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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notice to a customer or tenant required after an |
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intentional shutoff of electric and water service. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 91, Property Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 91.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 91.007. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR EMERGENCY UTILITY SHUTOFF. |
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Not later than four hours after a landlord receives a notice under |
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Section 17.011, Utilities Code, or Section 13.1397, Water Code, for |
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the emergency shutoff of electric power or water for a dwelling or |
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commercial building leased to a tenant, the landlord shall notify |
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the tenant of the shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must |
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include: |
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(1) the estimated time and date that the electric |
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power or water will be restored to the dwelling or building; and |
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(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage if |
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the shutoff is for electric power. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 17.011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 17.011. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL OUTAGES. Not |
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later than three hours after an electric utility, municipally owned |
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utility, or electric cooperative intentionally shuts off electric |
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power to a customer in response to an emergency event, the utility |
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or cooperative shall notify the customer of the shutoff by e-mail or |
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text message. The notice must include the following information: |
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(1) the estimated time and date that the utility or |
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cooperative will restore electric power to the customer; and |
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(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 13.1397 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.1397. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL SHUTOFF OF |
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SERVICE. Not later than three hours after a retail public utility |
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intentionally shuts off water service to a customer in response to |
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an emergency event, the utility shall notify the customer of the |
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shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must include the |
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estimated time and date that the utility will restore water service |
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to the customer. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |