By: Smithee H.B. No. 1026
73R1354 JJT-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to water submetering of newly constructed apartments,
1-3 condominium projects, mobile home parks, and multiple use
1-4 facilities.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 13.502, Water Code, is amended to read as
1-7 follows:
1-8 Sec. 13.502. WATER SUBMETERING. (a) An apartment house
1-9 owner, mobile home park owner, multiple use facility owner, <or>
1-10 condominium manager, or property owners association may provide
1-11 for submetering of each dwelling unit or rental unit for the
1-12 measurement of the quantity of water, if any, consumed by the
1-13 occupants of that unit.
1-14 (b) If the date of electrical service for initial
1-15 construction of an apartment house, mobile home park, multiple use
1-16 facility, or condominium project is on or after January 1, 1994,
1-17 the construction shall provide for individual water metering,
1-18 submetering, or plumbing designed for future submetering by the
1-19 owner of each unit for the measurement of the quantity of water
1-20 consumed by the occupants of that unit.
1-21 (c) A municipality, including a home-rule municipality, may
1-22 not issue a permit, certificate, or other authorization for the
1-23 construction or occupancy of a new apartment house, mobile home
1-24 park, multiple use facility, or condominium project unless the
2-1 construction plans comply with the requirements of this section.
2-2 (d) An apartment house owner, mobile home park owner,
2-3 multiple use facility owner, condominium manager, or property
2-4 owners association may not be required to install individual
2-5 meters, submeters, or plumbing designed for future submetering if
2-6 the date for electrical service for initial construction of the
2-7 apartment house, mobile home park, multiple use facility, or
2-8 condominium unit is before January 1, 1994.
2-9 SECTION 2. Section 13.504, Water Code, is amended to read as
2-10 follows:
2-11 Sec. 13.504. Improper Rental Rate Increase. If, during the
2-12 90-day period preceding the installation of individual meters or
2-13 submeters, an owner, operator, or manager of an apartment house,
2-14 mobile home park, condominium project, or other multiple use
2-15 facility has increased rental rates and the increase is
2-16 attributable to increased costs of utilities, the owner, operator,
2-17 or manager shall immediately reduce the rental rate by the amount
2-18 of the increase and refund all of the increase that has previously
2-19 been collected within the 90-day period.
2-20 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-21 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.