Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4592 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R11797 RDS/DIO-D
2	2	By: Guerra H.B. No. 4592
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to employment and other assistance for certain unemployed
8	8	individuals owing payment to certain utilities.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 302.00351 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 302.00351. EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
13	13	UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS OWING PAYMENT FOR UTILITY SERVICES. (a)
14	14	The commission shall establish and administer a program under which
15	15	the commission provides employment assistance services, including
16	16	skills training, job placement, and employment-related services,
17	17	to an unemployed individual who:
18	18	(1) is receiving unemployment benefits under Subtitle
19	19	A; and
20	20	(2) has accrued unpaid bills for electric, gas, or
21	21	water utility services.
22	22	(b) An unemployed individual enrolled in the program is
23	23	entitled to receive service under Section 39.101(i), 104.258(d), or
24	24	141.004(c), Utilities Code, or Section 13.152, Water Code.
25	25	(c) The commission, in consultation with the Public Utility
26	26	Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, and
27	27	providers of services to which Sections 39.101(i), 104.258(d), and
28	28	141.004(c), Utilities Code, and Section 13.152, Water Code, apply
29	29	shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of this
30	30	section.
31	31	SECTION 2. Section 39.101, Utilities Code, is amended by
32	32	adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:
33	33	(i) A retail electric provider, power generation company,
34	34	aggregator, or other entity that provides retail electric service:
35	35	(1) shall provide each residential customer with
36	36	information about the employment assistance program described by
37	37	Section 302.00351, Labor Code, and, on request by the customer, a
38	38	grace period of at least 14 days to allow the customer to enroll in
39	39	the program, before disconnecting the customer's service for
40	40	nonpayment; and
41	41	(2) for a period of 90 days, for a residential customer
42	42	enrolled in the program described by Section 302.00351, Labor Code:
43	43	(A) may not disconnect service or impose late
44	44	fees; and
45	45	(B) shall defer collection of the full payment of
46	46	bills that are due during that period.
47	47	SECTION 3. Section 104.258, Utilities Code, is amended by
48	48	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
49	49	(d) A provider:
50	50	(1) shall provide each residential customer with
51	51	information about the employment assistance program described by
52	52	Section 302.00351, Labor Code, and, on request by the customer, a
53	53	grace period of at least 14 days to allow the customer to enroll in
54	54	the program, before disconnecting the customer's natural gas
55	55	service for nonpayment; and
56	56	(2) for a period of 90 days, for a residential customer
57	57	enrolled in the program described by Section 302.00351, Labor Code:
58	58	(A) may not disconnect natural gas service or
59	59	impose late fees; and
60	60	(B) shall defer collection of the full payment of
61	61	bills that are due during that period.
62	62	SECTION 4. Section 141.004, Utilities Code, is amended by
63	63	adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
64	64	(c) A distribution system retailer:
65	65	(1) shall provide each residential customer with
66	66	information about the employment assistance program described by
67	67	Section 302.00351, Labor Code, and, on request by the customer, a
68	68	grace period of at least 14 days to allow the customer to enroll in
69	69	the program, before disconnecting the customer's propane gas
70	70	service for nonpayment; and
71	71	(2) for a period of 90 days, for a residential customer
72	72	enrolled in the program described by Section 302.00351, Labor Code:
73	73	(A) may not disconnect propane gas service or
74	74	impose late fees; and
75	75	(B) shall defer collection of the full payment of
76	76	bills that are due during that period.
77	77	SECTION 5. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
78	78	by adding Section 13.152 to read as follows:
79	79	Sec. 13.152. SERVICES PROVIDED TO CUSTOMER ENROLLED IN
80	80	EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. A retail public utility that is
81	81	required to possess a certificate of public convenience and
82	82	necessity or a district or affected county that furnishes retail
83	83	water or sewer utility service:
84	84	(1) shall provide each residential customer with
85	85	information about the employment assistance program described by
86	86	Section 302.00351, Labor Code, and, on request by the customer, a
87	87	grace period of at least 14 days to allow the customer to enroll in
88	88	the program, before disconnecting the customer's service for
89	89	nonpayment; and
90	90	(2) for a period of 90 days, for a residential customer
91	91	enrolled in the program described by Section 302.00351, Labor Code:
92	92	(A) may not disconnect service or impose late
93	93	fees; and
94	94	(B) shall defer collection of the full payment of
95	95	bills that are due during that period.
96	96	SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date
97	97	of this Act, the Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt the rules
98	98	required by Section 302.00351(c), Labor Code, as added by this Act.
99	99	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.