1-1 By: Bailey (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) H.B. No. 1153
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 19, 1993;
1-3 April 19, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Natural Resources; May 4, 1993, reported favorably by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 4, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Sims x
1-9 Truan x
1-10 Armbrister x
1-11 Barrientos x
1-12 Bivins x
1-13 Brown x
1-14 Carriker x
1-15 Lucio x
1-16 Montford x
1-17 Ratliff x
1-18 Shelley x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to the location of certain utility rate hearings.
1-22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-23 SECTION 1. Section 13.187(b), Water Code, is amended to read
1-24 as follows:
1-25 (b) If, within 60 days after the effective date of the rate
1-26 change, the regulatory authority receives a complaint from any
1-27 affected municipality, or from the lesser of 1,000 or 10 percent of
1-28 the ratepayers of the utility over whose rates the regulatory
1-29 authority has original jurisdiction, the regulatory authority shall
1-30 set the matter for hearing. The regulatory authority may set the
1-31 matter for hearing on its own motion at any time within 120 days
1-32 after the effective date of the rate change. If more than half of
1-33 the ratepayers of the utility receive service in a county with a
1-34 population of more than 2.5 million, the hearing must be held at a
1-35 location in that county. The hearing may be informal. If, after
1-36 hearing, the regulatory authority finds the rates currently being
1-37 charged or those proposed to be charged are unreasonable or in
1-38 violation of law, the regulatory authority shall determine the
1-39 rates to be charged by the utility and shall fix the rates by order
1-40 served on the utility.
1-41 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
1-42 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-43 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-44 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-45 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-46 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-47 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-48 * * * * *
1-49 Austin,
1-50 Texas
1-51 May 4, 1993
1-52 Hon. Bob Bullock
1-53 President of the Senate
1-54 Sir:
1-55 We, your Committee on Natural Resources to which was referred H.B.
1-56 No. 1153, have had the same under consideration, and I am
1-57 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
1-58 that it do pass and be printed.
1-59 Sims,
1-60 Chairman
1-61 * * * * *
1-62 WITNESSES
1-63 No witnesses appeared on H.B. No. 1153.