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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the composition of the governing body of the |
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independent organization certified to manage the ERCOT power |
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region. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.151(g), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(g) To maintain certification as an independent |
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organization under this section, an organization's governing body |
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must be composed of persons specified by this section and selected |
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in accordance with formal bylaws or protocols of the organization. |
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The bylaws or protocols must be approved by the commission and must |
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reflect the input of the commission. The bylaws must specify the |
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process by which appropriate stakeholders elect members and, for |
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unaffiliated members, prescribe professional qualifications for |
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selection as a member. The bylaws must require the use of a |
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professional search firm to identify candidates for membership of |
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unaffiliated members. The process must allow for commission input |
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in identifying candidates. The governing body must be composed of: |
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(1) the chairman of the commission as an ex officio |
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nonvoting member; |
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(2) the counsellor as an ex officio voting member |
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representing residential and small commercial consumer interests; |
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(3) the chief executive officer of the independent |
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organization as an ex officio voting member; |
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(4) six market participants elected by their |
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respective market segments to serve one-year terms, with: |
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(A) one representing independent generators; |
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(B) one representing investor-owned utilities; |
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(C) one representing power marketers; |
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(D) one representing retail electric providers; |
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(E) one representing municipally owned |
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utilities; and |
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(F) one representing electric cooperatives; |
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(5) one member representing industrial consumer |
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interests and elected by the industrial consumer market segment to |
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serve a one-year term; |
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(6) one member representing large commercial consumer |
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interests selected in accordance with the bylaws to serve a |
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one-year term; [and] |
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(7) five members unaffiliated with any market segment |
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and selected by the other members of the governing body to serve |
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three-year terms; and |
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(8) one member unaffiliated with any market segment |
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who is a climate scientist selected by the other members of the |
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governing body to serve a three-year term. |
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SECTION 2. (a) An independent organization certified under |
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Section 39.151, Utilities Code, by the Public Utility Commission of |
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Texas before the effective date of this Act shall modify the |
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organization's governing body to comply with Section 39.151, |
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Utilities Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable, but |
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not later than September 1, 2021. |
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(b) After September 1, 2021, the Public Utility Commission |
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of Texas may decertify an independent organization whose governing |
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body does not comply with Section 39.151, Utilities Code, as |
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amended by this Act. |
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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, 2021. |