Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2166 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2469 CS-F
2	2	By: Bryant H.B. No. 2166
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the establishment of an independent market monitor for
10	10	the natural gas market by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and
11	11	an independent organization certified for a power region.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Section 39.1515, Utilities Code, is amended by
14	14	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
15	15	(a-1) In this section, "market monitor" means the entity
16	16	selected under Subsection (a).
17	17	SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
18	18	amended by adding Section 39.1517 to read as follows:
19	19	Sec. 39.1517. NATURAL GAS MARKET MONITOR. (a) An
20	20	independent organization certified under Section 39.151 shall
21	21	contract with an entity selected by the commission to act as an
22	22	independent market monitor for the natural gas market in the power
23	23	region served by the organization to:
24	24	(1) detect and prevent market manipulation strategies
25	25	in the natural gas market to prevent the unreasonable restriction,
26	26	impairment, or reduction in the level of competition; and
27	27	(2) recommend measures to enhance the efficiency of
28	28	the natural gas market.
29	29	(b) In this section:
30	30	(1) "Market monitor" means the entity selected under
31	31	Subsection (a).
32	32	(2) "Natural gas market" means transactions made by a
33	33	gas supply chain facility described by Section 86.044(b), Natural
34	34	Resources Code, or a gas pipeline facility described by Section
35	35	121.2015(a)(3) to supply natural gas for the electricity supply
36	36	chain, as mapped under Section 38.203.
37	37	(c) The independent organization shall provide to the
38	38	personnel of the market monitor:
39	39	(1) support and cooperation the commission determines
40	40	is necessary for the market monitor to perform the market monitor's
41	41	functions; and
42	42	(2) full access to the parts of the independent
43	43	organization's main operations center and records that concern
44	44	operations, settlements, and reliability.
45	45	(d) The independent organization shall use money from the
46	46	fee authorized by Section 39.151(e) to pay for the market monitor's
47	47	activities.
48	48	(e) The commission and the Railroad Commission of Texas are
49	49	responsible for ensuring that the market monitor has the resources,
50	50	expertise, and authority necessary to monitor the natural gas
51	51	market in this state effectively and shall adopt rules and perform
52	52	oversight of the market monitor as necessary. The market monitor
53	53	shall operate under the supervision and oversight of the
54	54	commission.
55	55	(f) The commission and the Railroad Commission of Texas
56	56	retain all enforcement authority conferred under this title, Title
57	57	3, and the Natural Resources Code, and this section may not be
58	58	construed to confer enforcement authority on the market monitor or
59	59	to authorize the commission or the Railroad Commission of Texas to
60	60	delegate enforcement authority to the market monitor. The
61	61	commission by rule shall define:
62	62	(1) the market monitor's monitoring responsibilities,
63	63	including reporting obligations and limitations;
64	64	(2) the standards for funding the market monitor,
65	65	including staffing requirements;
66	66	(3) qualifications for personnel of the market
67	67	monitor; and
68	68	(4) ethical standards for the market monitor and the
69	69	personnel of the market monitor.
70	70	(g) In adopting rules governing the standards for funding
71	71	the market monitor, the commission shall consult with a
72	72	subcommittee of the independent organization's governing body to
73	73	receive information on how money is or should be spent for
74	74	monitoring functions. Rules governing ethical standards must
75	75	include provisions designed to ensure that the personnel of the
76	76	market monitor are professionally and financially independent from
77	77	participants in the natural gas market. The commission shall
78	78	develop and implement policies that clearly separate the
79	79	policy-making responsibilities of the commission and the
80	80	monitoring, analysis, and reporting responsibilities of the market
81	81	monitor.
82	82	(h) The market monitor shall immediately report directly to
83	83	the commission any potential market manipulations and any
84	84	discovered or potential violations of commission rules, protocols
85	85	of the independent organization, or rules of the Railroad
86	86	Commission of Texas.
87	87	(i) The market monitor shall consult with the Railroad
88	88	Commission of Texas to obtain necessary information for the market
89	89	monitor to perform the market monitor's functions. The commission
90	90	may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Railroad
91	91	Commission of Texas to:
92	92	(1) ensure the market monitor has access to the
93	93	information needed for the market monitor to perform the market
94	94	monitor's functions; and
95	95	(2) provide oversight over the sharing of information
96	96	between the Railroad Commission of Texas and the market monitor.
97	97	(j) The personnel of the market monitor may communicate with
98	98	commission staff on any matter without restriction.
99	99	(k) The market monitor annually shall submit to the
100	100	independent organization, the commission, and the Railroad
101	101	Commission of Texas a report that identifies market flaws and
102	102	recommends methods to correct the flaws. The independent
103	103	organization, the commission, and the Railroad Commission of Texas
104	104	shall review the report and evaluate whether changes to commission
105	105	rules, protocols of the independent organization, or rules of the
106	106	Railroad Commission of Texas should be made.
107	107	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.