By: Armbrister S.B. No. 168 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the provision of electric transmission services by a 1-2 river authority. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 245, Acts of the 67th Legislature, 1-5 Regular Session, 1981 (Article 717p, Vernon's Texas Civil 1-6 Statutes), is amended by adding Section 4C to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 4C. (a) This section applies only to a river authority 1-8 that is engaged in the distribution and sale of electric energy to 1-9 the public. 1-10 (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a river authority may: 1-11 (1) provide transmission services, as defined by 1-12 Section 31.002, Utilities Code, on a regional basis to any eligible 1-13 transmission customer at any location within or outside the 1-14 boundaries of the river authority; 1-15 (2) acquire, finance, lease, construct, rebuild, 1-16 operate, or sell electric transmission facilities at any location 1-17 within or outside the boundaries of the river authority; 1-18 (3) share officers, directors, employees, equipment, 1-19 and facilities with any related corporation created by the river 1-20 authority; and 1-21 (4) provide goods, equipment, facilities, and services 1-22 to any related corporation created by the river authority without 1-23 the need for a competitive bid. 1-24 (c) This section does not authorize a river authority to 2-1 construct electric transmission facilities for an ultimate consumer 2-2 of electricity to enable that consumer to bypass the transmission 2-3 or distribution facilities of its existing provider. 2-4 (d) The provisions of this section shall not relieve a river 2-5 authority from an obligation to comply with the provisions of the 2-6 Utilities Code concerning a certificate of convenience and 2-7 necessity for a transmission facility. 2-8 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-14 passage, and it is so enacted.