HBA-TBM, CCH H.B. 1902 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1902
By: Turner, Sylvester
Appropriations
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

When the System Benefit Fund (SBF) was created by the 76th Legislature as
part of electric utility deregulation, it was envisioned to be a trust fund
that would help finance programs regarding utility awareness and
assistance.  Under current law, the SBF is a trust fund with the
comptroller administered by the Public Utility Commission.  House Bill 1902
establishes the SBF as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund.   

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1902 amends the Utilities Code to provide that the system
benefit fund is an account in the general revenue fund rather than a trust
fund with the comptroller that is required to be administered by the Public
Utility Commission of Texas.  The bill authorizes rather than requires the
fund to be appropriated solely for regulatory purposes related to the
assistance of low-income electric customers, customer education, the school
funding loss mechanism, and administrative expenses incurred in
implementing the restructuring of the electric utility industry. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.