By Wolens H.R. No. 615 77R11066 GMW-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, April 2001 marks Texas Electric Choice Awareness 1-2 Month, and this special observance is an ideal way to heighten 1-3 awareness among consumers about the evolution that is taking place 1-4 in the electric industry in Texas; and 1-5 WHEREAS, In 1999, the 76th Texas Legislature gave Texans the 1-6 power to choose their own electricity company; official 1-7 restructuring for the state begins on January 1, 2002, and the 1-8 ensuing competition among electricity providers should keep the 1-9 costs of electricity reasonable and lead to improvements in the way 1-10 the state uses electricity; and 1-11 WHEREAS, With wind, coal, natural gas, solar, water, and 1-12 other energy resources, Texas has diversity in its generation of 1-13 power, and with 35 new power plants, the Lone Star State is 1-14 expected to have an excess power reserve that is estimated at 23.3 1-15 percent above customer demand; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The Public Utility Commission of Texas will continue 1-17 to ensure the safety and reliability of electric service, while 1-18 consumers will be able to make their decision about purchasing 1-19 electricity based on what matters most to them, whether it is 1-20 price, use of renewable energy, customer service, or staying with a 1-21 company they know; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Consumers will be able to compare the rates and 1-23 services being offered by asking retail electric providers for 1-24 electricity facts labels, which will include information on prices, 2-1 contracts, sources of power generation, and emissions; and 2-2 WHEREAS, Preceding the official restructuring in January 2-3 2002, five percent of Texas' electric customers will have the 2-4 opportunity to sign up for the Texas Electric Choice Pilot Program 2-5 that will run from June 1, 2001, to December 31, 2001; this pilot 2-6 program and the subsequent restructuring of the electric industry 2-7 in Texas marks a noteworthy development that most definitely merits 2-8 widespread public attention; now, therefore, be it 2-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-10 Legislature hereby recognize April 2001 as Electric Choice 2-11 Awareness Month in the State of Texas.