Title UT, Utilities Code

Sec. 14.004. REPORT OF SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST. The commission may require disclosure of the identity and respective interests of each owner of at least one percent of the voting securities of a public utility or its affiliate. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 19…

Sec. 14.005. CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING TERMINATION OF SERVICES TO ELDERLY AND DISABLED. The commission may establish criteria and guidelines with the utility industry relating to industry procedures used in terminating services to the elderly and disabled. Acts 1997, 75th…

Sec. 14.006. INTERFERENCE WITH TERMS OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT; PRESUMPTION OF REASONABLENESS. The commission may not interfere with employee wages and benefits, working conditions, or other terms or conditions of employment that are the product of a collective bargaining agree…

Sec. 14.007. ASSISTANCE TO MUNICIPALITY. On request by the governing body of a municipality, the commission may provide commission employees as necessary to advise and consult with the municipality on a pending matter. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 14.008. MUNICIPAL FRANCHISES. (a) This title does not restrict the rights and powers of a municipality to grant or refuse a franchise to use the streets and alleys in the municipality or to make a statutory charge for that use. (b) A franchise agreement may not limit or inte…

Sec. 14.051. PROCEDURAL POWERS. The commission may: (1) call and hold a hearing; (2) administer an oath; (3) receive evidence at a hearing; (4) issue a subpoena to compel the attendance of a witness or the production of a document; and (5) make findings of fact and decisions to a…

Sec. 14.052. RULES. (a) The commission shall adopt and enforce rules governing practice and procedure before the commission and, as applicable, practice and procedure before the State Office of Administrative Hearings. (b) The commission shall adopt rules that authorize an admini…

Sec. 14.053. POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS. (a) The State Office of Administrative Hearings shall conduct each hearing in a contested case that is not conducted by one or more commissioners. (b) The commission may delegate to the State Office of Adm…

Sec. 14.054. SETTLEMENTS. (a) The commission by rule shall adopt procedures governing the use of settlements to resolve contested cases. (b) Rules adopted under this section must ensure that: (1) each party retains the right to: (A) a full hearing before the commission on issues …

Sec. 14.055. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS. The regulatory authority shall keep a record of each proceeding before the authority. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 14.056. RIGHT TO BE HEARD. Each party to a proceeding before a regulatory authority is entitled to be heard by attorney or in person. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 14.057. ORDERS OF COMMISSION; TRANSCRIPTS AND EXHIBITS; PUBLIC RECORDS. (a) A commission order must be in writing and contain detailed findings of the facts on which it is passed. (b) The commission shall retain a copy of the transcript and the exhibits in any matter in whic…

Sec. 14.058. FEES FOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION. The fees charged by the commission for electronic access to information that is stored in the system established by the commission using funds from the Texas Public Finance Authority and approved by the Department of Informa…

Sec. 14.059. TECHNOLOGY POLICY. The commission shall implement a policy requiring the commission to use appropriate technological solutions to improve the commission's ability to perform its functions. The policy must ensure that the public is able to interact with the commission…

Sec. 14.101. REPORT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS; COMMISSION CONSIDERATION. (a) Unless a public utility reports the transaction to the commission within a reasonable time, the public utility may not: (1) sell, acquire, or lease a plant as an operating unit or system in this state for …

Sec. 14.102. REPORT OF PURCHASE OF VOTING STOCK IN PUBLIC UTILITY. A public utility may not purchase voting stock in another public utility doing business in this state unless the utility reports the purchase to the commission. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,…

Sec. 14.103. REPORT OF LOAN TO STOCKHOLDERS. A public utility may not loan money, stocks, bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness to a person who directly or indirectly owns or holds any stock of the public utility unless the public utility reports the transaction to the …

Sec. 14.151. RECORDS OF PUBLIC UTILITY. (a) Each public utility shall keep and provide to the regulatory authority, in the manner and form prescribed by the commission, uniform accounts of all business transacted by the utility. (b) The commission may prescribe the form of books,…

Sec. 14.152. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE AND RECORDS IN THIS STATE. (a) Each public utility shall maintain an office in this state in a county in which some part of the utility's property is located. The utility shall keep in this office all books, accounts, records, and memoranda requ…

Sec. 14.153. COMMUNICATIONS WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITY. (a) The regulatory authority shall adopt rules governing communications with the regulatory authority or a member or employee of the regulatory authority by: (1) a public utility; (2) an affiliate; or (3) a representative of …

Sec. 14.154. JURISDICTION OVER AFFILIATE. (a) The commission has jurisdiction over an affiliate that has a transaction with a public utility under the commission's jurisdiction to the extent of access to a record of the affiliate relating to the transaction, including a record of…

Sec. 14.201. INQUIRY INTO MANAGEMENT AND AFFAIRS. A regulatory authority may inquire into the management and affairs of each public utility and shall keep itself informed as to the manner and method in which each public utility is managed and its affairs are conducted. Acts 1997,…

Sec. 14.202. MANAGEMENT AUDITS BY COMMISSION. (a) The commission shall: (1) inquire into the management of the business of each public utility under its jurisdiction; (2) keep itself informed as to the manner and method in which the utility's business is managed; and (3) obtain f…

Sec. 14.203. AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS. A regulatory authority may require the examination and audit of the accounts of a public or municipally owned utility. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 14.204. INSPECTION. (a) A regulatory authority and, to the extent authorized by the regulatory authority, its counsel, agent, or employee, may: (1) inspect and obtain copies of the papers, books, accounts, documents, and other business records of a public utility within its …

Sec. 14.205. EXAMINATIONS UNDER OATH. In connection with an action taken under Section 14.204, the regulatory authority may: (1) examine under oath an officer, agent, or employee of a public utility; or (2) authorize the person conducting the action to make the examination under …

Sec. 14.206. ENTERING PREMISES OF PUBLIC UTILITY. (a) A member, agent, or employee of a regulatory authority may enter the premises occupied by a public utility to conduct an inspection, examination, or test or to exercise any other authority provided by this title. (b) A member,…

Sec. 14.207. PRODUCTION OF OUT-OF-STATE RECORDS. (a) A regulatory authority may require, by order or subpoena served on a public utility, the production, at the time and place in this state that the regulatory authority designates, of any books, accounts, papers, or records kept …