Amend HB 1600 (house committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to ARTICLE 1 of the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the article appropriately:
SECTION 1.____. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is amended by adding Section 39.159 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.159. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF SIGNIFICANT MARKET CHANGE. (a) In this section, "significant market change" means a change to the electric market that is reasonably expected to add more than $100 million to annual energy costs to customers in this state.
(b) The commission shall conduct a cost-benefit analysis of a proposed significant market change before authorizing the significant market change. The cost-benefit analysis, to the extent possible, must:
(1) quantify the degree to which the proposed significant market change will result in an increase in:
(A) wholesale electricity prices;
(B) residential electricity prices; and
(C) electricity prices for commercial and industrial customers;
(2) analyze potential adverse effects of the proposed significant market change on retail electric providers; and
(3) compare the potential benefits of the proposed significant market change to the potential economic costs of the proposed change.
(c) The commission shall make the cost-benefit analysis available to the public and appropriate state agencies not less than 30 days before the date the commission authorizes the significant market change.