Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3093 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R11782 CXP-D
2	2	By: Smithee H.B. No. 3093
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the name and governance of the Public Utility
8	8	Commission of Texas.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Utilities Code, is amended by adding
11	11	Section 1.004 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 1.004. REFERENCE TO PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSIONER OR
13	13	COMMISSION. In this code:
14	14	(1) a reference to a commissioner, the commissioners,
15	15	or the presiding officer of the Public Utility Commission of Texas
16	16	means the commissioner of the Department of Public Utility; and
17	17	(2) a reference to the Public Utility Commission of
18	18	Texas means the Department of Public Utility.
19	19	SECTION 2. Section 12.001, Utilities Code, is amended to
20	20	read as follows:
21	21	Sec. 12.001. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY [COMMISSION OF
22	22	TEXAS]. The Department of Public Utility [Commission of Texas]
23	23	exercises the jurisdiction and powers conferred by this title.
24	24	SECTION 3. Section 12.003, Utilities Code, is amended to
25	25	read as follows:
26	26	Sec. 12.003. SEAL. (a) The department [commission] has a
27	27	seal bearing the inscription: "Department of Public Utility
28	28	[Commission of Texas]."
29	29	(b) The seal shall be affixed to each record and to an
30	30	authentication of a copy of a record. The department [commission]
31	31	may require the seal to be affixed to other instruments.
32	32	(c) A court of this state shall take judicial notice of the
33	33	seal.
34	34	SECTION 4. Sections 12.051(a) and (c), Utilities Code, are
35	35	amended to read as follows:
36	36	(a) The [commission is composed of three commissioners
37	37	appointed by the] governor shall appoint a commissioner with the
38	38	advice and consent of the senate to oversee the department.
39	39	(c) The commissioner serves a two-year term that expires
40	40	September 1 of each odd-numbered year [Commissioners serve
41	41	staggered, six-year terms].
42	42	SECTION 5. Section 12.057, Utilities Code, is amended to
43	43	read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 12.057. COMPENSATION. The annual salary of the
45	45	commissioner [commissioners] is determined by the legislature.
46	46	SECTION 6. The heading to Section 12.059, Utilities Code,
47	47	is amended to read as follows:
48	48	Sec. 12.059. TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMISSIONER
49	49	[COMMISSIONERS].
50	50	SECTION 7. Section 12.156, Utilities Code, is amended to
51	51	read as follows:
52	52	Sec. 12.156. QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
53	53	INFORMATION. The executive director or the executive director's
54	54	designee shall provide to the commissioner [commissioners] and
55	55	department [commission] employees as often as necessary
56	56	information regarding their:
57	57	(1) qualifications for office or employment under this
58	58	title; and
59	59	(2) responsibilities under applicable laws relating
60	60	to standards of conduct for state officers and employees.
61	61	SECTION 8. Section 39.917(b), Utilities Code, is amended to
62	62	read as follows:
63	63	(b) The Texas Electric Grid Security Council is composed of:
64	64	(1) the commissioner [designated as presiding officer
65	65	of the commission under Section 12.052] or a representative
66	66	designated by the commissioner;
67	67	(2) the chief executive officer of the independent
68	68	organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power
69	69	region or a representative designated by the chief executive
70	70	officer; and
71	71	(3) the governor or a representative designated by the
72	72	governor.
73	73	SECTION 9. Sections 12.052 and 12.056, Utilities Code, are
74	74	repealed.
75	75	SECTION 10. (a) On the effective date of this Act:
76	76	(1) the name of the Public Utility Commission of Texas
77	77	is changed to the Department of Public Utility, and all powers,
78	78	rights, duties, and obligations of the Public Utility Commission of
79	79	Texas are the powers, duties, rights, and obligations of the
80	80	Department of Public Utility; and
81	81	(2) any appropriation for the Public Utility
82	82	Commission of Texas is an appropriation for the Department of
83	83	Public Utility.
84	84	(b) On and after the effective date of this Act, a reference
85	85	in law to the Public Utility Commission of Texas is a reference to
86	86	the Department of Public Utility.
87	87	(c) The Department of Public Utility is the authority
88	88	formerly known as the Public Utility Commission of Texas in all
89	89	respects. All personnel, equipment, data, documents, facilities,
90	90	contracts, items, other property, rules, decisions, and
91	91	proceedings of or involving the Public Utility Commission of Texas
92	92	are unaffected by the change in the name of the authority.
93	93	SECTION 11. The governor shall promptly appoint the first
94	94	commissioner to the Department of Public Utility in accordance with
95	95	Section 12.051, Utilities Code, as amended by this Act. The term of
96	96	the first commissioner expires September 1, 2023.
97	97	SECTION 12. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.