Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3826 Compare Versions

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1	1	89R9526 ANG-F
2	2	By: Hernandez H.B. No. 3826
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the creation of the Texas Energy Efficiency Council.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 2, Utilities Code, is amended
12	12	by adding Chapter 18 to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 18. TEXAS ENERGY EFFICIENCY COUNCIL
14	14	Sec. 18.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
15	15	(1) "Council" means the Texas Energy Efficiency
16	16	Council.
17	17	(2) "Energy efficiency program" means a program
18	18	designed to:
19	19	(A) increase efficient energy use;
20	20	(B) facilitate emergency load management and,
21	21	for electric utilities operating in an area of the state not open to
22	22	competition, reduce energy consumption during periods of peak
23	23	energy demand;
24	24	(C) optimize energy consumption;
25	25	(D) identify and realize the benefits of energy
26	26	efficient building design standards; or
27	27	(E) fund the implementation of energy cost
28	28	reduction measures.
29	29	Sec. 18.002. PURPOSE. The Texas Energy Efficiency Council
30	30	is a council established in the commission to evaluate and make
31	31	recommendations for:
32	32	(1) providing a statewide collaborative approach to
33	33	promoting energy efficiency;
34	34	(2) measuring, evaluating, and reporting on energy
35	35	efficiency performance in this state;
36	36	(3) creating a process for monitoring and enhancing
37	37	energy efficiency programs in this state;
38	38	(4) facilitating opportunities for coordination and
39	39	leveraging of federal funding from the United States Department of
40	40	Energy, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,
41	41	and other federal agencies that can be used by state agencies and
42	42	political subdivisions for the purposes of enhancing energy
43	43	efficiency; and
44	44	(5) providing a central repository for information on
45	45	statewide energy efficiency performance and opportunities to
46	46	participate in energy efficiency programs in this state.
47	47	Sec. 18.003. COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP. (a) The council is
48	48	composed of nine ex officio members as follows:
49	49	(1) the presiding officer of the Texas Commission on
50	50	Environmental Quality;
51	51	(2) the chief executive officer of the Electric
52	52	Reliability Council of Texas;
53	53	(3) the presiding officer of the commission;
54	54	(4) the comptroller;
55	55	(5) the director of the Texas Department of Housing
56	56	and Community Affairs;
57	57	(6) the executive director of the Texas Economic
58	58	Development and Tourism Office;
59	59	(7) the chairman of the Texas Water Development Board;
60	60	(8) the director of the Energy Systems Laboratory at
61	61	the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station of The Texas A&M
62	62	University System; and
63	63	(9) the chief executive of the Office of Public
64	64	Utility Counsel.
65	65	(b) An ex officio member may designate a person from the
66	66	member's agency to serve in the member's place.
67	67	(c) The presiding officer of the commission or an employee
68	68	designated by the presiding officer under Subsection (b) shall
69	69	serve as presiding officer of the council.
70	70	(d) The council shall meet at least two times per year at the
71	71	call of the presiding officer.
72	72	Sec. 18.004. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The commission shall
73	73	provide the council with administrative support, including meeting
74	74	space and staff necessary to assist the council in carrying out the
75	75	council's duties under this chapter.
76	76	Sec. 18.005. OFFICIAL INTERNET WEBSITES. The council shall
77	77	use the following official Internet websites for the publication of
78	78	information as required by this chapter:
79	79	(1) the website of the State Energy Conservation
80	80	Office; and
81	81	(2) the website of the commission.
82	82	Sec. 18.006. LIST OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. (a) The
83	83	council shall:
84	84	(1) develop a list of currently operating energy
85	85	efficiency programs in this state and publish the list on the
86	86	official Internet websites under Section 18.005; and
87	87	(2) work with the State Energy Conservation Office and
88	88	the commission to develop and publish on the official Internet
89	89	websites under Section 18.005 a user-friendly page that allows a
90	90	consumer to search by the consumer's address energy efficiency
91	91	programs available in the consumer's service area.
92	92	(b) The State Energy Conservation Office and the commission
93	93	each shall provide a link on their Internet websites to the page
94	94	described by Subsection (a)(2).
95	95	Sec. 18.007. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. (a)
96	96	Except as provided by this section, the council is not subject to
97	97	Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code.
98	98	(b) Information written, produced, collected, assembled, or
99	99	maintained under law or in connection with the transaction of
100	100	official business by the council or an officer or employee of the
101	101	council is subject to Section 552.008, Government Code, in the same
102	102	manner as public information.
103	103	Sec. 18.008. BIENNIAL REPORT. The council biennially shall
104	104	prepare a report that includes the evaluations and recommendations
105	105	required by Section 18.002. The council shall submit the report to
106	106	the legislature not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered
107	107	year.
108	108	Sec. 18.009. APPLICABILITY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE LAW.
109	109	Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the council.
110	110	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
111	111	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
112	112	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
113	113	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
114	114	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.