A bill to make certain electricity bills a priority claim under the estate code has again been introduced to the Texas legislature

The bill would add, "claims for the cost of electrical service provided to the decedent if the decedent had been designated as a critical care residential customer," as a Class 1 claim under the estate code

The bill would also provide that, "claims for the cost of electrical service provided to the decedent if the decedent had been designated as a critical care residential customer," shall have first priority similar to funeral expenses and expenses of the decedent's last illness, not to exceed $15,000

As previously reported during the prior legislative session, such revisions had previously been proposed as part of a series of changes to eliminate criminal prosecution of consumer debtors in exchange for making civil debt collection a better option for creditors.