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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to energy and efficiency conservation programs |
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administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (d), Section 39.905, Utilities Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The commission shall establish a procedure for |
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reviewing and evaluating market-transformation program options |
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described by this subsection and other options. In evaluating |
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program options, the commission may consider the ability of a |
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program option to reduce costs to customers through reduced demand, |
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energy savings, and relief of congestion. Utilities may choose to |
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implement any program option approved by the commission after its |
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evaluation in order to satisfy the goal in Subsection (a), |
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including: |
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(1) energy-smart schools; |
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(2) appliance retirement and recycling; |
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(3) air conditioning system tune-ups; |
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(4) the use of trees or other landscaping for energy |
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efficiency; |
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(5) customer energy management and demand response |
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programs; |
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(6) high performance residential and commercial |
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buildings that will achieve the levels of energy efficiency |
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sufficient to qualify those buildings for federal tax incentives; |
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(7) programs for customers who rent or lease their |
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residence or commercial space; |
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(8) programs providing energy monitoring equipment to |
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customers that enable a customer to better understand the amount, |
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price, and time of the customer's energy use; |
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(9) energy audit programs for owners and other |
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residents of single-family or multifamily residences and for small |
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commercial customers; |
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(10) net-zero energy new home programs; |
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(11) solar thermal or solar electric programs; [and] |
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(12) programs for using windows and other glazing |
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systems, glass doors, and skylights in residential and commercial |
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buildings that reduce solar gain by at least 30 percent from the |
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level established for the federal Energy Star windows program; and |
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(13) energy use programs with measurable and |
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verifiable results that reduce energy consumption through |
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behavioral changes that lead to efficient use patterns and |
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practices. |
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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. |
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