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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to extending the period over which the balance of the |
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system benefit fund is to be eliminated. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.903(m), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(m) This section expires September 1, 2017 [2016]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.9039, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.9039. ELIMINATION OF SYSTEM BENEFIT FUND BALANCE. |
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(a) Notwithstanding Section 39.903(b), the commission shall set the |
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nonbypassable system benefit fund fee at the amount of zero cents |
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per megawatt hour for the period beginning September 1, 2013, and |
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ending September 1, 2017 [2016]. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 39.903(e), money in the system |
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benefit fund may be appropriated: |
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(1) [for the state fiscal year beginning September 1,
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2013, a program established by the commission to assist low-income
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electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the months of
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September, 2013, and May through August, 2014, in the manner
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prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate of up to 82 percent;
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[(2)] for the state fiscal year beginning September 1, |
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2014, to a program established by the commission to assist |
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low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the |
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months of September, 2014, and May through August, 2015, in the |
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manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at a rate of up to 15 |
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percent; |
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(2) [(3)] for the state fiscal year beginning |
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September 1, 2015, to a program established by the commission to |
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assist low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate |
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for the months of September, 2015, [and May] through August, 2016, |
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in the manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at the [a] rate the |
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commission determines is necessary to exhaust the system benefit |
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fund [of up to 15 percent]; |
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(3) for the state fiscal year beginning September 1, |
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2016, if any money remains in the fund, to a program established by |
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the commission to assist low-income electric customers by providing |
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a reduced rate for the months of September, 2016, through August, |
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2017, in the manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at the rate the |
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commission determines is necessary to exhaust the system benefit |
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fund; and |
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(4) for customer education programs and |
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administrative expenses incurred by the commission in implementing |
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and administering this chapter. |
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(c) This section expires September 1, 2017 [2016]. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2015. |