Bill Text: TX SB1510 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to rates charged by certain transmission and distribution utilities to certain places of worship.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-08 - Referred to State Affairs [SB1510 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1510-Engrossed.html
| By: Perry | S.B. No. 1510 | |
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| relating to rates charged by certain transmission and distribution | ||
| utilities to certain places of worship. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 36, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 36.010 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 36.010. RATES FOR CERTAIN PLACES OF WORSHIP. | ||
| (a) This section only applies to a transmission and distribution | ||
| utility that: | ||
| (1) on January 1, 2017, operated solely in ERCOT; and | ||
| (2) provides service to fewer than 100,000 meters. | ||
| (b) A transmission and distribution utility providing | ||
| service to a customer that is a nonprofit place of worship shall | ||
| bill the customer on a kilowatt hour basis. If the customer has | ||
| separately metered facilities, the utility shall bill each of those | ||
| facilities on a kilowatt hour basis if the facilities operate | ||
| primarily during off-peak periods. | ||
| (c) The commission shall adopt rules necessary to | ||
| administer this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall | ||
| adopt rules as necessary to implement Section 36.010, Utilities | ||
| Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable. A transmission | ||
| and distribution utility shall modify its rates applicable to each | ||
| nonprofit place of worship in accordance with Section 36.010, | ||
| Utilities Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, | ||
| 2018. | ||
| SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding any other law or agreement, | ||
| on the petition of a nonprofit place of worship, the Public Utility | ||
| Commission of Texas shall evaluate a charge for transmission or | ||
| distribution service charged by a transmission and distribution | ||
| utility to the place of worship on or after September 1, 2017, and | ||
| before January 1, 2018, to determine whether the charge complies | ||
| with Section 36.010, Utilities Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| (b) If the Public Utility Commission of Texas determines | ||
| under Subsection (a) of this section that the charge does not comply | ||
| with Section 36.010, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, the | ||
| commission: | ||
| (1) by order shall require the utility to refund to the | ||
| nonprofit place of worship money collected from the charge in | ||
| excess of the charge fixed under Section 36.010, Utilities Code, as | ||
| added by this Act; and | ||
| (2) may allow the place of worship to recover from the | ||
| utility any reasonable expenses incurred by the place of worship in | ||
| the process of submitting a petition under this section. | ||
| (c) This section expires and a nonprofit place of worship | ||
| may not submit a petition under this section after September 1, | ||
| 2019. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
