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Senate creates Texas Energy Waste Advisory Committee to coordinate efficiency and demand‑response
Summary
House Bill 53 23 cleared the Senate after an amendment adding the General Services/Fiscal/Facilities Commission and moving the report date; sponsors said the committee will promote interagency coordination to meet ERCOT reliability standards.
Senator Hancock, State Senator, brought House Bill 53 23 to the floor to create the Texas Energy Waste Advisory Committee to recommend strategies for energy efficiency and demand response across state agencies.
Hancock said the committee would align state efforts to meet Public Utility Commission reliability standards for ERCOT, coordinate federal funds and agency actions, and identify gaps without creating a new agency.
Senator Menendez asked whether the program would include residential demand response. Hancock replied it would use state agencies and listed the facilities commission among entities to be added; he said the amendment would add the facilities commission and move the report date to Dec. 1.
"This amendment simply adds the facilities commissions to the bill, and it will move the date in which the report is required to be submitted to the legislature on December 1," Hancock said. The floor adopted the amendment by unanimous consent.
The bill passed third reading 28 ayes and 3 nays and the Senate later suspended the three‑day rule; final passage was recorded 28 ayes and 3 nays, and the bill was eventually passed and recorded as finally passed by roll call.
Supporters said the committee would improve interagency collaboration on efficiency and demand response and help maximize federal funds. The adopted amendment broadened the committee’s membership to include the facilities commission and adjusted the reporting timeline.
