A Free Market, If You Can Keep It

Throughout the legislative session, Chairman Todd Hunter has spoken up — and acted — on behalf of consumers. “I want to protect the consumer,”  he said on the House floor while successfully defending a cap on the cost of electricity capacity in the ERCOT market.

After a series of dangerous Senate votes, Hunter and other House members have one more opportunity to protect Texas consumers in the final days of the legislative session.  

For consumers, it feels like a last stand.

Over a whirlwind and confusing 45 minutes Wednesday evening, senators tacked 15 amendments onto House Bill 1500, a significant but somewhat routine bill designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT. Senators sometimes seemed to be voting blind — in some cases, no printed amendments were distributed and Senators didn’t seem to know exactly what they were voting on…