BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 2558 |
By: Isaac |
Energy Resources |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Interested parties note that currently certain propane gas providers can bill a customer for a period longer than the number of days in a month. The parties contend that this may provide for the allowable markup and allowable spot price averages to increase, resulting in higher rates to be paid by customers. C.S.H.B. 2558 seeks to address this issue.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2558 amends the Utilities Code to prohibit the bill of a retail customer of propane gas purchased from and delivered by a distribution system retailer through a propane gas system from including charges for a period of more than 32 days for a billing month in which the majority of days in the billing month occur in December, January, or February or for a period of more than 31 days for a billing month in which the majority of days in the billing month occur in any other month. The bill authorizes a billing month in which the majority of days occur in December, January, or February and during which an extreme condition occurs or continues on or after the 29th day to be extended by the number of days the extreme condition occurs. The bill specifies that extreme conditions include iced, flooded, closed, or otherwise impassable roads in the county in which the customer resides; a natural disaster, including an earthquake, a hurricane, a tornado, or winds of more than 60 miles per hour; and civil disruption, including war, riot, or labor disruption or stoppage.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2015.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 2558 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
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