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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the registration and regulation of customer choice |
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consultants by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.3555 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.3555 REGISTRATION OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER CHOICE |
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CONSULTANTS. |
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(a) In this section, "residential electric customer |
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consulting" means acting for profit on behalf of a residential |
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retail customer to enroll the customer and manage on behalf of the |
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customer the customer service plan with a retail electric provider. |
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The term does not include: |
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(1) Assisting a customer to select a retail electric |
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provider without enrolling the customer and managing the customer |
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service plan on behalf of the customer. |
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(2) Performing the services of an aggregator under |
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Section 39.353. |
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(b) A person may not provide electric customer consulting |
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services unless the person is registered with the commission as a |
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residential customer choice consultant. |
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(c) A residential customer choice consultant may not: |
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(1) Sell or take title to electricity; or |
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(2) Be affiliated with a retail electric provider. |
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(d) A retail electric provider may not refuse to provide |
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retail electric service to a retail customer because the customer |
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uses a residential consumer choice consultant. |
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(e) The commission shall approve or deny an application for |
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registration as a residential customer choice consultant not later |
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than the 60th day after the date the commission receives the |
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application. |
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(f) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section and to ensure the reliability and integrity |
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of residential customer choice consultants, including: |
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(1) Consumer protection requirements; |
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(2) Disclosure requirement; and |
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(3) Marketing guidelines |
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SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission shall adopt rules |
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required by Section 39.3555, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, |
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not later than January 1, 2020. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |