Message - June 15, 2007

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EIGHTIETH TEXAS LEGISLATURE, REGULAR SESSION:

Pursuant to Article IV, Sections 14 and 15 of the Texas Constitution, I, Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove and veto House Bill No. 2713 of the 80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, due to the following objections:

While I commend the legislature's efforts to study the state's demand for electric generation capacity for the next 50 years, the legislature needs no additional statutory authority to conduct such studies.

House Bill No. 2713 proposes legislative review of existing generation facilities, which would be duplicative. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality already reviews existing generation facilities to ensure they meet the environmental quality standards set forth in state law. The Speaker and Lieutenant Governor can independently assign interim studies to their standing committees if they so chose.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have signed my name officially and caused the Seal of the State to be affixed hereto at Austin, this the 15th day of June, 2007.

RICK PERRY
Governor of Texas

ATTESTED BY:
ROGER WILLIAMS
Secretary of State