Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1976 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1976
	1	+	By: Whitmire S.B. No. 1976
	2	+	(Paddie)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to benefit programs provided by retail electric providers
6	8		and certificated telecommunications utilities for low-income
7	9		customers.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Section 17.007, Utilities Code, is amended to
10	12		read as follows:
11	13		Sec. 17.007. IDENTIFICATION [ELIGIBILITY] PROCESS FOR
12	14		CUSTOMER SERVICE BENEFITS [DISCOUNTS]. (a) The Health and Human
13	15		Services Commission, on request of the commission, shall assist in
14	16		developing an automatic process for identifying low-income
15	17		customers to retail electric providers and certificated
16	18		telecommunications utilities to enable those providers and
17	19		utilities to offer customer service, discounts, bill payment
18	20		assistance, or other methods of assistance [The commission by rule
19	21		shall provide for an integrated eligibility process for customer
20	22		service discounts, including discounts under Sections 39.903 and
21	23		55.015].
22	24		(b) The commission and the Health and Human Services
23	25		Commission shall continue the memorandum of understanding entered
24	26		into by those agencies in effect on January 1, 2017, that
25	27		establishes the respective duties of those agencies in relation to
26	28		the automatic process, and may amend the memorandum of
27	29		understanding as necessary to achieve the goals of this section.
28	30		(c) The commission may not require a retail electric
29	31		provider or a certificated telecommunications utility to offer
30	32		customer service, discounts, bill payment assistance, targeted
31	33		bill messaging, or other benefits for which the provider or utility
32	34		is not reimbursed.
33	35		(d) The commission may not submit a request to the Health
34	36		and Human Services Commission to provide for a process to identify
35	37		low-income electric customers for a fiscal year unless:
36	38		(1) the commission receives a request from one or more
37	39		retail electric providers not later than July 31 of the previous
38	40		fiscal year for a list of low-income electric customers to be
39	41		developed; and
40	42		(2) each retail electric provider that submits a
41	43		request to the commission under Subdivision (1) agrees to reimburse
42	44		the commission for the cost of development of the list on terms
43	45		agreed to by the commission and the provider.
44	46		SECTION 2. Section 55.015(b), Utilities Code, is amended to
45	47		read as follows:
46	48		(b) The commission shall adopt rules providing for
47	49		automatic enrollment to receive lifeline service for eligible
48	50		consumers. The Health and Human Services Commission [Texas
49	51		Department of Human Services], on request of the commission, shall
50	52		assist in the adoption and implementation of those rules. The
51	53		commission and the Health and Human Services Commission [Texas
52	54		Department of Human Services] shall enter into a memorandum of
53	55		understanding establishing the respective duties of those agencies
54	56		[the commission and department] in relation to the automatic
55	57		enrollment.
56	58		SECTION 3. Section 56.021, Utilities Code, is amended to
57	59		read as follows:
58	60		Sec. 56.021. UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND ESTABLISHED. The
59	61		commission shall adopt and enforce rules requiring local exchange
60	62		companies to establish a universal service fund to:
61	63		(1) assist telecommunications providers in providing
62	64		basic local telecommunications service at reasonable rates in high
63	65		cost rural areas under two plans:
64	66		(A) the Texas High Cost Universal Service Plan
65	67		(16 T.A.C. Section 26.403); and
66	68		(B) the Small and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange
67	69		Company Universal Service Plan (16 T.A.C. Section 26.404);
68	70		(2) reimburse the telecommunications carrier that
69	71		provides the statewide telecommunications relay access service
70	72		under Subchapter D;
71	73		(3) finance the specialized telecommunications
72	74		assistance program established under Subchapter E;
73	75		(4) reimburse the department and the commission for
74	76		costs incurred in implementing this chapter and Chapter 57;
75	77		(5) reimburse a telecommunications carrier providing
76	78		lifeline service as provided by 47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart E, as
77	79		amended;
78	80		(6) finance the implementation and administration of
79	81		the identification process under [an integrated eligibility
80	82		process created under] Section 17.007 for [customer service
81	83		discounts relating to] telecommunications services[, including
82	84		outreach expenses the commission determines are reasonable and
83	85		necessary];
84	86		(7) reimburse a designated provider under Subchapter
85	87		F;
86	88		(8) reimburse a successor utility under Subchapter G;
87	89		and
88	90		(9) finance the program established under Subchapter
89	91		H.
90	92		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
91		-	______________________________ ______________________________
92		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
93		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1976 passed the Senate on
94		-	April 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
95		-	______________________________
96		-	Secretary of the Senate
97		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1976 passed the House on May
98		-	6, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 9, one present not
99		-	voting.
100		-	______________________________
101		-	Chief Clerk of the House
102		-	Approved:
103		-	______________________________
104		-	Date
105		-	______________________________
106		-	Governor