By King                                         H.B. No. 2595

      75R8413 DWS-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to notice of service connections provided by certain

 1-3     utilities.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 366, Health and Safety

 1-6     Code, is amended by adding Section 366.005 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 366.005.  NOTICE OF UTILITY SERVICE CONNECTIONS.  (a)

 1-8     An electric utility shall compile a list weekly for each county in

 1-9     this state of the addresses located in an unincorporated area of

1-10     the county at which the electric utility has made new electric

1-11     service connections during the preceding week.  The electric

1-12     utility shall submit the list to the county judge of the county who

1-13     shall forward the list to each authorized agent having jurisdiction

1-14     over an area in which an address on the list is included.  This

1-15     section does not apply to a reconnection of service to a location

1-16     previously served.

1-17           (b)  An electric utility may not be held liable for a claim

1-18     arising from the provision of information under this section.

1-19           (c)  Information provided by a utility under this section is

1-20     confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,

1-21     Government Code, or otherwise, except as provided by this section.

1-22           (d)  In this section, "electric utility" means an

1-23     investor-owned utility, electric cooperative corporation, river

1-24     authority, or municipally owned utility that provides distribution

 2-1     service to retail customers of electricity.

 2-2           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.