87R10872 CXP-D By: Darby H.B. No. 3025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the membership and meetings of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 12.051(a) and (b), Utilities Code, are amended to read as follows: (a) The commission is composed of: (1) three commissioners appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate; (2) one commissioner appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives and with the advice and consent of the senate; and (3) one commissioner appointed by the lieutenant governor with the advice and consent of the senate. (b) An appointment to the commission shall be made without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointee. The appointments shall be made so that at least one commissioner is designated to represent each of the north, south, west, and Houston load zones of the ERCOT power region. One commissioner may serve without having a designated zone. SECTION 2. Section 12.055, Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 12.055. PROHIBITION ON SEEKING ANOTHER OFFICE. A person may not seek nomination or election to another civil office of this state or of the United States while serving as a commissioner. If a commissioner files for nomination or election to another civil office of this state or of the United States, the person's office as commissioner immediately becomes vacant, and the governor or lieutenant governor, as applicable, shall appoint a successor in accordance with Section 12.051 and, if necessary, shall designate the zone to be represented by the commissioner in accordance with Subsection (b) of that section. SECTION 3. Section 12.058, Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 12.058. MEETINGS. The commission shall hold meetings at its office and at other convenient places in this state on the first and third Thursday of every month [as expedient and necessary] for the proper performance of the commission's duties. SECTION 4. (a) The governor and the lieutenant governor each shall promptly appoint a commissioner to the Public Utility Commission of Texas in accordance with Sections 12.051(a)(2) and (3), Utilities Code, as added by this Act. The term of the commissioner appointed by the lieutenant governor expires September 1, 2025, and the term of the commissioner appointed by the governor expires September 1, 2027. The appointments made under this section must designate the appointed commissioner as representing a zone described by Section 12.051(b), Utilities Code, as amended by this Act. (b) Following the appointments made under Subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall designate two of the other three commissioners of the Public Utility Commission of Texas as a commissioner representing one of the zones described by Section 12.051(b), Utilities Code, as amended by this Act. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.