The upcoming Texas legislative session will see another attemptto merge the Texas Public Utility Commission and the Texas RailroadCommission to create a single agency regulating natural gas,electricity, oil production, as well as telecommunicationsutilities.

The same was attempted in the last legislative session. Thistime around it’s Rep. Bill Siebert, R-San Antonio, promoting theidea. He plans to file a bill soon.

Any move to merge the two agencies would lack the support of thestate’s popular Republican governor, George W. Bush, according tohis office. The three commissioners of the Railroad Commission areelected while Public Utility Commission commissioners areappointed. It is claimed by Siebert and others that electedcommissioners are more responsive to their constituencies and amerged agency would be more efficient.

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