LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 9, 2007

TO:	Honorable Phil King, Chair, House Committee on Regulated Industries
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1945 by King, Phil (Relating to the administrative penalty procedures of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Utilities Code to exclude Chapter 39, Utilities Code, from a provision that allows a person to be exempt from a certain administrative penalty assessed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), if the violation was shown to be accidental or inadvertent and remedied within 31 days. The bill also requires a hearing regarding an alleged violation be held in accordance with certain provisions of the Utilities Code.

Based on the analysis of the PUC and the State Office of Administrative Hearings, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.

This bill would take effect September 1, 2007.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

360 State Office of Administrative Hearings, 473 Public Utility Commission of Texas

LBB Staff:

JOB, JRO, MW, TGl