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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the powers, duties, and composition of the electric |
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utility restructuring legislative oversight committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsections (b), (e), and (h), Section 39.907, |
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Utilities Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The committee is composed of six members as follows: |
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(1) the chair of the House Committee on Regulated |
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Industries; |
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(2) the chair of the Senate Committee on Business and |
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Commerce; |
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(3) two [three] members of the senate appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; and |
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(4) [(3)] two members of the house of representatives |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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(e) The committee shall: |
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(1) meet at least annually with the commission; |
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(2) receive information about rules relating to |
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electric utility restructuring proposed by the commission and may |
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submit comments to the commission on those proposed rules; |
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(3) review recommendations for legislation proposed |
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by the commission; [and] |
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(4) monitor the effectiveness of electric utility |
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restructuring, including the fairness of rates, the reliability of |
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service, and the effect of stranded costs, market power, and |
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regulation on the normal forces of competition; and |
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(5) study and seek policies to ensure that fuel |
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resources available to the state are used in a balanced and |
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efficient manner and consider the reliability, economic viability, |
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and environmental impact of new fuels and generation technologies. |
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(h) The chair of the House Committee on Regulated Industries |
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and the chair of the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce [one
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of the members of the senate serving on the committee, designated by
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the lieutenant governor,] shall serve as joint chairs of the |
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committee. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |