By: Metcalf (Senate Sponsor - Springer) H.B. No. 1484
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 19, 2021;
  May 6, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
  Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 13, 2021, reported favorably by
  the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 13, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to rates applied to certain water or sewer systems after a
  sale or purchase of the system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
  by adding Section 13.3011 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.3011.  INITIAL RATES FOR CERTAIN WATER OR SEWER
  SYSTEMS AFTER PURCHASE OR ACQUISITION. (a) A person who files an
  application described by Section 13.301(a) for the purchase or
  acquisition of a water or sewer system may request that the
  regulatory authority with original jurisdiction over the rates for
  water or sewer service provided by the person to the customers of
  the system authorize the person to charge initial rates for the
  service that are:
               (1)  shown in a tariff filed with a regulatory
  authority by the person for another water or sewer system; and
               (2)  in force for the other water or sewer system on the
  date the application described by Section 13.301(a) is filed.
         (b)  The regulatory authority may not require a person who
  makes a request under Subsection (a) to initiate a new rate
  proceeding to establish the initial rates for service the person
  will provide to the customers of the purchased or acquired system.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a purchase or acquisition of a water or sewer system the
  application for which is filed under Section 13.301(a), Water Code,
  on or after the effective date of this Act. A purchase or
  acquisition of a water or sewer system the application for which is
  filed under Section 13.301(a), Water Code, before the effective
  date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
  application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for
  that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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