| TO: | Honorable Troy Fraser, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB896 by Fraser (Relating to administrative procedures and energy policy of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Utilities Code to authorize the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to conduct a closed meeting to receive information that it determines is not subject to disclosure, but requires a final action, decision, or vote on the matter deliberated in a closed meeting be made in an open meeting.
The bill would require the executive director of the PUC to conduct investigations for certain suspected violations of the Utilities Code or PUC rules. The bill grants the executive director certain disclosure authority regarding information found during an investigation and authorizes the PUC to adopt rules the declassification of certain information and the types of information that qualify as competitively sensitive.
The bill would provide that any methodologies developed by the wholesale electric market monitor for the purposes of conducting investigations would be deemed confidential and would be exempt from certain disclosure requirements.
Based on the analysis of the Public Utility Commission, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house or would otherwise take effect on September 1, 2007.
| Source Agencies: | 473 Public Utility Commission of Texas
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, SD, MW, TGl
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