Bill Text: TX HB2264 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to participate in certain proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-04 - Laid on the table subject to call [HB2264 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB2264-Comm_Sub.html
82R17441 JJT-F | |||
By: Ritter | H.B. No. 2264 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2264: | |||
By: Cook | C.S.H.B. No. 2264 |
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relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas | ||
to participate in certain proceedings before the Federal Energy | ||
Regulatory Commission. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 39.4525 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 39.4525. HIRING ASSISTANCE FOR FEDERAL PROCEEDINGS. | ||
(a) The commission may retain any consultant, accountant, auditor, | ||
engineer, or attorney the commission considers necessary to | ||
represent the commission in a proceeding before the Federal Energy | ||
Regulatory Commission, or before a court reviewing proceedings of | ||
that federal commission, related to: | ||
(1) the relationship of an electric utility subject to | ||
this subchapter to a power region, regional transmission | ||
organization, or independent system operator; or | ||
(2) the approval of an agreement among the electric | ||
utility and the electric utility's affiliates concerning the | ||
coordination of the operations of the electric utility and the | ||
electric utility's affiliates. | ||
(b) Assistance for which a consultant, accountant, auditor, | ||
engineer, or attorney may be retained under Subsection (a) may | ||
include: | ||
(1) conducting a study; | ||
(2) conducting an investigation; | ||
(3) presenting evidence; | ||
(4) advising the commission; or | ||
(5) representing the commission. | ||
(c) The electric utility shall pay timely the reasonable | ||
costs of the services of a person retained under Subsection (a), as | ||
determined by the commission. The total costs an electric utility | ||
is required to pay under this subsection may not exceed $1.5 million | ||
in a 12-month period. | ||
(d) The commission shall allow the electric utility to | ||
recover both the total costs the electric utility paid under | ||
Subsection (c) and the carrying charges for those costs through a | ||
rider established annually to recover the costs paid and carrying | ||
charges incurred during the preceding calendar year. The rider may | ||
not be implemented before the rider is reviewed and approved by the | ||
commission. | ||
(e) The commission shall consult the attorney general | ||
before the commission retains a consultant, accountant, auditor, or | ||
engineer under Subsection (a). The retention of an attorney under | ||
Subsection (a) is subject to the approval of the attorney general | ||
under Section 402.0212, Government Code. | ||
(f) This section expires December 31, 2017. | ||
SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |