Bill Text: TX HB3943 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the auditing of an electric cooperative or municipally owned electric utility by an independent third party auditor after a power outage.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-04-19 - Left pending in committee [HB3943 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3943-Introduced.html
| 88R13369 DIO-D | ||
| By: Goodwin | H.B. No. 3943 | |
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| relating to the auditing of an electric cooperative or municipally | ||
| owned electric utility by an independent third party auditor after | ||
| a power outage. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 38.053 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 38.053. ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE; AUDIT REQUIRED. (a) In | ||
| this section, "extended power outage" means a power outage lasting | ||
| five days or more. | ||
| (b) The resiliency of the system of an electric cooperative | ||
| must be audited by an independent third party auditor if an extended | ||
| power outage affects 10 percent or more of its retail customers. | ||
| (c) The board of directors of an electric cooperative shall | ||
| contract with an independent third party auditor that meets the | ||
| professional certifications established by the commission under | ||
| Subsection (d) to perform the audit described by Subsection (b). | ||
| (d) The commission by rule shall establish the professional | ||
| certifications an independent third party auditor must have to | ||
| perform the audit described by Subsection (b) and the information | ||
| the audit must examine. | ||
| (e) After an audit under this section is completed, the | ||
| electric cooperative shall make the audit report publicly | ||
| available. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 552, Local Government | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 552.9021 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 552.9021. MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITY; AUDIT | ||
| REQUIRED. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Extended power outage" means a power outage | ||
| lasting five days or more. | ||
| (2) "Retail customer" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 31.002, Utilities Code. | ||
| (b) The resiliency of a municipally owned electric utility | ||
| system must be audited by an independent third party auditor if an | ||
| extended power outage affects 10 percent or more of its retail | ||
| customers. | ||
| (c) The governing body of the municipality that owns the | ||
| utility shall contract with an independent third party auditor to | ||
| perform the audit described by Subsection (b). | ||
| (d) The independent third party auditor must have the | ||
| professional certifications required under and perform the audit in | ||
| the manner required under Section 38.053(d), Utilities Code. | ||
| (e) After an audit under this section is completed, the | ||
| municipality that owns the utility shall make the audit report | ||
| publicly available. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
