Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3867 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 3867
	1	+	By: Springer (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 3867
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
	3	+	May 7, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Business &
	4	+	Commerce; May 17, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
	5	+	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0;
	6	+	May 17, 2019, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3867 By: Nichols
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas
6	14		to retain assistance for regional proceedings affecting certain
7	15		electric utilities and consumers.
8	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	17		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
10	18		amended by adding Section 39.004 to read as follows:
11	19		Sec. 39.004. HIRING ASSISTANCE FOR REGIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
12	20		(a) The commission may retain any consultant, accountant, auditor,
13	21		engineer, or attorney the commission considers necessary to
14	22		represent the commission in a proceeding before a regional
15	23		transmission organization, or before a court reviewing proceedings
16	24		of a regional transmission organization, related to:
17	25		(1) the relationship of an electric utility to a power
18	26		region, regional transmission organization, or independent system
19	27		operator;
20	28		(2) the approval of an agreement among an electric
21	29		utility and the electric utility's affiliates concerning the
22	30		coordination of the operations of the electric utility and the
23	31		electric utility's affiliates; or
24	32		(3) other matters related to an electric utility that
25	33		may affect the ultimate rates paid by retail customers in this
26	34		state.
27	35		(b) Notwithstanding Sections 39.402(a), 39.452(d), and
28	36		39.502(b), this section applies to an electric utility to which
29	37		Subchapter I, J, or K applies.
30	38		(c) Assistance for which a consultant, accountant, auditor,
31	39		engineer, or attorney may be retained under Subsection (a) may
32	40		include:
33	41		(1) conducting a study;
34	42		(2) conducting an investigation;
35	43		(3) presenting evidence;
36	44		(4) advising the commission; or
37	45		(5) representing the commission.
38	46		(d) The electric utility that is the subject of the
39	47		proceeding shall pay timely the reasonable costs of the services of
40	48		a person retained under Subsection (a), as determined by the
41	49		commission. The total costs an electric utility is required to pay
42	50		under this subsection may not exceed $1.5 million in a 12-month
43	51		period.
44	52		(e) The commission shall allow an electric utility to
45	53		recover both the total costs the electric utility paid under
46	54		Subsection (d) and the carrying charges for those costs through a
47	55		rider established annually to recover the costs paid and carrying
48	56		charges incurred during the preceding calendar year. The rider may
49	57		not be implemented before the rider is reviewed and approved by the
50	58		commission.
51	59		(f) The commission shall consult the attorney general
52	60		before the commission retains a consultant, accountant, auditor, or
53	61		engineer under Subsection (a). The retention of an attorney under
54	62		Subsection (a) is subject to the approval of the attorney general
55	63		under Section 402.0212, Government Code.
56	64		(g) The commission shall be precluded from engaging any
57	65		individual who is required to register under Section 305.003,
58	66		Government Code.
59	67		(h) This section expires September 1, 2023.
60	68		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
61		-	______________________________ ______________________________
62		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
63		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3867 was passed by the House on May 3,
64		-	2019, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not
65		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
66		-	No. 3867 on May 24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 0,
67		-	3 present, not voting.
68		-	______________________________
69		-	Chief Clerk of the House
70		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3867 was passed by the Senate, with
71		-	amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
72		-	0.
73		-	______________________________
74		-	Secretary of the Senate
75		-	APPROVED: __________________
76		-	Date
77		-	__________________
78		-	Governor
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