82R5249 JXC-F

By: Davis S.B. No. 948

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the requirement that electric utilities offer a standard retail service package on a standard form with standard terms to a customer.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 39.101(b), Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) A customer is entitled:

(1) to be informed about rights and opportunities in the transition to a competitive electric industry;

(2) to choose the customer's retail electric provider consistent with this chapter, to have that choice honored, and to assume that the customer's chosen provider will not be changed without the customer's informed consent;

(3) to have access to providers of energy efficiency services, to on-site distributed generation, and to providers of energy generated by renewable energy resources;

(4) to be served by a provider of last resort that offers a commission-approved standard service package;

(5) to receive sufficient information to make an informed choice of service provider;

(6) to be protected from unfair, misleading, or deceptive practices, including protection from being billed for services that were not authorized or provided; [and]

(7) to have an impartial and prompt resolution of disputes with its chosen retail electric provider and transmission and distribution utility; and

(8) to receive at least one written standard retail service package offer, or a description of such an offer, from a retail electric provider, on a commission-approved standard form with a standard font size, typeface, and page limit, that:

(A) offers service for at least 12 months;

(B) charges a fixed price per kilowatt hour throughout the term of the offered service period; and

(C) does not include a fee that the commission does not require the retail electric provider to charge.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.