By Kitchen, Merritt, Turner of Harris, H.B. No. 2806 77R12763 CBH-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to disconnection of natural gas service. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 104, Utilities Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 104.258 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 104.258. DISCONNECTION OF GAS SERVICE. (a) In this 1-7 section: 1-8 (1) "Extreme weather emergency" means a period during 1-9 which the previous day's highest temperature did not exceed 32 1-10 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to remain at or 1-11 below that level for the next 24 hours according to the nearest 1-12 National Weather Service reports. 1-13 (2) "Provider" means: 1-14 (A) a gas utility, as defined by Sections 1-15 101.003 and 121.001; and 1-16 (B) an owner, operator, or manager of a mobile 1-17 home park or apartment who purchases natural gas through a master 1-18 meter for delivery to a dwelling unit in a mobile home park or 1-19 apartment house under Chapter 124. 1-20 (b) A provider may not disconnect natural gas service to a 1-21 residential customer on a weekend day unless personnel of the 1-22 provider are available on that day to take payments and reconnect 1-23 service. 1-24 (c) A provider may not disconnect natural gas service to a 1-25 residential customer during an extreme weather emergency. The 2-1 provider shall defer collection of the full payment of bills that 2-2 are due during an extreme weather emergency until after the 2-3 emergency is over and shall work with customers to establish a pay 2-4 schedule for deferred bills. 2-5 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-6 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-7 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-8 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-9 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.