TITLE: Relating to bill payment assistance programs for utility customers offered by certain municipalities.

SUMMARY: Relating to bill payment assistance programs for utility customers offered by certain municipalities.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to bill payment assistance programs for utility customers offered by certain municipalities. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 552, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 552.9145 to read as follows: Sec. 552.9145. CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR UTILITY SYSTEM CUSTOMERS IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) In this section, "utility system" has the meaning assigned by Section 552.914. (b) This section applies only to a municipality described by Section 1502.070(a)(2)(B), Government Code. (c) The board of trustees vested with the management and control of a municipality's utility system has exclusive authority to establish a bill payment assistance program for utility system customers: (1) who the utility determines are low-income customers whose service was disconnected for nonpayment by the utility system three or more times during a calendar year; or (2) who are 75 years of age or older and have received a notice of disconnection from service from the utility system for nonpayment of bills. SECTION 2. 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.