S.B. No. 2126
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of owners and managers of apartment
  houses to assess a service charge for the submetering of water and
  wastewater services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13.503, Water Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), in [In] addition
  to the charges permitted under Subsection (b), the rules shall
  authorize the owner or manager of a manufactured home rental
  community or apartment house [owner or manager] to impose a service
  charge of not more than nine percent of the costs related to
  submetering allocated to each submetered rental or dwelling unit.
         (c-1)  The rules may not authorize the owner or manager of an
  apartment house to impose a service charge under Subsection (c) on a
  resident who:
               (1)  resides in a unit of an apartment house that has
  received an allocation of low income housing tax credits under
  Subchapter DD, Chapter 2306, Government Code; or
               (2)  receives tenant-based voucher assistance under
  Section 8, United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. Section
  1437f).
         (d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), "costs related to
  submetering" means water costs as well as any other applicable
  taxes and surcharges that are charged by the retail public utility
  to the owner or manager of a manufactured home rental community or
  apartment house [owner or manager].
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2126 passed the Senate on
  April 28, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 14, 2009, by the
  following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2126 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 11, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
  Nays 3, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor