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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to persons who solicit customers on behalf of a retail |
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electric provider; adding provisions subject to a criminal penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 17.0041 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 17.0041. RETAIL ELECTRIC PROVIDER SALES |
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REPRESENTATIVES. (a) A retail electric provider may pay a |
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commission or other form of remuneration to a person for soliciting |
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potential customers on behalf of the retail electric provider or |
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for otherwise representing the provider in a sales capacity only if |
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the retail electric provider finds that the person complied with |
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the commission's customer protection standards in acting on behalf |
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of the retail electric provider. A person who receives a payment of |
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a commission or other form of remuneration from a retail electric |
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provider for actions taken by the person to solicit potential |
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customers or to otherwise represent the retail electric provider in |
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a sales capacity is considered an agent of the retail electric |
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provider for purposes of enforcing commission rules regarding |
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customer protection standards. |
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(b) A retail electric provider shall annually file a report |
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with the commission that lists the name of each person to whom the |
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provider has paid a commission or other remuneration for customer |
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referral or for sales. |
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(c) The commission shall compile a list of the information |
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provided under Subsection (b) and make the list available to the |
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public on the commission's Internet website. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a customer referral or sale for which a customer enters into a |
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contract with a retail electric provider on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. A customer referral or sale in which a customer |
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entered into a contract with a retail electric provider before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at that |
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time, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |