| 1 | 1 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2511 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | Relating to notice and assistance provided to residential electric |
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| 7 | 7 | | customers before electric service is disconnected. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 39.101, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | adding subsection (i) and (j) to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (i) Transmission and distribution utilities and retail |
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| 12 | 12 | | electric providers, aggregators, and any other entity that provides |
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| 13 | 13 | | retail electric service must report to the Public Utility |
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| 14 | 14 | | Commission no less than monthly: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) the amount of customers by zip code who have been |
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| 16 | 16 | | disconnected. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) the amount of customer by zip code who have been |
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| 18 | 18 | | offered assistance as described in Utilities Code 39.101(j). |
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| 19 | 19 | | (j) A retail electric provider, power generation company, |
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| 20 | 20 | | aggregator, or other entity that provides retail electric service |
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| 21 | 21 | | may not disconnect service to a residential customer until they |
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| 22 | 22 | | have: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) offered assistance from federal weatherization |
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| 24 | 24 | | programs, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), |
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| 25 | 25 | | other federal rebates, and any state customer assistance programs |
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| 26 | 26 | | that might apply to the affected customer. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) offered the customer an energy assessment to |
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| 28 | 28 | | determine opportunities for permanent energy reductions and |
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| 29 | 29 | | opportunities to participate in demand response programs for |
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| 30 | 30 | | payment, including programs established in Utilities Code |
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| 31 | 31 | | 39.905(f). |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 33 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 34 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 35 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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