HB704 - Relating to the disconnection of service provided to residential customers by certain utilities and propane gas distribution system retailers.

  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.