1-1     By:  Kitchen, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Barrientos)    H.B. No. 2806
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001;
 1-3     May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
 1-4     Resources; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to disconnection of natural gas service.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 104, Utilities Code, is
1-11     amended by adding Section 104.258 to read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 104.258.  DISCONNECTION OF GAS SERVICE. (a)  In this
1-13     section:
1-14                 (1)  "Extreme weather emergency" means a period during
1-15     which the previous day's highest temperature did not exceed 32
1-16     degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to remain at or
1-17     below that level for the next 24 hours according to the nearest
1-18     National Weather Service reports.
1-19                 (2)  "Provider" means:
1-20                       (A)  a gas utility, as defined by Sections
1-21     101.003 and 121.001; and
1-22                       (B)  an owner, operator, or manager of a mobile
1-23     home park or apartment who purchases natural gas through a master
1-24     meter for delivery to a dwelling unit in a mobile home park or
1-25     apartment house under Chapter 124.
1-26           (b)  A provider may not disconnect natural gas service to a
1-27     residential customer on a weekend day unless personnel of the
1-28     provider are available on that day to take payments and reconnect
1-29     service.
1-30           (c)  A provider may not disconnect natural gas service to a
1-31     residential customer during an extreme weather emergency.  The
1-32     provider shall defer collection of the full payment of bills that
1-33     are due during an extreme weather emergency until after the
1-34     emergency is over and shall work with customers to establish a pay
1-35     schedule for deferred bills.
1-36           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-37     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-38     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-39     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-40     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-41                                  * * * * *