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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of onetime cash payments to certain |
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electric customers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Emergency |
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Refund Act. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.918. EMERGENCY REFUNDS. (a) The commission shall |
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establish a program to provide onetime cash payments from state |
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funds appropriated for that purpose to retail customers of |
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municipally owned utilities, electric cooperatives, and retail |
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electric providers in the ERCOT power region. |
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(b) The program must provide a payment of: |
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(1) $250 for each residential retail account; and |
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(2) $250 for each commercial retail account. |
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(c) Not later than October 1, 2021, each municipally owned |
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utility, electric cooperative, and retail electric provider shall |
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provide to the commission a list of each retail account served by |
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the utility, cooperative, or provider after February 13, 2021, and |
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before February 19, 2021. |
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(d) Not later than December 1, 2021, the commission shall |
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provide to each municipally owned utility, electric cooperative, |
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and retail electric provider the amount of money required to |
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provide to each retail account listed by the utility, cooperative, |
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or provider under Subsection (c) the appropriate payment under |
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Subsection (b). |
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(e) Not later than the 14th day after the date a municipally |
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owned utility, electric cooperative, or retail electric provider |
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receives money from the commission under Subsection (d), the |
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utility, cooperative, or provider shall: |
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(1) credit each retail account with the appropriate |
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amount under Subsection (b); and |
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(2) for accounts that were closed after February 19, |
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2021: |
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(A) send a payment in the appropriate amount |
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under Subsection (b) to the former account holder; or |
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(B) if the utility, cooperative, or provider |
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cannot contact the former account holder, return that account's |
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payment to the commission. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |