By: Cortez (Senate Sponsor - Gutierrez) H.B. No. 3689
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 13, 2021, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 13, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the appeal of rates charged for water or sewer service
by certain retail public utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 13.043(j), Water Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(j) In an appeal under this section, the utility commission
shall ensure that every appealed rate is [made, demanded, or
received by any retail public utility or by any two or more retail
public utilities jointly shall be] just and reasonable. Rates
shall not be unreasonably preferential, prejudicial, or
discriminatory but shall be sufficient, equitable, and consistent
in application to each class of customers. The utility commission
shall use a methodology that preserves the financial integrity of
the retail public utility. For agreements between municipalities
the utility commission shall consider the terms of any wholesale
water or sewer service agreement in an appellate rate proceeding.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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