The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, except as the context otherwise clearly requires:

1. (1) "Assignee" has the meaning accorded to such term by §39.302 of the Texas Utilities Code.
2. (2) "Assignor" means an electric utility or other person who transfers an interest in transition property to an assignee.
3. (3) "Certificate" means a document establishing, based upon the file number and financing order docket number, whether there is on file with the filing officer on the date and time stated a transition property notice.
4. (4) "Commission" means the Public Utility Commission of Texas, including a duly appointed successor entity.
5. (5) "File Number" means the numerical sequence assigned to an original transition property notice filing by the filing officer for the purpose of identifying the transition property notice and all filings relating to that transition property notice in the filing officer's information management system.
6. (6) "Filing" means the presentation of a transition property notice or other document described in this chapter to the filing officer, which is evidenced by the indication of a file number and filing date and filing time.
7. (7) "Filing Date" means the date at which the filing officer receives a filing, as described by these rules.
8. (8) "Filing Officer" means the secretary of state, including an appointed successor entity or office.
9. (9) "Filing Party" means a person who makes a filing pursuant to this chapter.
10. (10) "Filing Time" means the time of day that a document is presented for filing at the filing office and is determined by the method of delivery.
11. (11) "Financing Order" has the meaning accorded to such term by §39.302 of the Texas Utilities Code.
12. (12) "Financing Order Docket Number" means the financing order file number established by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
13. (13) "Financing Party" has the meaning accorded to such term by §39.302 of the Texas Utilities Code.
14. (14) "Grantor" means an electric utility or other person who grants a security interest in transition property to another person.
15. (15) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, public authority or trust (including a business trust), unincorporated association, limited liability company, joint stock company or any other legal entity, whether public or private, existing under the laws of the State of Texas, another state, the United States, or a foreign country.
16. (16) "Release" means an amendment intended to indicate an action by a financing party to alter a right, duty, or obligation concerning the perfection of a security interest.
17. (17) "Retransfer" means an amendment intended to indicate an action by an assignee to return to an assignor all or a portion of the interest of the assignee in transition property.
18. (18) "Security Interest" means an interest in transition property securing the payment or performance of an obligation.
19. (19) "Submitter" means the person who presents or tenders a transition property notice to the filing officer for filing, whether the person is a filing party, an agent of a filing party, or a service provider acting as a filing party's representative in the filing process.
20. (20) "Termination Notice" means an amendment intended to indicate the termination of the interest of a financing party in the security interest.
21. (21) "Transition Property" has the meaning accorded to such term by §39.302 of the Texas Utilities Code.

22. (22) "Transition Property Notice" means (as more fully described in §§96.61-96.65):

    1. (A) a notice of a security interest in transition property, and all amendments to such notice; or
    2. (B) a notice of a transfer to an assignee of an interest in transition property, and all amendments to such notice.

Source Note:The provisions of this §96.1 adopted to be effective January 20, 2000, 25 TexReg 263.