Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2717 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	89R9526 ANG-F
1	2		By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2717
2		-	(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2025; April 3, 2025, read
3		-	first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
4		-	April 14, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
5		-	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 14, 2025,
6		-	sent to printer.)
7		-	Click here to see the committee vote
8		-	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2717 By: Menéndez
9	3
10	4
11	5
12	6
13	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
14	8		AN ACT
15	9		relating to the creation of the Texas Energy Efficiency Council.
16	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
17	11		SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 2, Utilities Code, is amended
18	12		by adding Chapter 18 to read as follows:
19	13		CHAPTER 18. TEXAS ENERGY EFFICIENCY COUNCIL
20	14		Sec. 18.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
21	15		(1) "Council" means the Texas Energy Efficiency
22	16		Council.
23	17		(2) "Energy efficiency program" means a program
24	18		designed to:
25	19		(A) increase efficient energy use;
26	20		(B) facilitate emergency load management and,
27	21		for electric utilities operating in an area of the state not open to
28	22		competition, reduce energy consumption during periods of peak
29	23		energy demand;
30	24		(C) optimize energy consumption;
31	25		(D) identify and realize the benefits of energy
32	26		efficient building design standards; or
33	27		(E) fund the implementation of energy cost
34	28		reduction measures.
35	29		Sec. 18.002. PURPOSE. The Texas Energy Efficiency Council
36	30		is a council established in the commission to evaluate and make
37	31		recommendations for:
38	32		(1) providing a statewide collaborative approach to
39	33		promoting energy efficiency;
40	34		(2) measuring, evaluating, and reporting on energy
41	35		efficiency performance in this state;
42	36		(3) creating a process for monitoring and enhancing
43	37		energy efficiency programs in this state;
44	38		(4) facilitating opportunities for coordination and
45	39		leveraging of federal funding from the United States Department of
46	40		Energy, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,
47	41		and other federal agencies that can be used by state agencies and
48	42		political subdivisions for the purposes of enhancing energy
49	43		efficiency; and
50	44		(5) providing a central repository for information on
51	45		statewide energy efficiency performance and opportunities to
52	46		participate in energy efficiency programs in this state.
53	47		Sec. 18.003. COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP. (a) The council is
54		-	composed of 11 ex officio members as follows:
	48	+	composed of nine ex officio members as follows:
55	49		(1) the presiding officer of the Texas Commission on
56	50		Environmental Quality;
57	51		(2) the chief executive officer of the Electric
58	52		Reliability Council of Texas;
59	53		(3) the presiding officer of the commission;
60	54		(4) the comptroller;
61	55		(5) the director of the Texas Department of Housing
62	56		and Community Affairs;
63	57		(6) the executive director of the Texas Economic
64	58		Development and Tourism Office;
65		-	(7) the ~~chair~~ of the Texas Water Development Board;
	59	+	(7) the chairman of the Texas Water Development Board;
66	60		(8) the director of the Energy Systems Laboratory at
67	61		the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station of The Texas A&M
68		-	University System;
	62	+	University System; and
69	63		(9) the chief executive of the Office of Public
70		-	Utility Counsel;
71		-	(10) the executive director of the Texas Facilities
72		-	Commission; and
73		-	(11) the executive director of the Texas Department of
74		-	Licensing and Regulation.
	64	+	Utility Counsel.
75	65		(b) An ex officio member may designate a person from the
76	66		member's agency to serve in the member's place.
77	67		(c) The presiding officer of the commission or an employee
78	68		designated by the presiding officer under Subsection (b) shall
79	69		serve as presiding officer of the council.
80	70		(d) The council shall meet at least two times per year at the
81	71		call of the presiding officer.
82	72		Sec. 18.004. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The commission shall
83	73		provide the council with administrative support, including meeting
84	74		space and staff necessary to assist the council in carrying out the
85	75		council's duties under this chapter.
86	76		Sec. 18.005. OFFICIAL INTERNET WEBSITES. The council shall
87	77		use the following official Internet websites for the publication of
88	78		information as required by this chapter:
89	79		(1) the website of the State Energy Conservation
90	80		Office; and
91	81		(2) the website of the commission.
92	82		Sec. 18.006. LIST OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. (a) The
93	83		council shall:
94	84		(1) develop a list of currently operating energy
95	85		efficiency programs in this state and publish the list on the
96	86		official Internet websites under Section 18.005; and
97	87		(2) work with the State Energy Conservation Office and
98	88		the commission to develop and publish on the official Internet
99	89		websites under Section 18.005 a user-friendly page that allows a
100	90		consumer to search by the consumer's address energy efficiency
101	91		programs available in the consumer's service area.
102	92		(b) The State Energy Conservation Office and the commission
103	93		each shall provide a link on their Internet websites to the page
104	94		described by Subsection (a)(2).
105	95		Sec. 18.007. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. (a)
106	96		Except as provided by this section, the council is not subject to
107	97		Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code.
108	98		(b) Information written, produced, collected, assembled, or
109	99		maintained under law or in connection with the transaction of
110	100		official business by the council or an officer or employee of the
111	101		council is subject to Section 552.008, Government Code, in the same
112	102		manner as public information.
113	103		Sec. 18.008. BIENNIAL REPORT. The council biennially shall
114	104		prepare a report that includes the evaluations and recommendations
115	105		required by Section 18.002. The council shall submit the report to
116	106		the legislature not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered
117	107		year.
118	108		Sec. 18.009. APPLICABILITY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE LAW.
119	109		Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the council.
120	110		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
121	111		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
122	112		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
123	113		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
124	114		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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