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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirement that retail electric providers give |
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notice to customers before permanently ceasing to operate. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.110 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.110. CUSTOMER NOTICE ON CESSATION OF OPERATION. |
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(a) A retail electric provider shall notify its customers not less |
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than 30 days before the retail electric provider permanently ceases |
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to operate. Notice under this section must: |
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(1) be made by mail and electronic mail; and |
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(2) inform the customer that failure to select a new |
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retail electric provider before the customer's current provider |
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ceases to operate will result in a transfer of the customer's |
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electric service to a provider of last resort. |
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(b) The independent organization certified under Section |
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39.151 shall collect from each retail electric provider a list of |
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the provider's customers and customer contact information and |
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organize the information into a database. A retail electric |
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provider shall update its customer contact list with the |
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independent organization quarterly. The database shall include |
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each customer's: |
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(1) name; |
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(2) mailing address; |
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(3) electronic mail address; and |
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(4) telephone number. |
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(c) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The changes in law made by Section 39.110(a), |
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Utilities Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a retail |
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electric provider whose last day of operation is on or after October |
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1, 2009. A retail electric provider whose last day of operation is |
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before October 1, 2009, is subject to the law in effect on that |
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date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) Not later than February 1, 2010, the Electric |
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Reliability Council of Texas shall create the customer contact |
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information list database required by Section 39.110, Utilities |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |