SRC-AAA S.B. 254 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 254
By: Barrientos
Economic Development
3-5-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, certain utility customers in Texas have discovered that they
have been overcharged by a utility and have requested that the Public
Utility Commission (PUC) require the utility to pay them a refund for the
amount that the customers were overcharged.  This bill requires a refund
adjustment to be made for the entire period a customer was overcharged.
The PUC is now questioning whether an agency rule requiring full refunds
is necessary.  If this rule is changed, future customers who are owned a
refund may only get a portion or none of the refund that they deserve.
S.B. 254  requires a refund adjustment to be made for the entire period a
customer was overcharged. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 254  requires a  refund adjustment to be made for the
entire period a customer was overcharged. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.01.  Amends Public Utility Regulatory Act of 1995, by adding
Section 1.409, as follows: 

Sec 1.409. REFUNDS.  Requires an adjustment to be made for the entire
period that  a customer was overcharged, if the customer is due a refund. 

SECTION 2.02.  Emergency clause.
      Effective date: upon passage.