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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prohibition of recovering attorney's fees and costs |
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from natural gas utility customers in certain rate proceedings. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 104.0585 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 104.0585. PROHIBITION OF RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY'S FEES; |
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COSTS. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a court |
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or a regulatory authority may not award to a party the right to |
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recover from a gas utility customer, or otherwise include for |
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ratemaking purposes, the party's attorney's fees or other costs |
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incurred in a proceeding that establishes rates for the provision |
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of natural gas services to any customer or class of customers. |
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SECTION 2. Section 104.0585, Utilities Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a proceeding initiated on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A proceeding initiated before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect |
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immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |