73R4364 DWS-D By Bailey H.B. No. 1153 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the location of certain utility rate hearings. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 13.187(b), Water Code, is amended to read 1-5 as follows: 1-6 (b) If, within 60 days after the effective date of the rate 1-7 change, the regulatory authority receives a complaint from any 1-8 affected municipality, or from the lesser of 1,000 or 10 percent of 1-9 the ratepayers of the utility over whose rates the regulatory 1-10 authority has original jurisdiction, the regulatory authority shall 1-11 set the matter for hearing. The regulatory authority may set the 1-12 matter for hearing on its own motion at any time within 120 days 1-13 after the effective date of the rate change. If more than half of 1-14 the ratepayers of the utility receive service in a county with a 1-15 population of more than 2.5 million, the hearing must be held at a 1-16 location in that county. The hearing may be informal. If, after 1-17 hearing, the regulatory authority finds the rates currently being 1-18 charged or those proposed to be charged are unreasonable or in 1-19 violation of law, the regulatory authority shall determine the 1-20 rates to be charged by the utility and shall fix the rates by order 1-21 served on the utility. 1-22 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-4 passage, and it is so enacted.