Texas House Passes Consumer Protection Legislation
Bill to protect consumers and promote competition in retail electric market passes Texas House
AUSTIN, TEXAS–Today, the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 1799 by Rep. Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) which provide retail electric customers with more easily accessible information on electric rates and service providers in their area. House Bill 1799 will help consumers make informed decisions and put pressure on the market to keep prices low by pointing customers on the first page of each monthly bill to www.powertochoose.com so they can easily “shop” for better rates and service plans.
Bohac, elected to his first term in 2003, was not a member of the legislature when deregulation of the retail electricity market was enacted in the late 1990s, but he understands that consumers have become increasingly uneasy.
HB 1799 will require that electric providers include the statement, “For more information about your electric service, please visit www.powertochoose.com,” on the first page of all monthly statements in 12-point, easy-to-read print. This website is run by the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and acts as a clearing house for retail electric prices and provides a “score card” to see how customers rate the different electric companies.
“By providing more information to consumers and shining a ‘bright light’ on the practices of electric providers, people can select electric providers that best meet their needs and budget,” said Bohac.