Amend CSHB 3245 (house committee printing) as follows:                       

(1)  On page 1, line 6, strike "Subsection (h)" and 	substitute "Subsections (a) and (h)".
	(2)  On page 1, between lines 7 and 8, insert:                                 
	(a)  The [Before customer choice begins on January 1, 2002, 
the] commission shall ensure that retail customer protections are 
established that entitle a customer:
		(1)  to safe, reliable, and reasonably priced 
electricity, including protection against service disconnections 
in an extreme weather emergency as provided by Subsection (h) or in 
cases of medical emergency or nonpayment for unrelated services;
		(2)  to privacy of customer consumption and credit 
information;             
		(3)  to bills presented in a clear format and in 
language readily understandable by customers;
		(4)  to the option to have all electric services on a 
single bill, except in those instances where multiple bills are 
allowed under Chapters 40 and 41;
		(5)  to protection from discrimination on the basis of 
race, color, sex, nationality, religion, or marital status;
		(6)  to accuracy of metering and billing;                                     
		(7)  to information in English and Spanish and any 
other language as necessary concerning rates, key terms and 
conditions, in a standard format that will permit comparisons 
between price and service offerings, and the environmental impact 
of certain production facilities;
		(8)  to information in English and Spanish and any 
other language as necessary concerning low-income assistance 
programs and deferred payment plans; [and]
		(9)  to other information or protections necessary to 
ensure high-quality service to customers; and
		(10)  to a refund of a security deposit or other money 
owed to the customer on the withdrawal of the customer's retail 
electric provider from competition in this state.
	(3)  Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to 
the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
	SECTION ____.  Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is 
amended by adding Section 39.110 to read as follows:
	Sec. 39.110.  CUSTOMER DEPOSIT FUND.  (a) The customer 
deposit fund is a trust fund held outside the state treasury by a 
financial institution eligible to be a state depository under 
Chapter 404, Government Code, that is selected by the commission.  
Money in the fund may be used only to repay a security deposit to a 
customer of a retail electric provider.
	(b)  The commission shall:                                              
		(1)  deposit each customer deposit remitted under 
Subsection (c) to the credit of the customer deposit fund;
		(2)  remit to a retail electric provider an amount 
equal to the amount of a customer's security deposit plus interest 
on the deposit, when the retail electric provider demonstrates that 
the security deposit has been returned to the customer with 
interest as provided by Chapter 183, minus any deductions for 
payments due;
		(3)  remit to a retail electric provider an amount 
equal to the amount of interest on a deposit remitted to a customer 
on request as provided by Section 183.004 when the retail electric 
provider demonstrates that the interest has been paid to the 
customer; and
		(4)  conduct an annual review of the customer deposit 
fund, including a review of the interest projected to be earned by 
the fund.
	(c)  A retail electric provider shall remit to the commission 
each security deposit the provider receives from a customer.  The 
commission may require a retail electric provider to submit a 
report regarding remissions of security deposits for deposit to the 
fund or returns of security deposits to customers.  A report 
submitted under this subsection must contain any information the 
commission requires to evaluate a retail electric provider's 
compliance with this section.
	(d)  The commission quarterly shall publish a report of 
customer deposit fund deposits, disbursements, and earnings.
	(e)  The commission shall adopt rules to implement this 
section.  At a minimum, the rules must establish:
		(1)  the procedures by which a retail electric provider 
shall remit security deposits to the commission;
		(2)  the information that must be contained in a report 
required under Subsection (c);
		(3)  a schedule for the return of a customer's security 
deposit by a retail electric provider and the reimbursement of a 
retail electric provider from the fund for returned deposits, minus 
any deductions for payments due; and
		(4)  procedures for the review required by Subsection 
(b)(4), including a method of administrative review that ensures 
that a retail electric provider remits each customer's security 
deposit to the commission and returns each customer's security 
deposit and interest to the customer when necessary, minus any 
deductions for payments due.
	SECTION ____.  (a)  The Public Utility Commission of Texas 
shall adopt rules consistent with Section 39.110, Utilities Code, 
as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2009.
	(b)  The changes in law made by Section 39.101(a), as amended 
by this Act, and Section 39.110, as added by this Act, apply only to 
a security deposit that is received by a retail electric provider on 
or after the effective date of this Act. A security deposit that is 
received before the effective date of this Act is subject to the law 
in effect on the date of receipt, and that law is continued in 
effect for that purpose.