Under New Law, Texas PUC to Publish List of REPs Offering Discounts to Military Veterans with Severe Burns

A new law recently signed by Texas Gov. Perry requires that the Public Utility Commission of Texas shall publish a list of retail electric providers offering payment assistance programs customers who are military veterans with a significantly decreased ability to regulate body temperature because of severe burns received in combat.

SB 981, signed by Gov. Perry and effective immediately, provides that REPs "may" establish a bill payment assistance program for a customer who is a military veteran who a medical doctor certifies has a significantly decreased ability to regulate the individual's body temperature because of severe burns received in combat.

Furthermore, the law requires that the PUCT "shall" compile a list of such bill payment assistance programs offered by REPs, and that the Commission "shall" publish the list on the Commission's website.

The law requires that retail electric providers "shall" provide to the Commission information necessary to compile the list in the form, manner, and frequency that the Commission, by rule, requires.

The PUCT has assigned Project 41613 for a rulemaking to implement SB 981.