85R12020 GRM-F
By: RodrÃguez S.B. No. 1473
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority to establish a customer assistance
program for certain municipally owned utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 552, Local Government
Code, is amended by adding Section 552.916 to read as follows:
Sec. 552.916. CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AUTHORITY FOR
CERTAIN UTILITIES. (a) This section applies only to a board of
trustees described by Section 1502.070(a)(2)(B), Government Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any limitation provided by a home-rule
charter or any other policy of a municipal governing body, a board
of trustees has the exclusive authority to establish a bill payment
assistance program for its utility system's customers:
(1) who received notice of disconnection of service
for nonpayment of bills; or
(2) whom the utility determines are low-income
customers.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.