Amend SB 1752 by adding the following appropriately numbered
SECTION to the bill and renumbering existing SECTIONS of the bill
appropriately:
      SECTION __.  Section 447.008, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsections (f), (g),
and (h) to read as follows:
      (b)  Using available state, federal, or oil overcharge funds,
the energy management center may assist state agencies and
institutions of higher education in analyzing and negotiating rates
for electricity and natural gas supplies from locally certificated
electric suppliers, natural gas suppliers, or state-owned energy
resources, including transportation charges for natural gas.  The
provisions of this section shall not be construed to empower the
energy management center to negotiate rates for natural gas
supplies on behalf of state agencies or institutions but rather to
provide technical assistance as needed.
      (d)  Any state agency or institution of higher education with
expertise in rate analysis, negotiation, or any other matter
related to the procurement of electricity and natural gas supplies
from locally certificated electric suppliers, natural gas
suppliers, or state-owned energy resources may assist the energy
management center whenever practicable. The attorney general on
request shall assist the energy management center and other state
agencies and institutions of higher education to negotiate rates
for electricity and other terms of electric utility service.
      (f)  The energy management center on request may negotiate
rates for electricity and other terms of electric utility service
for a state agency or institution of higher education.  The energy
management center may also negotiate the rates and the other terms
of service for a group of agencies and institutions together in a
single contract.
      (g)  The energy management center shall analyze the rates for
electricity charged to and the amount of electricity used by state
agencies and institutions of higher education to determine ways the
state could obtain lower rates and use less electricity.  State
agencies, including the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and
institutions of higher education shall assist the energy management
center to obtain the information the center requires to perform its
analysis.
      (h)  The energy management center and the attorney general
shall cooperate in monitoring efforts to deregulate the electric
utility industry and in reporting on the ways in which deregulation
would affect state government as a purchaser of electricity.  The
energy management center, represented by the  attorney general, may
intervene in proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of
Texas that are related to deregulating all or part of the electric
utility industry to represent the interests of state government as
a purchaser of electricity in those proceedings.