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               AN ACT
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            relating to tariff filing requirements for certain  | 
         
         
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            telecommunications providers. | 
         
         
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                   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 1.  Section 52.251, Utilities Code, is amended by  | 
         
         
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            adding Subsections (a-1), (c), and (d) and amending Subsection (b)  | 
         
         
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            to read as follows: | 
         
         
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                   (a-1)  An affiliate or trade association may file the tariff  | 
         
         
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            required under Subsection (a) on behalf of the public utility. | 
         
         
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                   (b)  The public utility, affiliate, or trade association | 
         
         
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            shall file as a part of the tariff required under Subsection (a)  | 
         
         
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            each rule that relates to or affects: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  a rate of the utility; or | 
         
         
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                         (2)  a utility service, product, or commodity furnished  | 
         
         
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            by the utility. | 
         
         
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                   (c)  The tariff filing is considered approved if the  | 
         
         
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            commission does not approve or deny the tariff filing or request  | 
         
         
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            supplemental information from the public utility, affiliate, or  | 
         
         
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            trade association that filed the tariff before the 60th day after  | 
         
         
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            receiving the tariff filing.  | 
         
         
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                   (d)  If the commission requests supplemental information  | 
         
         
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            from the public utility, affiliate, or trade association under  | 
         
         
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            Subsection (c), the utility, affiliate, or association must provide  | 
         
         
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            the commission with the supplemental information not later than the  | 
         
         
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            15th day after receiving the request from the commission. If the  | 
         
         
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            commission does not approve or deny the tariff filing before the  | 
         
         
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            30th day after the commission receives the supplemental  | 
         
         
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            information, the tariff filing is considered approved. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to  | 
         
         
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            a tariff filed under Section 52.251, Utilities Code, as amended by  | 
         
         
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            this Act, on or after the effective date of this Act. A tariff filed  | 
         
         
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            before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in  | 
         
         
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            effect on the date the tariff was filed, and the former law is  | 
         
         
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            continued in effect for that purpose. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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               President of the Senate | 
            Speaker of the House      | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 1597 was passed by the House on April  | 
         
         
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            28, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 135, Nays 9, 2 present, not  | 
         
         
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            voting. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Chief Clerk of the House    | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 1597 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
         
         
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            24, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Secretary of the Senate     | 
         
         
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            APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
         
         
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                               Date           | 
         
         
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                      _____________________ | 
         
         
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                             Governor        |