Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3754 by Hilderbran (Relating to the powers and duties of the Office of Public Utility Counsel.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Water Code relating to the duties of the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC). The bill abolishes the Office of Public Interest Counsel (OPIC) under the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and transfers all powers, duties, functions, programs, and activities of OPIC to OPUC. The bill also transfers funding used in relation to a power, duty, function, program or activity transferred under the provisions of the bill from OPIC to OPUC.
Based on the analysis of the OPUC, TCEQ and the Office of the Attorney General, it is assumed that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished utilizing existing resources. This analysis assumes that all funding, property, FTEs and other items related to the authority of OPIC to carry out its functions would transfer from TCEQ to OPUC to carry out the functions assigned in the bill. This analysis assumes that all costs associated with the transfer would be covered utilizing existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 475 Office of Public Utility Counsel, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality