By: Tepper (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 2664

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2023; April 27, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Administration; May 1, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 1, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the disclosure of customer information by government-operated utilities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 182.054, Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 182.054. EXCEPTIONS. This subchapter does not prohibit a government-operated utility from disclosing personal information in a customer's account record to:

(1) an official or employee of the state, a political subdivision of the state, or the United States acting in an official capacity;

(2) an employee of a utility acting in connection with the employee's duties;

(3) a consumer reporting agency;

(4) a contractor or subcontractor approved by and providing services to the utility, the state, a political subdivision of the state, or the United States;

(5) a person for whom the customer has contractually waived confidentiality for personal information; [or]

(6) another entity that provides water, wastewater, sewer, gas, garbage, electricity, or drainage service for compensation;

(7) another entity as necessary to facilitate the transition of customers among retail electric providers under Section 40.053 or to comply with rules, guidelines, and procedures established by an independent organization certified under Section 39.151; or

(8) a retail electric provider, as defined by Section 31.002(17).

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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