81R4024 TRH-D
 
  By: Vo H.B. No. 1519
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the disconnection of electric services to certain
  customers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.1015 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.1015.  SUSPENSION OF DISCONNECTION FOR CERTAIN
  CUSTOMERS. (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Critical care residential customer" means a
  residential electric customer for whom an interruption or
  suspension of electric service will create a dangerous or
  life-threatening condition.
               (2)  "Elderly low-income customer" means a low-income
  customer who is 65 years old or older.
               (3)  "Low-income customer" means an electric customer:
                     (A)  whose household income is not more than 125
  percent of the federal poverty guidelines;
                     (B)  who receives food stamps from the Health and
  Human Services Commission; or
                     (C)  who receives medical assistance from a state
  agency that administers a part of the medical assistance program.
               (4)  "Service provider" means a retail electric
  provider, power generation company, aggregator, or other entity
  that provides retail electric service.
         (b)  During the period beginning July 1 and ending September
  30 of each year a service provider:
               (1)  may not disconnect service or authorize the
  disconnection of service to a critical care residential customer or
  elderly low-income customer who contacts the service provider
  regarding bill payment or in response to a disconnection notice;
               (2)  may not disconnect service or authorize the
  disconnection of service to a low-income customer other than an
  elderly low-income customer if the customer:
                     (A)  contacts the service provider regarding bill
  payment or in response to a disconnection notice; and
                     (B)  enters into a deferred payment plan with the
  service provider for the current month's electric charges and meets
  the terms of any then current deferred payment plan;
               (3)  shall request reconnection of service or reconnect
  service to a critical care residential customer or an elderly
  low-income customer whose service is disconnected before or during
  the period if:
                     (A)  the customer contacts the service provider
  regarding bill payment or in response to a disconnection notice; or
                     (B)  the service provider has previously been
  notified that the customer is a critical care residential customer;
               (4)  shall request reconnection of service or reconnect
  service to a low-income customer whose service is disconnected
  before or during the period if the customer enters into a deferred
  payment plan with the service provider; and
               (5)  shall rescind a request for disconnection of
  service to a critical care residential customer, elderly low-income
  customer, or low-income customer made before the period begins if
  the service provider is prohibited under this subsection from
  disconnecting or authorizing the disconnection of the customer's
  service during the period.
         (c)  A service provider may not disconnect service or
  authorize the disconnection of a critical care residential
  customer's service during the period provided by Subsection (b)
  regardless of whether the customer contacts the service provider as
  provided by Subsection (b) if the service provider has previously
  been notified that the customer is a critical care residential
  customer.
         (d)  A service provider shall allow a critical care
  residential customer, elderly low-income customer, or low-income
  customer to establish with the provider a deferred payment plan in
  person or by telephone. The service provider shall confirm the
  payment plan with the customer in writing. The deferred payment
  plan may not include a penalty for late payments accrued during the
  period provided by Subsection (b). The service provider shall
  allow a critical care residential customer, elderly low-income
  customer, or low-income customer to renegotiate the terms of the
  deferred payment plan at least one time, regardless of whether the
  customer's economic or financial circumstances have changed. For a
  low-income customer other than an elderly low-income customer,
  during the period provided by Subsection (b), the payment plan may
  require the payment of not more than 25 percent of the then current
  month's charges plus any due installments of a previous deferred
  payment plan. For a low-income customer other than an elderly
  low-income customer, the service provider is not required to extend
  a deferred payment plan entered into under this subsection beyond
  the March billing cycle following the period provided by Subsection
  (b).
         (e)  A deferred payment plan established under Subsection
  (d) for one or more electric bills that come due during the period
  provided by Subsection (b) must provide:
               (1)  for a critical care residential customer or
  elderly low-income customer, that the customer is not required to
  pay more than 25 percent of the deferred electric bills as part of
  the first electric bill issued after the end of the period and that
  the remaining balance is to be paid in equal installments over the
  next five billing cycles, unless the customer requests a lesser
  number of installments; and
               (2)  for a low-income customer other than an elderly
  low-income customer, that the customer is required to pay not more
  than 25 percent of the deferred bills to initiate the agreement and
  that the remaining balance is to be paid in equal installments over
  the next five billing cycles, unless the customer requests a lesser
  number of installments.
         (f)  A service provider may pursue disconnection of electric
  service for a critical care residential customer or an elderly
  low-income customer only after the period provided by Subsection
  (b) and only if the customer does not meet the terms of the deferred
  payment plan, unless the disconnection is otherwise prohibited. A
  service provider may pursue disconnection of service for a
  low-income customer other than an elderly low-income customer if
  the customer does not meet the terms of the deferred payment plan,
  unless the disconnection is otherwise prohibited. The service
  provider shall give the customer appropriate notice that the
  customer has not met the terms of the plan before the service
  provider disconnects or authorizes the disconnection of service.
         (g)  A service provider may encourage a critical care
  residential customer or elderly low-income customer to make partial
  payment of a deferred electric bill during the period provided by
  Subsection (b), but the service provider shall clearly inform the
  customer that the customer may not be disconnected for nonpayment
  before October 1 following the period provided by Subsection (b).
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2009, 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 effect on that
  date, this Act takes effect September 30, 2009.