Bill Text: TX HB1506 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to authorizing a regulatory authority to establish reduced water and sewer utility rates funded by donations for the benefit of certain low-income customers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-22 - Placed on intent calendar [HB1506 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB1506-Comm_Sub.html
By: Perez, González of Dallas | H.B. No. 1506 | |
(Senate Sponsor - Johnson) | ||
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2019; | ||
April 15, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Water & | ||
Rural Affairs; April 30, 2019, reported favorably by the | ||
following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; April 30, 2019, sent to printer.) | ||
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relating to authorizing a regulatory authority to establish reduced | ||
water and sewer utility rates funded by donations for the benefit of | ||
certain low-income customers. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 13.182, Water Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (b-1) and adding Subsection (b-2) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(b-1) In establishing a utility's rates, the regulatory | ||
authority may authorize the utility to establish reduced water and | ||
sewer rates for a minimal level of service to be provided solely to | ||
a class of [ |
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receive medical assistance under the medical assistance program | ||
established under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, or who receive | ||
benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program | ||
established under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, to ensure that | ||
those customers receive that level of service at more affordable | ||
rates. The regulatory authority may establish requirements for | ||
determining the eligibility of customers to receive reduced rates | ||
under this subsection. | ||
(b-2) The regulatory authority shall allow a utility to | ||
establish a fund to receive donations to recover the costs of | ||
providing the reduced rates under Subsection (b-1). A utility may | ||
not recover those costs through charges to the utility's other | ||
customer classes. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to | ||
Section 13.182, Water Code, apply only to proceedings before a | ||
regulatory authority regarding rates concerning an application | ||
filed on or after January 1, 2020. Proceedings before a regulatory | ||
authority regarding rates concerning an application filed before | ||
January 1, 2020, are governed by the law in effect when the | ||
application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for | ||
that purpose. | ||
(b) The Public Utility Commission of Texas and other | ||
regulatory authorities shall adopt rules as necessary to implement | ||
the changes in law made by this Act not later than December 31, | ||
2019. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
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