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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas |
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to address market power abuse, including the right to order |
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restitution for violations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.157, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1), (j), (k), |
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(l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall monitor market power associated |
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with the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of |
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electricity in this state. On a finding that market power abuses or |
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other violations of this section have occurred or are occurring, |
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the commission shall require reasonable mitigation of the market |
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power by one or any combination of the following: |
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(1) ordering the construction of additional |
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transmission or distribution facilities; |
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(2) [, by] seeking an injunction or civil penalties as |
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necessary to eliminate or to remedy the market power abuse or |
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violation as authorized by Chapter 15; |
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(3) [, by] imposing an administrative penalty as |
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authorized by Chapter 15; |
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(4) ordering refunds to affected parties pursuant to |
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Section 17.157; |
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(5) with regard to the wholesale market, ordering |
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refunds to affected parties in a manner established by the |
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commission; or |
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(6) [, or by] suspending, revoking, or amending a |
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certificate or registration as authorized by Section 39.356. |
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(a-1) The commission shall permit the office, in exercising |
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its powers to represent residential and small commercial consumers, |
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to participate in enforcement proceedings to seek refunds for |
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alleged market power abuses or manipulation of the wholesale |
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market. Section 15.024(c) does not apply to an administrative |
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penalty imposed under this section. For purposes of this |
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subchapter, market power abuses are practices by persons possessing |
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market power that are unreasonably discriminatory or tend to |
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unreasonably restrict, impair, or reduce the level of competition, |
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including practices that tie unregulated products or services to |
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regulated products or services or unreasonably discriminate in the |
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provision of regulated services. For purposes of this section, |
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"market power abuses" include predatory pricing, withholding of |
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production, precluding entry, and collusion. A violation of the |
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code of conduct provided by Subsection (d) that materially impairs |
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the ability of a person to compete in a competitive market shall be |
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deemed to be an abuse of market power. The possession of a high |
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market share in a market open to competition may not, of itself, be |
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deemed to be an abuse of market power; however, this sentence shall |
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not affect the application of state and federal antitrust laws. |
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(j) The commission shall contract with an entity selected by |
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the commission to act as the commission's retail electric market |
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monitor to: |
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(1) detect and prevent: |
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(A) possible market power abuse or market |
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manipulation strategies; and |
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(B) unfair, misleading, or deceptive practices; |
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and |
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(2) recommend measures to enhance the efficiency of |
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the retail market. |
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(k) The commission is responsible for ensuring that the |
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commission's retail market monitor has the resources, expertise, |
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and authority necessary to monitor the retail electric market |
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effectively and shall adopt rules and perform oversight of the |
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retail market monitor as necessary. The retail market monitor |
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shall operate under the supervision and oversight of the |
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commission. The commission shall retain all enforcement authority |
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conferred under this title, and this section may not be construed to |
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confer enforcement authority on the retail market monitor or to |
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authorize the commission to delegate the commission's enforcement |
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authority to the retail market monitor. The commission by rule |
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shall define: |
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(1) the retail market monitor's monitoring |
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responsibilities, including reporting obligations and limitations; |
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(2) the standards for funding the retail market |
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monitor, including staffing requirements; |
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(3) qualifications for personnel of the retail market |
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monitor; and |
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(4) ethical standards for the retail market monitor |
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and the personnel of the retail market monitor. |
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(l) In adopting rules governing the standards for funding |
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the retail market monitor, the commission shall consult with a |
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subcommittee of the governing body of the independent organization |
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certified under Section 39.151 to receive information on how money |
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is or should be spent for market monitoring functions. Rules |
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governing ethical standards must include provisions designed to |
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ensure that the personnel of the retail market monitor are |
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professionally and financially independent from market |
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participants. The commission shall develop and implement policies |
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that clearly separate the policymaking responsibilities of the |
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commission and the monitoring, analysis, and reporting |
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responsibilities of the retail market monitor. |
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(m) The retail market monitor immediately shall report |
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directly to the commission any potential market manipulations and |
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any discovered or potential violations of commission rules or rules |
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of the independent organization. |
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(n) The personnel of the retail market monitor may |
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communicate with commission staff on any matter without |
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restriction. |
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(o) The retail market monitor annually shall submit to the |
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commission a report that identifies market design flaws and |
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recommends methods to correct the flaws. The commission shall |
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review the report and evaluate whether changes to rules of the |
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commission should be made. |
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(p) The commission shall investigate whether a retail |
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electric provider is abusing market power or engaging in unfair, |
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misleading, or deceptive practices. Retail electric providers |
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shall cooperate with the commission in any investigation and shall |
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provide information requested. The commission may assess |
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administrative penalties under Section 15.023 for any violation |
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discovered under this section. |
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SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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adopt rules to implement the changes in law made by this Act as |
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quickly as practicable. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a violation that occurs or continues to occur on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A violation that occurs before the |
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effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect on the |
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date the violation occurred, and that law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2009. |