Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1219 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Carona, Davis S.B. No. 1219
2	2	(Carter)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the Internet website operated by the Public Utility
8	8	Commission of Texas to provide information regarding a customer's
9	9	power to choose retail electric providers.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:
12	12	(1) a competitive electric services market requires
13	13	timely, accurate, and adequate information about the products and
14	14	services offered to consumers in the market; and
15	15	(2) the Public Utility Commission of Texas operates an
16	16	Internet website regarding the power to choose retail electric
17	17	providers on which offers by those providers are published.
18	18	SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
19	19	amended by adding Section 39.110 to read as follows:
20	20	Sec. 39.110. TEXAS ELECTRIC CHOICE WEBSITE. (a) The
21	21	commission shall publish and maintain a website that allows
22	22	customers to view competitive offers from retail electric
23	23	providers. The website must enable a user to search by zip code
24	24	offers available to a residential customer in the user's service
25	25	area. Retail electric providers may, but are not required to, post
26	26	offers available to residential customers on this website.
27	27	(b) At a minimum, the Internet website must include:
28	28	(1) features that make the website accessible to
29	29	people with disabilities;
30	30	(2) a clear identification, with each price offer
31	31	posted on the website, of the category of the product as defined by
32	32	commission rules;
33	33	(3) a searchable and sortable database of each retail
34	34	electric provider offer on the website that allows the information
35	35	to be read into a commercially available electronic database; and
36	36	(4) information about each of the following programs
37	37	available in the user's service area through a state agency,
38	38	utility, or retail electric provider:
39	39	(A) energy efficiency programs, including
40	40	weatherization and rebate programs;
41	41	(B) distributed renewable generation policies
42	42	and programs, including rebate programs, net metering, and policies
43	43	affecting consumers' rights; and
44	44	(C) low-income utility assistance programs,
45	45	including bill payment assistance, weatherization, and rebate
46	46	programs.
47	47	(c) The commission shall establish a project to implement
48	48	this section. The commission shall create a working committee to
49	49	provide input on the implementation of this section that is
50	50	composed of members of commission staff, experts in user-centered
51	51	web design, experts in consumer-choice web design, retail electric
52	52	providers, consumer advocates, and representatives of various
53	53	categories of potential users of the redesigned website, including
54	54	people with disabilities and low-income customers.
55	55	(d) The commission shall establish protocols relating to
56	56	the frequency with which information posted on the website is
57	57	updated.
58	58	(e) The commission shall consult and cooperate with other
59	59	state agencies in the design, both for content and usability, of the
60	60	website, including agencies providing low-income consumer
61	61	assistance and energy efficiency assistance and the interagency
62	62	coordinating group established under Section 535.053, Government
63	63	Code.
64	64	SECTION 3. Section 39.116, Utilities Code, is amended to
65	65	read as follows:
66	66	Sec. 39.116. NOTICE REGARDING CUSTOMER CHOICE INFORMATION.
67	67	A retail electric provider shall include on each residential
68	68	customer's bill a statement, in at least 12-point type on the front
69	69	of the first page, that reads: "For more information about
70	70	residential electric service please visit www.powertochoose.com."
71	71	This section expires September 1, 2013 [2011].
72	72	SECTION 4. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall
73	73	publish and begin operation of a redesigned website as provided by
74	74	Section 39.110, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, not later than
75	75	September 1, 2012.
76	76	SECTION 5. The Public Utility Commission of Texas is
77	77	authorized to accept funds from any source, including gifts,
78	78	grants, or donations, for implementation of this Act. However, the
79	79	commission may not incorporate a preference of information
80	80	displayed directly or indirectly in favor of any funding source,
81	81	and no entity will be required to contribute funds to have
82	82	information posted on the site. Implementation of this Act is
83	83	contingent on a finding by the commission that complete funding
84	84	exists or is likely to exist to carry out the provisions of this
85	85	Act.
86	86	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.