reported favorably without amendment with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV, and 2 absent.