| 1 | 1 | | 84R2007 DDT-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 575 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the notice of contract expiration provided to retail |
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| 8 | 8 | | electric customers by retail electric providers. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 39.112(b), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 11 | 11 | | read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) A retail electric provider shall provide a residential |
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| 13 | 13 | | customer who has a fixed rate product with at least one written |
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| 14 | 14 | | notice of the date the fixed rate product will expire. The notice |
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| 15 | 15 | | must: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) be sent to the customer's billing address by mail |
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| 17 | 17 | | at least 30, but not more than 60, days preceding the date the |
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| 18 | 18 | | contract will expire; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) be sent to the customer's e-mail address, if |
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| 20 | 20 | | available to the provider and if the customer has agreed to receive |
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| 21 | 21 | | notices electronically, at least 30, but not more than 60, days |
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| 22 | 22 | | preceding the date the contract will expire; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) include on the outside of the envelope in which the |
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| 24 | 24 | | notice is sent, a statement that reads: "Contract Expiration |
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| 25 | 25 | | Notice. See Enclosed."; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (4) if included with a customer's bill, be printed on a |
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| 27 | 27 | | separate page; [and] |
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| 28 | 28 | | (5) include a description of any fees or charges |
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| 29 | 29 | | associated with the early termination of the customer's fixed rate |
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| 30 | 30 | | product; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (6) include, in 14-point boldfaced type or 14-point |
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| 32 | 32 | | uppercase letters, a notice that reads as follows: "YOUR CONTRACT |
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| 33 | 33 | | FOR FIXED RATE ELECTRICITY EXPIRES SOON. YOUR RATE MAY CHANGE WHEN |
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| 34 | 34 | | THE CONTRACT EXPIRES."[.] |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 36 | 36 | | to a notice sent on or after the effective date of this Act. A notice |
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| 37 | 37 | | sent before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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| 38 | 38 | | effect at that time. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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