H.B. No. 1359 aims to establish a program to assist low-income retail electric customers in Texas by creating an income-based assistance fund. The bill amends several sections of the Utilities Code, particularly Section 17.007, which now includes provisions for the Health and Human Services Commission to develop an automatic process for identifying low-income customers and implementing the new assistance fund. The fund will be used for various purposes, including bill payment assistance during extreme weather emergencies, customer education, and administrative expenses related to the program. The bill also mandates that the commission adopt rules for the assistance programs and sets eligibility criteria for customers seeking aid.

Additionally, the bill introduces new sections and modifies existing ones to clarify the applicability of certain regulations to municipally owned utilities and electric cooperatives. It specifies that the provisions of the new assistance fund will not apply in a fiscal biennium when funds are available under Section 39.9035. The bill also removes certain sections from the applicability of the Utilities Code for electric utilities until they implement customer choice. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Utilities Code 17.007, Utilities Code 39.002, Utilities Code 40.001, Utilities Code 41.001 (Utilities Code 40, Utilities Code 17, Utilities Code 41, Utilities Code 39)
House Committee Report: Utilities Code 17.007, Utilities Code 39.002, Utilities Code 39.402, Utilities Code 39.452, Utilities Code 39.454, Utilities Code 39.552, Utilities Code 40.001, Utilities Code 41.001 (Utilities Code 40, Utilities Code 17, Utilities Code 41, Utilities Code 39)
Engrossed: Utilities Code 17.007, Utilities Code 39.002, Utilities Code 39.402, Utilities Code 39.452, Utilities Code 39.454, Utilities Code 39.552, Utilities Code 40.001, Utilities Code 41.001 (Utilities Code 40, Utilities Code 17, Utilities Code 41, Utilities Code 39)