| 1 | 1 | | 87R12161 CXP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 3473 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the composition of the Public Utility Commission of |
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| 8 | 8 | | Texas. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 12.051, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The commission is composed of five [three] |
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| 14 | 14 | | commissioners appointed by the governor. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a-1) The chair of the legislative caucus whose political |
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| 16 | 16 | | party has the most members in the house of representatives shall |
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| 17 | 17 | | submit to the governor a list of names of at least five persons |
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| 18 | 18 | | eligible for appointment as commissioner. The governor shall |
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| 19 | 19 | | appoint three commissioners from the list. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (a-2) The chair of the legislative caucus whose political |
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| 21 | 21 | | party has the second most members in the house of representatives |
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| 22 | 22 | | shall submit to the governor a list of names of at least five |
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| 23 | 23 | | persons eligible for appointment as commissioner. The governor |
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| 24 | 24 | | shall appoint two commissioners from the list [with the advice and |
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| 25 | 25 | | consent of the senate]. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. The governor shall promptly appoint five |
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| 27 | 27 | | commissioners to the Public Utility Commission of Texas in |
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| 28 | 28 | | accordance with Section 12.051, Utilities Code, as amended by this |
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| 29 | 29 | | Act. Notwithstanding Section 12.051(c), Utilities Code, in making |
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| 30 | 30 | | the initial appointments under that section, the governor shall |
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| 31 | 31 | | designate one commissioner to a term expiring September 1, 2023, |
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| 32 | 32 | | two commissioners to a term expiring September 1, 2025, and two |
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| 33 | 33 | | commissioners to a term expiring September 1, 2027. A person who |
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| 34 | 34 | | is serving as a commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of |
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| 35 | 35 | | Texas immediately before the effective date of this Act may |
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| 36 | 36 | | continue to serve until the person's successor is appointed and |
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| 37 | 37 | | qualifies to serve. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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