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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain low-income weatherization programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.905, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(f) Unless funding is provided under Section 39.903, each |
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unbundled transmission and distribution utility shall include in |
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its energy efficiency plan a targeted low-income energy efficiency |
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program as described by Section 39.903(f)(2), and the savings |
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achieved by the program shall count toward the transmission and |
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distribution utility's energy efficiency goal. The commission |
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shall determine the appropriate level of funding to be allocated to |
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both targeted and standard offer low-income energy efficiency |
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programs in each unbundled transmission and distribution utility |
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service area. The commission shall ensure that annual [The total] |
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expenditures for the [both] targeted [and standard offer] |
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low-income energy efficiency programs of each unbundled |
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transmission and distribution utility are not less than 15 percent |
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of the transmission and distribution utility's energy efficiency |
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budget for the year [will be based on the amount spent by the
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transmission and distribution utility on the commission's
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hard-to-reach program in calendar year 2003]. The [This] level of |
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funding for low-income energy efficiency programs shall be provided |
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from money approved by the commission for the transmission and |
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distribution utility's energy efficiency programs. In a |
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proceeding to establish an energy efficiency cost recovery factor |
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related to expenditures under this subsection, the commission shall |
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make findings of fact regarding whether the utility meets |
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requirements imposed under this subsection. The state agency that |
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administers the federal weatherization assistance program shall |
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provide reports as required by the commission to provide the most |
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current information available on energy and peak demand savings |
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achieved in each transmission and distribution utility service |
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area. The agency shall participate in proceedings to establish an |
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energy efficiency cost recovery factor related to expenditures |
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under this subsection to ensure that targeted low-income |
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weatherization programs are consistent with federal weatherization |
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programs and adequately funded. |
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(f-1) The commission shall issue and publish on the |
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commission's Internet website an annual report that: |
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(1) summarizes by utility the energy efficiency |
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programs, including the costs and savings of each program; |
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(2) identifies by utility the number of residences |
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weatherized under the targeted weatherization program; |
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(3) identifies the total number and percentage of |
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low-income customers within each utility's service territory who |
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are eligible for the targeted weatherization program; |
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(4) compares, on a square-foot basis, the energy |
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savings realized by each utility's low-income customers who receive |
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energy efficiency services to the energy savings realized by other |
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customers of the utility who receive energy efficiency services; |
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(5) identifies each utility's average bill savings |
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realized as a result of the program; and |
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(6) identifies the cost of the program expressed as a |
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percentage of the total cost of each utility's energy efficiency |
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programs. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |