| 1 | 1 | | By: Murr H.B. No. 3641 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to billing for telephone service during service |
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| 7 | 7 | | interruptions and establishing reporting requirements. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 64.053, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 10 | 10 | | read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (a) The commission may require a telecommunications service |
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| 12 | 12 | | provider to submit reports to the commission concerning any matter |
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| 13 | 13 | | over which it has authority under this chapter. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) The commission shall adopt rules requiring |
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| 15 | 15 | | telecommunications service providers to report significant |
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| 16 | 16 | | interruptions of service that occur as a result of any hurricane, |
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| 17 | 17 | | ice or snow storm, flood, or other weather-related event or natural |
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| 18 | 18 | | disaster. The rules may require telecommunications service |
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| 19 | 19 | | providers to submit plans for service restoration for service |
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| 20 | 20 | | interruptions lasting longer than 72 hours. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 64, Utilities Code, is amended by adding |
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| 22 | 22 | | Subchapter F, as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | SUBCHAPTER F. PROTECTION AGAINST UNFAIR CHARGES |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 64.301. BILLING DURING SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS |
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| 25 | 25 | | (a) A telecommunications service provider shall not bill a |
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| 26 | 26 | | customer for services during periods when service to the customer |
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| 27 | 27 | | has been interrupted as a result of any hurricane, ice or snow |
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| 28 | 28 | | storm, flood, or other weather-related event or natural disaster. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) The commission has the authority to enforce this |
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| 30 | 30 | | section, including ordering refunds. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 3. Section 65.102(b), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 32 | 32 | | read as follows: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the |
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| 34 | 34 | | commission has only the authority provided by this section over a |
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| 35 | 35 | | deregulated company that holds a certificate of operating authority |
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| 36 | 36 | | issued under this subchapter. Subject to Subsection (c), the |
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| 37 | 37 | | following provisions apply to a deregulated company and may be |
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| 38 | 38 | | enforced by the commission using the remedies provided by |
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| 39 | 39 | | Subchapter B, Chapter 15, and Subsection (d): |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) Subchapter A, Chapter 15; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (2) Subchapters A, C, and D, Chapter 17, as applicable |
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| 42 | 42 | | to carriers holding a certificate of operating authority; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (3) Sections 52.007, 52.060, and 52.156; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) Sections 54.001, 54.002, 54.003, 54.004, 54.005, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 54.006, 54.008(a), 54.101, 54.102, 54.103, 54.105, 54.151, 54.156, |
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| 46 | 46 | | 54.158, 54.159, 54.255, 54.256, 54.257, 54.259, 54.260, and 54.261; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (5) Sections 55.010, 55.123, 55.133, 55.134, 55.136, |
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| 48 | 48 | | and 55.137; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (6) Chapter 56, except Subchapters F and G; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (7) Chapter 60; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (8) Chapter 62; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (9) Section 64.002, Section 64.053, and Subchapters E, |
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| 53 | 53 | | and F, Chapter 64; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (10) Sections 65.001, 65.002, 65.003, and 65.004, this |
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| 55 | 55 | | subchapter, and Subchapter E of this chapter; and |
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| 56 | 56 | | (11) Chapter 66. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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