| 1 | 1 | | 89R14315 CS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hancock S.B. No. 2455 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the creation of the Texas Energy Waste Advisory |
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| 10 | 10 | | Committee. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 2, Utilities Code, is amended |
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| 13 | 13 | | by adding Chapter 18 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 18. TEXAS ENERGY WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 18.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "committee" |
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| 16 | 16 | | means the Texas Energy Waste Advisory Committee. |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 18.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE. The Texas Energy |
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| 18 | 18 | | Waste Advisory Committee is created to make recommendations for |
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| 19 | 19 | | coordinating and improving state agency and interagency programs |
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| 20 | 20 | | that reduce energy waste, increase energy efficiency, and enhance |
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| 21 | 21 | | demand response programs in order to increase reliability of |
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| 22 | 22 | | electric service in the ERCOT power region in accordance with |
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| 23 | 23 | | Section 39.159. |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 18.003. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP. (a) The committee is |
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| 25 | 25 | | composed of seven ex officio members as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) the presiding officer of the commission; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) the chief executive officer of the independent |
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| 28 | 28 | | organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power |
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| 29 | 29 | | region; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) the comptroller; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (4) the executive director of the Texas Department of |
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| 32 | 32 | | Licensing and Regulation; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (5) the director of the Texas Department of Housing |
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| 34 | 34 | | and Community Affairs; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (6) the presiding officer of the Texas Commission on |
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| 36 | 36 | | Environmental Quality; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (7) the commissioner of the General Land Office. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) An ex officio member may designate an employee of the |
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| 39 | 39 | | member's agency or office to serve in the member's place. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) The presiding officer of the commission or an employee |
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| 41 | 41 | | of the commission designated by the presiding officer shall serve |
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| 42 | 42 | | as the chair of the committee. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) The committee shall meet quarterly at the call of the |
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| 44 | 44 | | chair. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Sec. 18.004. PROGRAM EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. To |
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| 46 | 46 | | improve the reliability of electric service in the ERCOT power |
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| 47 | 47 | | region, the committee shall solicit information from and make |
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| 48 | 48 | | recommendations to the following state agencies and organizations |
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| 49 | 49 | | regarding state programs that have the potential to reduce demand |
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| 50 | 50 | | for electricity in the ERCOT wholesale market during high risk |
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| 51 | 51 | | hours identified by the commission: |
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| 52 | 52 | | (1) the commission; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (2) the independent organization certified under |
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| 54 | 54 | | Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region; |
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| 55 | 55 | | (3) the comptroller; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (4) the State Energy Conservation Office; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (5) the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (6) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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| 59 | 59 | | Affairs; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (7) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; and |
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| 61 | 61 | | (8) the General Land Office. |
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| 62 | 62 | | Sec. 18.005. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The commission shall |
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| 63 | 63 | | provide the committee with administrative support, including |
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| 64 | 64 | | meeting space and staff necessary to assist the committee in |
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| 65 | 65 | | carrying out the committee's duties under this chapter. |
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| 66 | 66 | | Sec. 18.006. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. (a) |
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| 67 | 67 | | Except as provided by Subsection (b), the committee is not subject |
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| 68 | 68 | | to Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code. |
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| 69 | 69 | | (b) Information written, produced, collected, assembled, or |
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| 70 | 70 | | maintained under law or in connection with the transaction of |
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| 71 | 71 | | official business by the committee or an officer or employee of the |
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| 72 | 72 | | committee is subject to Section 552.008, Government Code, in the |
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| 73 | 73 | | same manner as public information. |
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| 74 | 74 | | Sec. 18.007. REPORT. Not later than September 1 of each |
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| 75 | 75 | | even-numbered year, the committee shall provide to the legislature |
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| 76 | 76 | | a report on the committee's activities and recommendations. |
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| 77 | 77 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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