87R11991 BRG/NC-D
By: Lopez H.B. No. 3639
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to notice to a customer or tenant required after an
intentional shutoff of electric and water service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 91, Property Code, is amended by adding
Section 91.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 91.007. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR EMERGENCY UTILITY SHUTOFF.
Not later than four hours after a landlord receives a notice under
Section 17.011, Utilities Code, or Section 13.1397, Water Code, for
the emergency shutoff of electric power or water for a dwelling or
commercial building leased to a tenant, the landlord shall notify
the tenant of the shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must
include:
(1) the estimated time and date that the electric
power or water will be restored to the dwelling or building; and
(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage if
the shutoff is for electric power.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is
amended by adding Section 17.011 to read as follows:
Sec. 17.011. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL OUTAGES. Not
later than three hours after an electric utility, municipally owned
utility, or electric cooperative intentionally shuts off electric
power to a customer in response to an emergency event, the utility
or cooperative shall notify the customer of the shutoff by e-mail or
text message. The notice must include the following information:
(1) the estimated time and date that the utility or
cooperative will restore electric power to the customer; and
(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage.
SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
by adding Section 13.1397 to read as follows:
Sec. 13.1397. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL SHUTOFF OF
SERVICE. Not later than three hours after a retail public utility
intentionally shuts off water service to a customer in response to
an emergency event, the utility shall notify the customer of the
shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must include the
estimated time and date that the utility will restore water service
to the customer.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.