BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1968 By: Holzheauser (Brown) Natural Resources 05-03-95 Senate 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 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. It was intended for the council to also include a representative of industrial energy consumers. Due to a drafting mistake in an amendment during the 73rd Legislature, 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 As proposed, H.B. 1968 provides that the representative of industrial energy consumers is a governor-appointed member, rather than an ex officio member, of the Texas Energy Coordination Council. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 3.01, Article 4413(47f), V.T.C.S., as follows: Sec. 3.01. COMPOSITION. (a) Deletes a representative of industrial energy consumers from the list of ex officio members composing the Texas Energy Coordination Council (council). Makes nonsubstantive changes. (b) Adds a representative of industrial energy consumers to the list of members the governor shall appoint to serve on the council. (c) Makes no change. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.