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        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to extending the period over which the balance of the | 
      
        |  | system benefit fund is to be eliminated. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Section 39.903(m), Utilities Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (m)  This section expires September 1, 2017 [ 2016]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Section 39.9039, Utilities Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 39.9039.  ELIMINATION OF SYSTEM BENEFIT FUND BALANCE. | 
      
        |  | (a) Notwithstanding Section 39.903(b), the commission shall set the | 
      
        |  | nonbypassable system benefit fund fee at the amount of zero cents | 
      
        |  | per megawatt hour for the period beginning September 1, 2013, and | 
      
        |  | ending September 1, 2017 [ 2016]. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Notwithstanding Section 39.903(e), money in the system | 
      
        |  | benefit fund may be appropriated: | 
      
        |  | (1)  [ for the state fiscal year beginning September 1,  | 
      
        |  | 2013, a program established by the commission to assist low-income  | 
      
        |  | electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the months of  | 
      
        |  | September, 2013, and May through August, 2014, in the manner  | 
      
        |  | prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate of up to 82 percent; | 
      
        |  | [ (2)]  for the state fiscal year beginning September 1, | 
      
        |  | 2014, to a program established by the commission to assist | 
      
        |  | low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the | 
      
        |  | months of September, 2014, and May through August, 2015, in the | 
      
        |  | manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate of up to 15 | 
      
        |  | percent; | 
      
        |  | (2) [ (3)]  for the state fiscal year beginning | 
      
        |  | September 1, 2015, to a program established by the commission to | 
      
        |  | assist low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate | 
      
        |  | for the months of September, 2015, and May through August, 2016, in | 
      
        |  | the manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate of up to 33 | 
      
        |  | [ 15] percent; | 
      
        |  | (3)  for the state fiscal year beginning September 1, | 
      
        |  | 2016, to a program established by the commission to assist | 
      
        |  | low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the | 
      
        |  | months of September, 2016, and May through August, 2017, in the | 
      
        |  | manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate the commission | 
      
        |  | determines is necessary to exhaust the system benefit fund; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  for customer education programs and | 
      
        |  | administrative expenses incurred by the commission in implementing | 
      
        |  | and administering this chapter. | 
      
        |  | (c)  This section expires September 1, 2017 [ 2016]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | 
      
        |  | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | 
      
        |  | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this | 
      
        |  | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | 
      
        |  | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |