HBA-CBW H.B. 3542 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3542
By: Turner, Sylvester
State Affairs
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

As a way to prepare Texans for a deregulated electric market, the 76th
Legislature created the system benefit fund to assist low-income families
with the payment of their electric bills, to establish customer education
programs, and to fund the school funding loss mechanism.  However, the
agency charged with implementing these programs may have to use agency
funds to carry them out.  House Bill 3542 allows the Public Utility
Commission of Texas and the Office of Public Utility Counsel  to use funds
from the system benefit fund to implement and administer the programs. 

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 3542 amends the Utilities Code to allow the Public Utility
Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Office of Public Utility Counsel to use
funds from the system benefit fund to implement and administer programs.
The bill requires that PUC programs to assist low-income electric customers
on the introduction of customer choice shall include the provision of
grants to energy assistance providers who assist lowincome electric
customers in paying their electric bills. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.