Bill Text: TX HB4296 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the authority of a petitioner to pay off a certificate holder's federal loan to facilitate decertification of a certificated area.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-21 - Referred to Natural Resources [HB4296 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB4296-Introduced.html
  88R13448 KBB-F
 
  By: Gates H.B. No. 4296
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of a petitioner to pay off a certificate
  holder's federal loan to facilitate decertification of a
  certificated area.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13.254(a-1), Water Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a-1)  As an alternative to decertification under Subsection
  (a), the owner of a tract of land that is at least 50 acres and that
  is not in a platted subdivision actually receiving water or sewer
  service may petition the utility commission under this subsection
  for expedited release of the area from a certificate of public
  convenience and necessity so that the area may receive service from
  another retail public utility.  The fact that a certificate holder
  is a borrower under a federal loan program is not a bar to a request
  under this subsection for the release of the petitioner's land and
  the receipt of services from an alternative provider. If the
  certificate holder is a borrower under a federal loan program, the
  petitioner is entitled to pay off the loan to facilitate the release
  process, if allowed under federal law.  On the day the petitioner
  submits the petition to the utility commission, the petitioner
  shall send, via certified mail, a copy of the petition to the
  certificate holder, who may submit information to the utility
  commission to controvert information submitted by the petitioner.  
  The petitioner must demonstrate that:
               (1)  a written request for service, other than a
  request for standard residential or commercial service, has been
  submitted to the certificate holder, identifying:
                     (A)  the area for which service is sought;
                     (B)  the timeframe within which service is needed
  for current and projected service demands in the area;
                     (C)  the level and manner of service needed for
  current and projected service demands in the area;
                     (D)  the approximate cost for the alternative
  provider to provide the service at the same level and manner that is
  requested from the certificate holder;
                     (E)  the flow and pressure requirements and
  specific infrastructure needs, including line size and system
  capacity for the required level of fire protection requested; and
                     (F)  any additional information requested by the
  certificate holder that is reasonably related to determination of
  the capacity or cost for providing the service;
               (2)  the certificate holder has been allowed at least
  90 calendar days to review and respond to the written request and
  the information it contains;
               (3)  the certificate holder:
                     (A)  has refused to provide the service;
                     (B)  is not capable of providing the service on a
  continuous and adequate basis within the timeframe, at the level,
  at the approximate cost that the alternative provider is capable of
  providing for a comparable level of service, or in the manner
  reasonably needed or requested by current and projected service
  demands in the area; or
                     (C)  conditions the provision of service on the
  payment of costs not properly allocable directly to the
  petitioner's service request, as determined by the utility
  commission; and
               (4)  the alternate retail public utility from which the
  petitioner will be requesting service possesses the financial,
  managerial, and technical capability to provide continuous and
  adequate service within the timeframe, at the level, at the cost,
  and in the manner reasonably needed or requested by current and
  projected service demands in the area.
         SECTION 2.  Section 13.2541(d), Water Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The utility commission may not deny the petition based
  on the fact that the certificate holder is a borrower under a
  federal loan program.  If the certificate holder is a borrower under
  a federal loan program, the petitioner is entitled to pay off the
  loan to facilitate the release process, if allowed under federal
  law.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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