| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1597 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to tariff filing requirements for certain |
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| 6 | 6 | | telecommunications providers. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 52.251, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 9 | | adding Subsections (a-1), (c), and (d) and amending Subsection (b) |
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| 10 | 10 | | to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (a-1) An affiliate or trade association may file the tariff |
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| 12 | 12 | | required under Subsection (a) on behalf of the public utility. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (b) The public utility, affiliate, or trade association |
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| 14 | 14 | | shall file as a part of the tariff required under Subsection (a) |
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| 15 | 15 | | each rule that relates to or affects: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) a rate of the utility; or |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) a utility service, product, or commodity furnished |
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| 18 | 18 | | by the utility. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) The tariff filing is considered approved if the |
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| 20 | 20 | | commission does not approve or deny the tariff filing or request |
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| 21 | 21 | | supplemental information from the public utility, affiliate, or |
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| 22 | 22 | | trade association that filed the tariff before the 60th day after |
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| 23 | 23 | | receiving the tariff filing. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (d) If the commission requests supplemental information |
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| 25 | 25 | | from the public utility, affiliate, or trade association under |
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| 26 | 26 | | Subsection (c), the utility, affiliate, or association must provide |
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| 27 | 27 | | the commission with the supplemental information not later than the |
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| 28 | 28 | | 15th day after receiving the request from the commission. If the |
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| 29 | 29 | | commission does not approve or deny the tariff filing before the |
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| 30 | 30 | | 30th day after the commission receives the supplemental |
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| 31 | 31 | | information, the tariff filing is considered approved. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 33 | 33 | | a tariff filed under Section 52.251, Utilities Code, as amended by |
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| 34 | 34 | | this Act, on or after the effective date of this Act. A tariff filed |
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| 35 | 35 | | before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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| 36 | 36 | | effect on the date the tariff was filed, and the former law is |
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| 37 | 37 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 41 | 41 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1597 was passed by the House on April |
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| 42 | 42 | | 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 9, 2 present, not |
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| 43 | 43 | | voting. |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 46 | 46 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1597 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 47 | 47 | | 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 50 | 50 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Date |
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| 52 | 52 | | _____________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Governor |
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