Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4557 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Anchia H.B. No. 4557
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to customer disclaimers by billing utilities and the
7	7	creation of a statewide alert system.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 17.152, Utilities Code, is amended by
10	10	adding Subdivision (3) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
11	11	follows:
12	12	(c) A billing utility may not:
13	13	(1) disconnect or terminate telecommunications or
14	14	electric service to any customer for nonpayment of an unauthorized
15	15	charge; [or]
16	16	(2) file an unfavorable credit report against a
17	17	customer who has not paid charges the customer has alleged were
18	18	unauthorized unless the dispute regarding the unauthorized charge
19	19	is ultimately resolved against the customer, except that the
20	20	customer shall remain obligated to pay any charges that are not in
21	21	dispute, and this subsection does not apply to those undisputed
22	22	charges[.]; or
23	23	(3) charge a customer's telephone or retail electric
24	24	bill a fee for any amount directly or indirectly related to a power
25	25	outage due to a mechanical failure incurred by the billing utility.
26	26	(d) If a customer's telephone or retail electric bill is
27	27	charged a fee for any amount directly or indirectly related to a
28	28	power outage, the billing utility must provide the customer written
29	29	notice of such charge. A notice under this subsection must be:
30	30	(1) referred to as "BLACKOUT FEES";
31	31	(2) printed on the first page of the customer's bill;
32	32	and
33	33	(3) in type that is at least 10-point font, boldfaced,
34	34	capitalized, underlined, and otherwise set out from surrounding
35	35	written material so as to be conspicuous with other information on
36	36	the customer's bill.
37	37	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
38	38	amended by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
39	39	SUBCHAPTER J. STATEWIDE DISASTER ALERT SYSTEM
40	40	Sec. 418.302. ESTABLISHMENT OF ALERT SYSTEM. (a) The
41	41	division, with the cooperation of the office of the governor, the
42	42	commission, and ERCOT, shall develop and implement a statewide
43	43	disaster alert system to activate in the event of a disaster
44	44	affecting any location in this state.
45	45	Sec. 418.303. ACTIVATION OF ALERT SYSTEM. (a) When the
46	46	division determines a disaster has occurred or the occurrence or
47	47	threat of disaster is imminent or is notified of a declaration of
48	48	disaster under this chapter, the division shall immediately
49	49	activate any alert system implemented under this subchapter. A
50	50	participating local governmental entity shall, in coordination
51	51	with the division, choose the manner in which the alert system is
52	52	activated and notifications are issued within the entity's
53	53	geographic region.
54	54	(b) The division, or local governmental entity, as
55	55	appropriate, may issue updated notifications for the duration of
56	56	the disaster.
57	57	Sec. 418.306. RULES. (a) The division may adopt rules
58	58	necessary to implement this subchapter. (b) The division may
59	59	consult with the commission, ERCOT, or an electric utility when
60	60	drafting the rules required by subsection (a).
61	61	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.