Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1083 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Perez, Guillen (Senate Sponsor - Rodríguez) H.B. No. 1083
2		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2017;
3		-	May 4, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on
4		-	Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs; May 17, 2017, reported
5		-	favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 17, 2017,
6		-	sent to printer.)
7		-	Click here to see the committee vote
	1	+	H.B. No. 1083
8	2
9	3
10		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	4		AN ACT
12	5		relating to authorizing a regulatory authority to establish reduced
13	6		water utility rates funded by donations for the benefit of certain
14	7		elderly customers.
15	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
16	9		SECTION 1. Section 13.182, Water Code, is amended by
17	10		amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
18	11		follows:
19	12		(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), rates may [Rates
20	13		shall] not be unreasonably preferential, prejudicial, or
21	14		discriminatory but shall be sufficient, equitable, and consistent
22	15		in application to each class of consumers.
23	16		(b-1) In establishing a utility's rates, the regulatory
24	17		authority may authorize the utility to establish reduced rates for
25	18		a minimal level of service to be provided solely to a class of
26	19		elderly customers 65 years of age or older to ensure that those
27	20		customers receive that level of service at more affordable rates.
28	21		The regulatory authority shall allow a utility to establish a fund
29	22		to receive donations to recover the costs of providing the reduced
30	23		rates. A utility may not recover those costs through charges to the
31	24		utility's other customer classes.
32	25		SECTION 2. Section 13.189, Water Code, is amended by adding
33	26		Subsection (c) to read as follows:
34	27		(c) For purposes of this section, a reduced rate authorized
35	28		under Section 13.182(b-1) does not:
36	29		(1) make or grant an unreasonable preference or
37	30		advantage to any corporation or person;
38	31		(2) subject a corporation or person to an unreasonable
39	32		prejudice or disadvantage; or
40	33		(3) constitute an unreasonable difference as to rates
41	34		of service between classes of service.
42	35		SECTION 3. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply
43	36		only to proceedings before a regulatory authority regarding water
44	37		utility rates concerning an application filed on or after January
45	38		1, 2018. Proceedings before a regulatory authority regarding water
46	39		utility rates concerning an application filed before January 1,
47	40		2018, are governed by the law in effect when the application was
48	41		filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
49	42		(b) The Public Utility Commission of Texas and other
50	43		regulatory authorities shall adopt rules as necessary to implement
51	44		the changes in law made by this Act not later than December 31,
52	45		2017.
53	46		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
54		-	* * * * *
	47	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	48	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	49	+	I certify that H.B. No. 1083 was passed by the House on April
	50	+	20, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 12, 3 present, not
	51	+	voting.
	52	+	______________________________
	53	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	54	+	I certify that H.B. No. 1083 was passed by the Senate on May
	55	+	19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.
	56	+	______________________________
	57	+	Secretary of the Senate
	58	+	APPROVED: _____________________
	59	+	Date
	60	+	_____________________
	61	+	Governor