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Senate OKs streamlined PUC process for small water and wastewater billing disputes
Summary
The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 790 to let the Public Utility Commission adopt a simplified complaint process to resolve certain tenant–owner water and wastewater billing disputes, aiming to speed resolution while keeping PUC oversight and opportunities for parties to present evidence.
The Texas Senate on March 6 passed Senate Bill 790 to allow the Public Utility Commission of Texas to create a simplified complaint-resolution process for small water and wastewater billing disputes between tenants and property owners.
Supporters said the change shortens the long contested-case hearing route for minor billing disputes. "Senate Bill 790 does not remove due process," Senator Alvarado said during floor debate, adding the PUC would use rulemaking authority to establish fair procedures and allow both landlords and tenants opportunities to present evidence in public proceedings.
Because contested-case hearings at the PUC can be protracted, proponents argued a faster process will provide more timely relief for consumers and help reduce administrative backlog. Senator Parker asked whether the bill protects landlords’ due-process rights; Alvarado responded that the intent is procedural efficiency without eliminating hearings or evidence presentation.
Senate actions on the measure included suspending rules to take the bill up immediately, passing it to engrossment and suspending the constitutional 3-day rule so the bill could receive final passage the same day. The secretary’s tally for final passage recorded 28 yeas and 2 nays; the roll-call list shown in the transcript does not identify which senators cast the two negative votes.
The bill caption as read on the floor describes the measure as "relating to the procedure for resolving certain customer complaints before the Public Utility Commission of Texas." The measure moves the authority to the PUC to design a streamlined process through rulemaking rather than prescribing a specific adjudicative procedure in statute.
With passage in the Senate, the bill will proceed through the legislative process for possible consideration by the House. The transcript does not specify any appropriation or implementation deadline tied to the bill, nor does it name which landlord or tenant groups testified in committee on the measure.
Votes at a glance: final passage — 28 yeas, 2 nays (names of nays not specified in the transcript).
