By: Schwertner, et al. S.B. No. 2154
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the membership of the Public Utility Commission of
  Texas.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 12.051(a), Utilities Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The commission is composed of five [three]
  commissioners appointed by the governor with the advice and consent
  of the senate.
         SECTION 2.  Section 12.053, Utilities Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  To be eligible for appointment, a commissioner must:
               (1)  be a qualified voter;
               (2)  be a citizen of the United States;
               (3)  be a resident of this state;
               (4)  be a competent and experienced administrator;
               [(4) be well informed and qualified in the field of
  public utilities and utility regulation;] and
               (5)  have at least five years of experience:
                     (A)  in the administration of business or
  government or
                     (B)  as a practicing attorney, [or] certified
  public accountant, or professional engineer.
         (a-1)  At least two commissioners must be well informed and
  qualified in the field of public utilities and utility regulation.
         (b)  A person is not eligible for appointment as a
  commissioner if the person:
               (1)  at any time during the one year [two years]
  preceding appointment:
                     (A)  personally served as an officer, director,
  owner, employee, partner, or legal representative of a public
  utility regulated by the commission or of an affiliate or direct
  competitor of a public utility regulated by the commission; [or]
                     (B)  owned or controlled, directly or indirectly,
  more than a 10 percent interest in a public utility regulated by the
  commission or in an affiliate or direct competitor of a public
  utility regulated by the commission; or
                     (C)  served as an executive officer listed under
  Section 1, Article IV, Texas Constitution, other than the secretary
  of state, or a member of the legislature; or
               (2)  is not qualified to serve under Section 12.151,
  12.152, or 12.153.
         SECTION 3.  (a) Not later than the 30th day after the
  effective date of this Act, the governor shall appoint a person to
  the Public Utility Commission of Texas to serve as the presiding
  officer of the commission in accordance with Section 12.053,
  Utilities Code, as amended by this Act.
         (b)  In making appointments of commissioners to the Public
  Utility Commission of Texas under Section 12.051, Utilities Code,
  as amended by this Act, the governor shall assign staggered terms to
  the commissioners appointed to fill vacancies and to the
  commissioners appointed to new positions to ensure that the
  requirements of Section 30a, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, are
  met.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2021.