Electric suppliers would report prices and follow customer rules

The Commission must develop training and testing for electric supplier representatives and set how often they must complete it. The training applies to entities and individuals certified by the Commission as electric suppliers. Representatives who apply for certification must complete it. The Commission must consult interested stakeholders, including electric suppliers. A designated representative must pass an examination to receive certification for completing the training. Certified representatives must attest each year that sales staff completed supplier training consistent with Commission standards. The Commission may adopt penalties or sanctions for failure to comply. Applicants must complete training and certification before the Commission issues their certification. Representatives must attest annually.

Third-party electric suppliers must report customer and price information to the Commission, which must publish findings and send them to state officials. A third-party electric supplier is a company that buys electricity on the open market and sells it to a residential customer. Reports cover customer choice in the supplier's service territory. The Commission must set procedures for the reports and prepare its findings report. Reports are due by the 15th day of each month and cover the preceding month.

Third-party suppliers must get written agreement before renewing residential or small commercial customers' contracts. This applies to residential and small commercial customers of third-party electric suppliers. Small commercial customers are those on specified small general service tariffs. Suppliers must send written renewal notices 90 and 30 days before the contract ends. Notices must use the format the customer chose for other supplier notifications. Both notices must be sent before the contract term ends, at the 90-day and 30-day marks.

Third-party suppliers may not offer certain residential electricity prices, contract terms, enrollment incentives, or customer fees. These restrictions cover companies that buy electricity on the open market and sell it to residential customers. The price limit applies to electricity other than renewable energy and uses the electric company's trailing 12-month average standard offer rate when the customer agrees. Suppliers may not offer a variable rate that adjusts for seasonal changes more than twice in one year. The text does not prohibit time-of-use rates with different prices during a single day. The price comparison is set on the date the customer agrees to the offer. Residential supply terms may not exceed 12 months.

A licensed individual who sells electricity or electricity supply services for an electric supplier may not be fined or imprisoned under this section. The exception covers individuals licensed by the Commission to sell electricity or electricity supply services to residential retail electric customers as an electric supplier's employee or agent. The section does not apply to violations for which another specific penalty is provided in the chapter.