By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1430
 
 
 
   
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to designation of certain customer bill payment assistance
program costs as an expense of operation that is a first lien
against revenue securing certain public securities or obligations.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 1502.056, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
       (a)  If the revenue of a utility system, park, or swimming
pool secures the payment of public securities issued or obligations
incurred under this chapter, each expense of operation and
maintenance, including all salaries, labor, materials, interest,
repairs and extensions necessary to provide efficient service, and
each proper item of expense, is a first lien against that revenue.
For a municipality with a population of more than one million, the
first lien against the revenue of a municipally owned electric or
gas utility system that secures the payment of public securities
issued or obligations incurred under this chapter also applies to
funding, as a necessary operations expense, for a bill payment
assistance program for utility system customers who have been
threatened with disconnection from service for nonpayment of bills
and who have been determined by the municipality to be low-income
customers.
       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2007.