Bill Text: TX HB3639 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

Texas House Bill 3639 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to notice to a customer or tenant required after an intentional shutoff of electric and water service.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-22 - Referred to State Affairs [HB3639 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB3639-Introduced.html

	87R11991 BRG/NC-D

	By: Lopez	H.B. No. 3639



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to notice to a customer or tenant required after an
	intentional shutoff of electric and water service.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Chapter 91, Property Code, is amended by adding
	Section 91.007 to read as follows:
	Sec. 91.007. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR EMERGENCY UTILITY SHUTOFF.
	Not later than four hours after a landlord receives a notice under
	Section 17.011, Utilities Code, or Section 13.1397, Water Code, for
	the emergency shutoff of electric power or water for a dwelling or
	commercial building leased to a tenant, the landlord shall notify
	the tenant of the shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must
	include:
	(1) the estimated time and date that the electric
	power or water will be restored to the dwelling or building; and
	(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage if
	the shutoff is for electric power.
	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is
	amended by adding Section 17.011 to read as follows:
	Sec. 17.011. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL OUTAGES. Not
	later than three hours after an electric utility, municipally owned
	utility, or electric cooperative intentionally shuts off electric
	power to a customer in response to an emergency event, the utility
	or cooperative shall notify the customer of the shutoff by e-mail or
	text message. The notice must include the following information:
	(1) the estimated time and date that the utility or
	cooperative will restore electric power to the customer; and
	(2) whether the shutoff is part of a rolling outage.
	SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
	by adding Section 13.1397 to read as follows:
	Sec. 13.1397. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR INTENTIONAL SHUTOFF OF
	SERVICE. Not later than three hours after a retail public utility
	intentionally shuts off water service to a customer in response to
	an emergency event, the utility shall notify the customer of the
	shutoff by e-mail or text message. The notice must include the
	estimated time and date that the utility will restore water service
	to the customer.
	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.