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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the membership and meetings of the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 12.051(a) and (b), Utilities Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission is composed of: |
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(1) three commissioners appointed by the governor with |
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the advice and consent of the senate; |
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(2) one commissioner appointed by the governor from a |
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list of names submitted by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives and with the advice and consent of the senate; and |
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(3) one commissioner appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor with the advice and consent of the senate. |
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(b) An appointment to the commission shall be made without |
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regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or |
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national origin of the appointee. The appointments shall be made so |
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that at least one commissioner is designated to represent each of |
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the north, south, west, and Houston load zones of the ERCOT power |
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region. One commissioner may serve without having a designated |
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zone. |
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SECTION 2. Section 12.055, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.055. PROHIBITION ON SEEKING ANOTHER OFFICE. A |
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person may not seek nomination or election to another civil office |
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of this state or of the United States while serving as a |
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commissioner. If a commissioner files for nomination or election |
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to another civil office of this state or of the United States, the |
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person's office as commissioner immediately becomes vacant, and the |
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governor or lieutenant governor, as applicable, shall appoint a |
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successor in accordance with Section 12.051 and, if necessary, |
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shall designate the zone to be represented by the commissioner in |
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accordance with Subsection (b) of that section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 12.058, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.058. MEETINGS. The commission shall hold meetings |
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at its office and at other convenient places in this state on the |
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first and third Thursday of every month [as expedient and |
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necessary] for the proper performance of the commission's duties. |
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SECTION 4. (a) The governor and the lieutenant governor |
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each shall promptly appoint a commissioner to the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas in accordance with Sections 12.051(a)(2) and |
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(3), Utilities Code, as added by this Act. The term of the |
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commissioner appointed by the lieutenant governor expires |
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September 1, 2025, and the term of the commissioner appointed by the |
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governor expires September 1, 2027. The appointments made under |
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this section must designate the appointed commissioner as |
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representing a zone described by Section 12.051(b), Utilities Code, |
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as amended by this Act. |
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(b) Following the appointments made under Subsection (a) of |
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this section, the governor shall designate two of the other three |
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commissioners of the Public Utility Commission of Texas as a |
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commissioner representing one of the zones described by Section |
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12.051(b), Utilities Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |