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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Internet website operated by the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas to provide information regarding a customer's |
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power to choose retail electric providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The legislature finds that: |
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(1) a competitive electric services market requires |
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timely, accurate, and adequate information about the products and |
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services offered to consumers in the market; and |
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(2) the Public Utility Commission of Texas operates an |
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Internet website regarding the power to choose retail electric |
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providers on which offers by those providers are published. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.110 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.110. TEXAS ELECTRIC CHOICE WEBSITE. (a) The |
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commission shall publish and maintain a website that allows |
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customers to view competitive offers from retail electric |
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providers. The website must enable a user to search by zip code |
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offers available to a residential customer in the user's service |
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area. Retail electric providers may, but are not required to, post |
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offers available to residential customers on this website. |
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(b) At a minimum, the Internet website must include: |
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(1) features that make the website accessible to |
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people with disabilities; |
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(2) a clear identification, with each price offer |
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posted on the website, of the category of the product as defined by |
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commission rules; |
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(3) a searchable and sortable database of each retail |
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electric provider offer on the website that allows the information |
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to be read into a commercially available electronic database; and |
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(4) information about each of the following programs |
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available in the user's service area through a state agency, |
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utility, or retail electric provider: |
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(A) energy efficiency programs, including |
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weatherization and rebate programs; |
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(B) distributed renewable generation policies |
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and programs, including rebate programs, net metering, and policies |
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affecting consumers' rights; and |
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(C) low-income utility assistance programs, |
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including bill payment assistance, weatherization, and rebate |
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programs. |
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(c) The commission shall establish a project to implement |
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this section. The commission shall create a working committee to |
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provide input on the implementation of this section that is |
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composed of members of commission staff, experts in user-centered |
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web design, experts in consumer-choice web design, retail electric |
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providers, consumer advocates, and representatives of various |
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categories of potential users of the redesigned website, including |
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people with disabilities and low-income customers. |
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(d) The commission shall establish protocols relating to |
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the frequency with which information posted on the website is |
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updated. |
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(e) The commission shall consult and cooperate with other |
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state agencies in the design, both for content and usability, of the |
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website, including agencies providing low-income consumer |
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assistance and energy efficiency assistance and the interagency |
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coordinating group established under Section 535.053, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.116, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.116. NOTICE REGARDING CUSTOMER CHOICE INFORMATION. |
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A retail electric provider shall include on each residential |
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customer's bill a statement, in at least 12-point type on the front |
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of the first page, that reads: "For more information about |
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residential electric service please visit www.powertochoose.com." |
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This section expires September 1, 2013 [2011]. |
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SECTION 4. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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publish and begin operation of a redesigned website as provided by |
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Section 39.110, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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September 1, 2012. |
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SECTION 5. The Public Utility Commission of Texas is |
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authorized to accept funds from any source, including gifts, |
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grants, or donations, for implementation of this Act. However, the |
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commission may not incorporate a preference of information |
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displayed directly or indirectly in favor of any funding source, |
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and no entity will be required to contribute funds to have |
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information posted on the site. Implementation of this Act is |
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contingent on a finding by the commission that complete funding |
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exists or is likely to exist to carry out the provisions of this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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