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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to protection for residential electric customers from |
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disconnection of retail electric service in certain weather |
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conditions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.101(h), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) A retail electric provider, power generation company, |
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aggregator, or other entity that provides retail electric service |
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may not disconnect service to a residential customer during an |
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extreme weather emergency or on a weekend day. The entity providing |
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service shall defer collection of the full payment of bills that are |
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due during an extreme weather emergency until after the emergency |
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is over and shall work with customers to establish a pay schedule |
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for deferred bills. For purposes of this subsection, "extreme |
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weather emergency" means a period when: |
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(1) the previous day's highest temperature did not |
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exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to |
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remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours according to the |
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nearest National Weather Service reports; [or] |
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(2) the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit and |
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the temperature is predicted to remain at or above that level for |
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the next 24 hours according to the nearest National Weather Service |
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reports; or |
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(3) the National Weather Service issues a heat |
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advisory for any county in the relevant service territory, or when |
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such an advisory has been issued on any one of the previous two |
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calendar days. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |