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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain billing practices by businesses in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Business & Commerce Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 74 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 74. BILLING PRACTICES |
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Sec. 74.001. NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR PAPER INVOICE. (a) A |
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business in this state: |
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(1) must include within its basic fee for goods or |
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services purchased by a customer any cost associated with providing |
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the customer a paper invoice or similar document for the goods or |
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services; and |
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(2) may not impose an extra charge for the service of |
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providing its customer a paper invoice or similar document for the |
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goods or services. |
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(b) Subsection (a) applies to the provision of a paper |
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invoice or similar document to a customer without regard to how the |
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invoice or document is physically delivered to the customer, |
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including by mail. |
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(c) This section does not apply to billing for goods or |
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services purchased by a customer through the Internet. |
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Sec. 74.002. DISCOUNT FOR PAPERLESS BILLING. Section |
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74.001 does not prevent a business from offering a discount to a |
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customer who agrees: |
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(1) not to receive a paper invoice or similar document |
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for goods or services purchased by the customer; and |
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(2) to receive the invoice or similar document in an |
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electronic form over the Internet. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a charge for a bill that |
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is issued on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |