Texas Water Code - WATER § 13.017. Office of Public Utility Counsel;  Powers and Duties

(1) shall assess the effect of utility rate changes and other regulatory actions on residential consumers in this state;

(2) shall advocate in the office's own name a position determined by the counsellor to be most advantageous to a substantial number of residential consumers;

(3) may appear or intervene, as a party or otherwise, as a matter of right on behalf of:

(4) may initiate or intervene as a matter of right or otherwise appear in a judicial proceeding:

(5) is entitled to the same access as a party, other than utility commission staff, to records gathered by the utility commission under Section 13.133;

(6) is entitled to discovery of any nonprivileged matter that is relevant to the subject matter of a proceeding or petition before the utility commission;

(7) may represent an individual residential or small commercial consumer with respect to the consumer's disputed complaint concerning retail utility services that is unresolved before the utility commission;

(8) may recommend legislation to the legislature that the office determines would positively affect the interests of residential and small commercial consumers;  and

(9) may conduct consumer outreach and education programs for residential and small commercial consumers.

(1) affect a duty the office is required to perform under other law;  or

(2) limit the authority of the utility commission to represent residential or small commercial consumers.