no utility shutoffs on weekends or holidays

The text as introduced · 527 words

89R1270 ANG-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 704

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the disconnection of service provided to residential

customers by certain utilities and propane gas distribution system

retailers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 39.101(h), Utilities Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(h) A retail electric provider, power generation company,

aggregator, or other entity that provides retail electric service

may not disconnect service to a residential customer on a weekend

day, on a holiday officially observed by the State of Texas, on a

day preceding a weekend day or holiday, or during an extreme weather

emergency [ or on a weekend day ]. The entity providing service

shall defer collection of the full payment of bills that are due

during an extreme weather emergency until after the emergency is

over and shall work with customers to establish a pay schedule for

deferred bills. For purposes of this subsection, "extreme weather

emergency" means a period when:

(1) the previous day's highest temperature did not

exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to

remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours according to the

nearest National Weather Service reports; or

(2) the National Weather Service issues a heat

advisory for any county in the relevant service territory, or when

such an advisory has been issued on any one of the previous two

calendar days.

SECTION 2. Section 104.258(b), Utilities Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b) A provider may not disconnect natural gas service to a

residential customer on a weekend day , on a holiday officially

observed by the State of Texas, or on a day preceding a weekend day

or holiday unless personnel of the provider are available on that

day to take payments and reconnect service.

SECTION 3. Section 141.004(a), Utilities Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) A distribution system retailer may not disconnect

propane gas service to a residential customer on a weekend day , on a

[ or ] holiday officially observed by the State of Texas , or on a day

preceding a weekend day or holiday unless personnel of the

distribution system retailer are available on that day to receive

payments and reconnect service.

SECTION 4. Section 13.151(b), Water Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) A retail public utility that is required to possess a

certificate of public convenience and necessity or a district or

affected county that furnishes retail water or sewer utility

service :

(1) may not disconnect service on a weekend day, on a

holiday officially observed by the State of Texas, on a day

preceding a weekend day or holiday, or during an extreme weather

emergency;

(2) may [ shall ] not impose late fees [ or disconnect

service ] for nonpayment of bills that are due during an extreme

weather emergency until after the emergency is over ; and

(3) shall work with customers that request to

establish a payment schedule for unpaid bills that are due during

the extreme weather emergency.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.