(a) A public utility, customer-owned pay telephone service provider under Section 55.178, or affiliate is subject to a civil penalty if the utility, provider, or affiliate knowingly violates this title, fails to perform a duty imposed on it, or fails or refuses to obey an order, rule, direction, or requirement of the commission or a decree or judgment of a court.
(b) A civil penalty under this section shall be in an amount of not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000 for each violation.
(c) A public utility or affiliate commits a separate violation each day it continues to violate Subsection (a).
(d) The attorney general shall file in the name of the commission a suit on the attorney general's own initiative or at the request of the commission to recover the civil penalty under this section.