Texas Utilities Code Title 2, Chapter 13 - Office Of Public Utility Counsel

SUBCHAPTER A GENERAL PROVISIONS; POWERS AND DUTIES

• Texas Section 13.001 - Office Of Public Utility Counsel
  The independent office of public utility counsel represents the interests of residential and small commercial consumers. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff....
• Texas Section 13.002 - Application Of Sunset Act
  The Office of Public Utility Counsel is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter,...
• Texas Section 13.003 - Office Powers And Duties
  (a) The office: (1) shall assess the effect of utility rate changes and other regulatory actions on residential consumers in this state; (2) shall advocate...
• Texas Section 13.004 - Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures
  (a) The counsellor shall develop and implement a policy to encourage the use of appropriate alternative dispute resolution procedures under Chapter 2009, Government Code, to...
• Texas Section 13.005 - Complaints
  (a) The office shall maintain a system to promptly and efficiently act on complaints filed with the office that the office has the authority to...

SUBCHAPTER B PUBLIC UTILITY COUNSEL

• Texas Section 13.006 - Technology Policy
  The counsellor shall implement a policy requiring the office to use appropriate technological solutions to improve the office's ability to perform its functions. The policy...
• Texas Section 13.021 - Appointment; Term
  (a) The chief executive of the office is the counsellor. (b) The counsellor is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the...
• Texas Section 13.022 - Qualifications
  (a) The counsellor must: (1) be licensed to practice law in this state; (2) have demonstrated a strong commitment to and involvement in efforts to...
• Texas Section 13.023 - Grounds For Removal
  (a) It is a ground for removal from office if the counsellor: (1) does not have at the time of taking office or maintain during...

SUBCHAPTER C OFFICE PERSONNEL

• Texas Section 13.024 - Prohibited Acts
  (a) The counsellor may not have a direct or indirect interest in a utility company regulated under this title, its parent, or its subsidiary companies,...
• Texas Section 13.041 - Personnel
  (a) The counsellor may employ lawyers, economists, engineers, consultants, statisticians, accountants, clerical staff, and other employees as the counsellor considers necessary to carry out this...
• Texas Section 13.042 - Conflict Of Interest
  (a) In this section, "Texas trade association" means a cooperative and voluntarily joined statewide association of business or professional competitors in this state designed to...
• Texas Section 13.043 - Prohibition On Employment Or Representation
  (a) A former counsel may not make any communication to or appearance before the commission or an officer or employee of the commission before the...
• Texas Section 13.044 - Career Ladder Program; Performance Evaluations; Merit Pay
  (a) The counsellor or the counsellor's designee shall develop an intra-agency career ladder program that addresses opportunities for mobility and advancement for office employees. The...
• Texas Section 13.045 - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement
  (a) The counsellor or the counsellor's designee shall prepare and maintain a written policy statement to ensure implementation of a program of equal employment opportunity...

SUBCHAPTER D PUBLIC INTEREST INFORMATION AND REPORTS

• Texas Section 13.046 - Qualifications And Standards Of Conduct Information
  The office shall provide to office employees as often as necessary information regarding their: (1) qualifications for employment under this title; and (2) responsibilities under...
• Texas Section 13.061 - Public Interest Information
  The office shall prepare information of public interest describing the functions of the office. The office shall make the information available to the public and...
• Texas Section 13.062 - Public Participation
  (a) The office shall comply with federal and state laws related to program and facility accessibility. (b) The office shall prepare and maintain a written...
• Texas Section 13.063 - Annual Reports
  (a) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1083, Sec. 25(161), eff. June 17, 2011. (b) The office shall prepare annually a report on...
• Texas Section 13.064 - Public Hearing
  (a) The office annually shall conduct a public hearing to assist the office in developing a plan of priorities and to give the public, including...

Last modified: September 28, 2016