87R11230 JXC-D
By: Larson H.B. No. 3543
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to bill payment assistance for certain utility bills after
a disaster.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
amended by adding Section 39.9031 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.9031. DISASTER BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) The
comptroller shall establish a program to provide bill payment
assistance using state money appropriated for that purpose to
retail customers of municipally owned utilities, electric
cooperatives, and retail electric providers in the ERCOT power
region.
(b) The program must:
(1) provide assistance only for unusually high bills
for services provided after February 13, 2021, and before February
19, 2021;
(2) establish criteria for determining whether a bill
is unusually high;
(3) allow a customer to apply for assistance to the
municipally owned utility, electric cooperative, or retail
electric provider that served the customer during the time period
in Subdivision (1); and
(4) require a municipally owned utility, electric
cooperative, or retail electric provider that receives an
application under Subdivision (3) to:
(A) submit the application to the comptroller;
and
(B) provide to the customer any assistance sent
by the comptroller to the utility, cooperative, or provider in
response to the application.
(c) The comptroller shall consult with the commission when
adopting any rules needed to implement this section.
(d) The commission may enforce a rule adopted by the
comptroller to implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.