BILL ANALYSIS
By: Leibowitz
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Water service is a basic resource for a family's everyday life. Some water utilities make it difficult to pay bills in person and are disconnecting customers for small unpaid balances and using the fees associated with reestablishing water service as a means of revenue generation. For a water utility created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution that includes a portion of the San Antonio River watershed and is located in a county with a population of more than one million, this bill would require a water utility to maintain regular office hours for payment. It would also prevent this water utility from disconnecting service until 31 days after notifying a customer of an overdue payment and limits the reconnection fee to $25 or twice the amount late payment owed, whichever is less.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. For a water utility created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution that includes a portion of the San Antonio River watershed and is located in a county with a population of more than one million, this bill requires that water utility to have a business location that receives payments to be open at a minimum of 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, excluding national and state holidays.
SECTION 2. For a water utility created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution that includes a portion of the San Antonio River watershed and is located in a county with a population of more than one million, this bill says this water utility may not disconnect service until 31 days after notifying a customer of an overdue payment and limits the reconnection fee to $25 or twice the amount of late payment owed, whichever is less.
SECTION 3. Effective Date is September 1, 2005.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
This substitute bill changes the original bill by applying its provisions only to a water utility created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution that includes a portion of the San Antonio River watershed and is located in a county with a population of more than one million.