HBA-NMO H.B. 1062 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1062
By: Cook
State Affairs
2/18/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law prohibits the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) from
building, owning, or operating transmission lines outside the area served
by LCRA transmission lines on January 1, 1975. 
H.B. 1062 authorizes a river authority engaged in the distribution and sale
of electric energy to the public, such as LCRA, to provide electric
transmission services, and to acquire and operate electric transmission
facilities, within or without the river authority's boundaries.  This bill
does not authorize a river authority to build transmission facilities to
enable an ultimate consumer of electricity to bypass the transmission or
distribution facilities of that consumer's existing provider. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 717p, V.T.C.S., by adding Section 4C, as follows:

Sec.  4C.  Provides that "electric transmission facilities" includes
telecommunications systems  that are attached or incidental to facilities
used to transmit electric energy.  Provides that this section applies only
to a river authority that is engaged in the distribution and sale of
electric energy to the public.  Provides that this section does not
authorize a river authority to serve as a common carrier of
telecommunications services.  Authorizes a river authority, notwithstanding
any other law, and at any location within or outside its boundaries, to
provide transmission services, as defined by Section 31.002, Utilities Code
(Definitions), on a regional basis to any eligible transmission customer;
and to acquire, finance, lease, construct, rebuild, operate, or sell
electric transmission facilities.  Provides that this section does not
authorize a river authority to construct electric transmission facilities
for an ultimate consumer of electricity to enable that consumer to bypass
the transmission or distribution facilities of its existing provider. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.