BILL ANALYSIS
By: Staples
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current Texas law, certain provisions of Chapter 13 (Water Rates and Services), Water Code, do not apply to a public utility that provided utility service in only 24 counties on January 1, 2003. The provisions in effect before September 1, 2001, apply to this particular utility. Currently, one utility is exempt from the various business and rate provisions outlined in Chapter 13.
S.B. 1063 requires all investor owned utilities operating in Texas to adhere to a single regulatory scheme, with exception to the application of a single tariff system. One IOU would be allowed to continue collecting a universal rate while all other utilities would be required to establish regional rates. This rate system is consistent with current law.
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. Amends Section 10.08(a), Chapter 966, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, by providing that the changes in law made by this article to Chapter 13 (Water Rates and Services), Water Code, apply to a proceeding in which the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has not issued a final order before September 1, 2001. Deletes text referring to the previous effective date of the final order and the counties that are affected by those changes.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 13.145, Water Code, to provide that this section does not apply to a public utility that provided utility service in only 24 counties on January 1, 2003.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2005.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.