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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grace period from the statement issue date for payment |
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of services to gas utilities and municipally owned utilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 104, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 104.259 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 104.259. PERIOD FOR PAYMENT OF GAS SERVICES. (a) A |
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gas utility or municipally owned utility providing service to a |
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retail customer may not disconnect service or pursue any other |
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collections options for nonpayment of a balance due before the 30th |
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day after the date on which the statement is issued. |
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(b) To the extent of any conflict between this section and |
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other law, including Subchapter A, Chapter 182, this section |
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controls. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act does not |
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affect the rights of a gas utility or municipally owned utility to |
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disconnect service or pursue another collections option in a manner |
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provided by a contract with a retail customer that was entered into |
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or renewed before the effective date of this Act. The rights of a |
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gas utility or municipally owned utility under a contract for gas |
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services entered into or renewed before the effective date of this |
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Act are governed by the law as it existed on the date the contract |
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was entered into or renewed, and that law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |