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By: Cortez (Senate Sponsor - Gutierrez) |
H.B. No. 3689 |
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(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; |
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May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Water, |
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Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 13, 2021, reported favorably by |
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the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 13, 2021, sent to printer.) |
| Click here to see the committee vote |
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appeal of rates charged for water or sewer service |
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by certain retail public utilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.043(j), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(j) In an appeal under this section, the utility commission |
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shall ensure that every appealed rate is [made, demanded, or |
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received by any retail public utility or by any two or more retail |
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public utilities jointly shall be] just and reasonable. Rates |
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shall not be unreasonably preferential, prejudicial, or |
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discriminatory but shall be sufficient, equitable, and consistent |
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in application to each class of customers. The utility commission |
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shall use a methodology that preserves the financial integrity of |
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the retail public utility. For agreements between municipalities |
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the utility commission shall consider the terms of any wholesale |
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water or sewer service agreement in an appellate rate proceeding. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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