By: Turner of Harris (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) H.B. No. 1101
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2015;
May 12, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
May 21, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 13,
Nays 0; May 21, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to extending the period over which the balance of the
system benefit fund is to be eliminated.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.903(m), Utilities Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(m) This section expires September 1, 2017 [2016].
SECTION 2. Section 39.9039, Utilities Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 39.9039. ELIMINATION OF SYSTEM BENEFIT FUND BALANCE.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 39.903(b), the commission shall set the
nonbypassable system benefit fund fee at the amount of zero cents
per megawatt hour for the period beginning September 1, 2013, and
ending September 1, 2017 [2016].
(b) Notwithstanding Section 39.903(e), money in the system
benefit fund may be appropriated:
(1) [for the state fiscal year beginning September 1,
2013, a program established by the commission to assist low-income
electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the months of
September, 2013, and May through August, 2014, in the manner
prescribed by Section 39.903(h) at a rate of up to 82 percent;
[(2)] for the state fiscal year beginning September 1,
2014, to a program established by the commission to assist
low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate for the
months of September, 2014, and May through August, 2015, in the
manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at a rate of up to 15
percent;
(2) [(3)] for the state fiscal year beginning
September 1, 2015, to a program established by the commission to
assist low-income electric customers by providing a reduced rate
for the months of September, 2015, [and May] through August, 2016,
in the manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at the [a] rate the
commission determines is necessary to exhaust the system benefit
fund [of up to 15 percent];
(3) for the state fiscal year beginning September 1,
2016, if any money remains in the fund, to a program established by
the commission to assist low-income electric customers by providing
a reduced rate for the months of September, 2016, through August,
2017, in the manner prescribed by Section 39.903(h), at the rate the
commission determines is necessary to exhaust the system benefit
fund; and
(4) for customer education programs and
administrative expenses incurred by the commission in implementing
and administering this chapter.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2017 [2016].
SECTION 3. 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, 2015.
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