Sec. 92.302. NOTICE OF UTILITY DISCONNECTION OF NONSUBMETERED MASTER METERED MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY TO MUNICIPALITIES, OWNERS, AND TENANTS. (a) In this section:

(1) "Customer" means a person who is responsible for bills received for electric utility service or gas utility service provided to nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property.

(2) "Nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property" means an apartment, a leased or owner-occupied condominium, or one or more buildings containing at least 10 dwellings that receive electric utility service or gas utility service that is master metered but not submetered.

(b) A customer shall provide written notice of a service disconnection to each tenant or owner at a nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property not later than the fifth day after the date the customer receives a notice of service disconnection from an electric service provider or a gas utility. The customer must provide the notice by mail to the tenant's or owner's preferred mailing address or hand deliver the notice to the tenant or owner. The written notice must include the customer's contact information and the tenant's remedies under Section 92.301. The notice must include the following text in both English and Spanish:

"Notice to residents of (name and address of nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property): Electric (or gas) service to this property is scheduled for disconnection on (date) because (reason for disconnection)."

(c) If the property is located in a municipality, the customer shall provide the same notice described by Subsection (b) to the governing body of that municipality by certified mail. The governing body of the municipality may provide additional notice to the property's tenants and owners after receipt of the service disconnection notice under this subsection.

(d) A customer is not required to provide the notices described by this section if the customer avoids the disconnection by paying the bill.

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 322 (H.B. 1772), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.