By: Van de Putte, Watson  S.B. No. 495
         (In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2007; February 21, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
  March 14, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8,
  Nays 0; March 14, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to allowing a municipal electric utility to enter into
  hedging contracts for certain commodities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsections (a) and (d), Section 2256.0201,
  Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A municipality that owns a municipal electric utility
  that is engaged in the distribution and sale of electric energy or
  natural gas to the public may enter into a hedging contract and
  related security and insurance agreements in relation to fuel oil,
  natural gas, coal, nuclear fuel, and electric energy to protect
  against loss due to price fluctuations. A hedging transaction must
  comply with the regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading
  Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. If there is
  a conflict between the municipal charter of the municipality and
  this chapter, this chapter prevails.
         (d)  In this section, "hedging" means the buying and selling
  of fuel oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear fuel, and electric energy
  futures or options or similar contracts on those commodities and
  related transportation costs [commodity futures] as a protection
  against loss due to price fluctuation.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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