Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 1772	House Author:  Turner, Chris et al.
Effective:  1-1-14	Senate Sponsor:  Davis et al.

            House Bill 1772 amends the Property Code to require a customer responsible for bills received for electric or gas utility service provided to nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property to provide written notice of a service disconnection to each tenant or owner at the property after receiving a service disconnection notice from an electric service provider or gas utility. The bill sets out notice requirements. If the property is located in a municipality, the customer must provide the same notice to the municipality's governing body, and the governing body may subsequently provide additional notice to the property's tenants and owners. However, these notices are not required if the customer avoids disconnection by paying the bill.                                                 

            House Bill 1772 amends the Utilities Code to require a retail electric provider or vertically integrated electric utility in an area where customer choice has not been introduced and a gas utility to send a written service disconnection notice to a municipality before the provider or utility disconnects service to a nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property in the municipality for nonpayment. However, a municipally owned utility, an electric cooperative, and a gas utility owned by an electric cooperative are excluded from this notice requirement. These customer safeguards are in addition to safeguards provided by other law or agency rules, and a municipality, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas may adopt safeguards exceeding those provided by the bill.