Bill Text: TX HB3656 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to authority of an electric utility customer to choose not to have an advanced meter.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-31 - Referred to State Affairs [HB3656 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB3656-Introduced.html
85R12399 GRM-F | ||
By: King of Hemphill | H.B. No. 3656 |
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relating to authority of an electric utility customer to choose not | ||
to have an advanced meter. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter F to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER F. CONSUMER PROTECTIONS | ||
Sec. 38.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Advanced meter" means a digital, radio frequency | ||
emitting electric utility meter. | ||
(2) "Traditional meter" means a non-standard, | ||
non-transmitting electromechanical analog meter. | ||
Sec. 38.152. RIGHT TO DECLINE INSTALLATION OF ADVANCED | ||
METER. (a) An electric utility shall send to each retail electric | ||
service customer for whom installation of an advanced meter is | ||
scheduled a notice to inform the customer that the property owner, | ||
or the customer with the consent of the property owner, may decline | ||
to have the advanced meter installed and of the manner in which the | ||
property owner or the customer may decline the installation. The | ||
notice must be included in a customer's monthly bill. | ||
(b) If a property owner, or a customer with the consent of | ||
the property owner, notifies the electric utility that the property | ||
owner or the customer declines to have the advanced meter | ||
installed, the electric utility: | ||
(1) may not install the advanced meter; | ||
(2) may not charge the customer or property owner for | ||
declining installation; and | ||
(3) may not charge the customer or property owner for | ||
costs associated with traditional metering services. | ||
(c) In addition to any other manner for declining the | ||
installation of an advanced meter as provided by the notice mailed | ||
under Subsection (a), the property owner, or the customer with the | ||
consent of the owner, may decline the installation by: | ||
(1) posting a sign on the current traditional meter | ||
forbidding installation of an advanced meter; or | ||
(2) verbally informing a utility worker at the time of | ||
installation of the intent to decline the installation of the | ||
advanced meter. | ||
Sec. 38.153. RIGHT TO REQUEST REMOVAL OF ADVANCED METER. | ||
(a) An electric utility that has deployed advanced meters shall | ||
include in the monthly bill for each retail electric service | ||
customer that is using an installed advanced meter a notice to | ||
inform the customer that the property owner, or the customer with | ||
the consent of the property owner, may request to have the advanced | ||
meter removed and replaced with a traditional meter and of the | ||
manner in which the property owner, or the customer with the consent | ||
of the property owner, may request the removal and replacement. | ||
(b) If a property owner, or a customer with the consent of | ||
the property owner, requests to have the advanced meter removed and | ||
replaced with a traditional meter, the electric utility: | ||
(1) may charge the property owner or customer a | ||
one-time fee for the installation of the traditional meter; | ||
(2) may assess the nonbypassable surcharge authorized | ||
by Section 39.107(h) to offset the costs incurred for meter | ||
replacement and reading; | ||
(3) may estimate customer bills for three consecutive | ||
months with a meter reading conducted by the customer or utility | ||
every four months; | ||
(4) may allow the customer to read the meter and report | ||
monthly utility usage; | ||
(5) shall consider the customer's reported meter | ||
reading as valid for billing purposes; | ||
(6) may not charge monthly meter reading fees to the | ||
customer; | ||
(7) shall read the customer's meter not less | ||
frequently than annually; | ||
(8) shall bill the customer after each reading for any | ||
underbilling or credit the customer for any overbilling that | ||
results from estimated billing; and | ||
(9) may not deny the customer access to the | ||
traditional meter. | ||
(c) The fee described by Subsection (b)(1) must be payable | ||
by the customer in equal monthly installments billed together with | ||
the customer's bill for utility service over a period of not less | ||
than one year. The total fee may not exceed $120 and the | ||
installments may not exceed $10 except that the fee for a low-income | ||
customer may not exceed $60 and the installments may not exceed $5. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |