Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2243 Fiscal Note / Fiscal Note

Filed 04/08/2021

                    LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD     Austin, Texas       FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION             April 7, 2021       TO: Honorable Chris Paddie, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs     FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board      IN RE: HB2243 by Wilson (Relating to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.), As Introduced     Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2243, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($938,536) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill relates to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative. General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2022($469,268)2023($469,268)2024($469,269)2025($469,268)2026($469,268)All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 Change in Number of State Employees from FY 20212022($469,268)4.02023($469,268)4.02024($469,269)4.02025($469,268)4.02026($469,268)4.0 Fiscal AnalysisThis bill would allow a landowner to petition the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to transfer territory to a competitive retail market. The bill would require PUC to determine if the transfer is in the best interest of ratepayers through a hearing. The bill also would require PUC to determine a net book value of all electric distribution assets attributable to the service area that is being transferred.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 7, 2021

 

 

  TO: Honorable Chris Paddie, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs     FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board      IN RE: HB2243 by Wilson (Relating to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.), As Introduced   

TO: Honorable Chris Paddie, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2243 by Wilson (Relating to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.), As Introduced

 Honorable Chris Paddie, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs

 Honorable Chris Paddie, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs

 Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board 

 Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board 

 HB2243 by Wilson (Relating to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.), As Introduced 

 HB2243 by Wilson (Relating to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.), As Introduced 



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2243, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($938,536) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2243, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($938,536) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

The bill relates to a landowner petition to partition and transfer a geographic portion of a service area of an electric cooperative.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact: 


2022 ($469,268)
2023 ($469,268)
2024 ($469,269)
2025 ($469,268)
2026 ($469,268)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact: 


2022 ($469,268) 4.0
2023 ($469,268) 4.0
2024 ($469,269) 4.0
2025 ($469,268) 4.0
2026 ($469,268) 4.0

 Fiscal Analysis

This bill would allow a landowner to petition the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to transfer territory to a competitive retail market. The bill would require PUC to determine if the transfer is in the best interest of ratepayers through a hearing. The bill also would require PUC to determine a net book value of all electric distribution assets attributable to the service area that is being transferred.

 Methodology

Texas has 76 electric cooperatives, but it is unclear how many parcels of land meet the requirements of the legislation.  The PUC anticipates it will need 4 additional FTEs; 2 Attorney IIIs, 1 Engineer IV, and 1 Financial Analyst IV. The agency would need an additional engineer and financial analyst to determine if the transfer is in the best interest of ratepayers, and two additional attorneys, one to run the proceedings and one to advise the commissioners. Total salaries for these positions will be $340,000 annually with other operating expenses for training of $1,500 per employee per year. Including benefits, salary costs per year will be $461,668.

 Technology

Since the PUC anticipates that the bill would require 4 additional FTEs, the agency would need to amend its current Dell laptop lease to procure 4 additional laptops, at a unit cost of $1,900, or $7,600 in total each fiscal year.

 Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies: b > td > 473 Public Utility Commission of Texas, 475 Office of Public Utility Counsel

473 Public Utility Commission of Texas, 475 Office of Public Utility Counsel

LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, SMAT, MB, RRE

JMc, SMAT, MB, RRE