| 1 | 1 | | 81R7249 TJS-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Mallory Caraway H.B. No. 1227 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to a grace period from the statement issue date for payment |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | of services to gas utilities and municipally owned utilities. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 104, Utilities Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 104.259 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 104.259. PERIOD FOR PAYMENT OF GAS SERVICES. (a) A |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | gas utility or municipally owned utility providing service to a |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | retail customer may not disconnect service or pursue any other |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | collections options for nonpayment of a balance due before the 30th |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | day after the date on which the statement is issued. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (b) To the extent of any conflict between this section and |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | other law, including Subchapter A, Chapter 182, this section |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | controls. |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act does not |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | affect the rights of a gas utility or municipally owned utility to |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | disconnect service or pursue another collections option in a manner |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | provided by a contract with a retail customer that was entered into |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | or renewed before the effective date of this Act. The rights of a |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | gas utility or municipally owned utility under a contract for gas |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | services entered into or renewed before the effective date of this |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | Act are governed by the law as it existed on the date the contract |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | was entered into or renewed, and that law is continued in effect for |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | that purpose. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|