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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notice of expiration and price change in retail |
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electric service contracts. |
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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 39.112 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.112. NOTICE OF EXPIRATION AND PRICE CHANGE. (a) In |
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this section, "fixed price contract" means a residential retail |
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electric service contract for which the price per kilowatt hour is |
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stated in the contract and does not change throughout the term of |
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the contract. The term does not include month-to-month service. |
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(b) A retail electric provider shall provide a residential |
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customer who has a fixed price contract with written notification |
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of the date the fixed price contract is scheduled to expire, the |
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date the price is scheduled to change, if applicable, and the amount |
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of the price change. The notice must: |
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(1) be sent to the customer's billing address by mail |
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postmarked not less than 60 days before the date the price is |
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scheduled to change; |
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(2) be sent to the customer's e-mail address, if |
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available to the provider, not less than 60 days before the date the |
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price is scheduled to change; and |
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(3) include a statement that reads: "You may shop for |
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electricity providers at http://www.powertochoose.org." |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a contract for retail electric service entered into or renewed on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. A contract for retail |
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electric service entered into or renewed before the effective date |
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of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before |
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the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |