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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to bill payment assistance for certain utility bills after |
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a disaster. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.9031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.9031. DISASTER BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) The |
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comptroller shall establish a program to provide bill payment |
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assistance using state money appropriated for that purpose to |
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retail customers of municipally owned utilities, electric |
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cooperatives, and retail electric providers in the ERCOT power |
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region. |
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(b) The program must: |
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(1) provide assistance only for unusually high bills |
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for services provided after February 13, 2021, and before February |
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19, 2021; |
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(2) establish criteria for determining whether a bill |
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is unusually high; |
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(3) allow a customer to apply for assistance to the |
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municipally owned utility, electric cooperative, or retail |
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electric provider that served the customer during the time period |
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in Subdivision (1); and |
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(4) require a municipally owned utility, electric |
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cooperative, or retail electric provider that receives an |
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application under Subdivision (3) to: |
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(A) submit the application to the comptroller; |
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and |
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(B) provide to the customer any assistance sent |
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by the comptroller to the utility, cooperative, or provider in |
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response to the application. |
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(c) The comptroller shall consult with the commission when |
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adopting any rules needed to implement this section. |
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(d) The commission may enforce a rule adopted by the |
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comptroller to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |