Energy and Utilities

Energy and Utilities Legislation

Energy and Utilities Legislation

SB 1 (Murray-D) Million solar roofs initiative

Establishes the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, the goal of which is to place one million solar energy systems, or the equivalent 3,000 megawatts of capacity, on new or existing residential and commercial buildings by 2018.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 15 (Escutia-D) Public Utilities Commission

Extends, from 10 days to 30 days, the minimum public review/comment period for alternate decisions published by a member of the Public Utilities Commission.

Chapter 591, Statutes of 2005

SB 76 (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) Energy

Provides the necessary statutory changes in the area of energy in order to enact the 2005 Budget Act.

Chapter 91, Statutes of 2005

SB 107 (Simitian-D) Renewable energy

Accelerates the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirement from 2017 to 2010. The RPS is a program that requires investor-owned utilities to, among other things, achieve a 20 percent renewable electricity portfolio.

(On Assembly Third Reading File)

SB 204 (Bowen-D) Commission membership

Creates new conflict of interest standards for members of the California Energy Commission and the Public Utilities Commission.

(Failed passage in Assembly Elections and Reapportionment Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 210 (Bowen-D) Telecommunications: telephone corporations: surcharge

Extends the sunset, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2010, on the surcharge on intrastate telephone service used to pay for the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program, which provides telecommunications devices and services to the deaf and hearing-impaired and to the disabled.

Chapter 453, Statutes of 2005

SB 339 (Dutton-R) Emergency telephone systems

Requires local public agencies operating an emergency telephone system to use primary safety answering points in a triage manner so that callers would receive those services needed or appropriate to the situation that caused the emergency telephone call.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 386 (Campbell-R) Public Utilities Commission: inspection and audits

Requires the audits performed every three years by the Public Utilities Commission of the major electric, telephone and water corporations to conform with the Government Auditing Standards published by the Comptroller General of the United States, and where applicable, to the Generally Accepted Auditing Standards of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 396 (Battin-R) Telecommunications: toll call pricing

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to report to the Legislature, by July 1, 2007, on the impact of toll call pricing in the Coachella Valley, and whether additional steps are necessary to encourage innovative pricing, and related matters.

Chapter 115, Statutes of 2005

SB 402 (Campbell-R) Telecommunications

Allows, as it relates to the national cell phone number directory, a narrow expansion of the written consent requirement to also permit affirmative consent on an Internet web site, as specified.

Chapter 495, Statutes of 2005

SB 426 (Simitian-D) Liquefied natural gas terminals

Requires the California Energy Commission to evaluate and rank every proposed liquefied natural gas terminal and directs the Governor to disapprove an application for a license to construct and operate a liquefied natural gas terminal if the project does not meet identified criteria.

(On Senate Unfinished Business File)

SB 431 (Battin-R) Electricity: re-powering of facilities

Requires electric utilities, to encourage "re-powering" of existing renewable energy generators, to offer specified contract and pricing options.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 441 (Soto-D) Electricity: rates: advanced metering infrastructure

Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from requiring the installation of advanced metering infrastructure unless it first evaluates the effects on rates, the amount of peak load reduction, and the feasibility.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 501 (Machado-D) Electric generation facilities

Provides technical amendments to clarify that state-assessed electrical generation property is assigned by the Board of Equalization (BOE) to a specific tax rate area, rather than a countywide tax rate area, when preparing the BOE roll of state assessed property.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 534 (Runner-R) Telecommunications: mobile telephony services

Requires a cellular telephone company to post information on its web site when a public hearing is scheduled to site an antenna or associated facility.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 557 (Battin-R) Utilities owned by municipal corporations

Allows the City of Palm Springs to sell its waste water treatment facility to the Desert Water Agency if the city council adopts a resolution finding that the public interest and convenience require the sale.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 574 (Campbell-R) Public utilities: water companies

Includes a limited liability company owning, controlling, operating, or managing a water system as a public utility.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 580 (Escutia-D) Public Utilities Commission Low-Income Oversight Board

Expands the jurisdiction of the Low-Income Oversight Board, an advisory board to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), to include low-income water ratepayers' issues, and to assist the PUC regarding the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. Requires the Health and Human Services Agency to evaluate specified issues regarding the automatic enrollment of CARE customers.

Chapter 662, Statutes of 2005

SB 608 (Escutia-D) Public Utilities Commission Division of Ratepayer Advocates

Expands and clarifies the role of the Office of the Ratepayer Advocate, within the Public Utilities Commission.

Chapter 440, Statutes of 2005

SB 628 (Dutton-R) State Energy Resources Conservation & Development Commission

Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to allow parties to present testimony about alleged misuse of its administrative procedures to exert economic pressure on a party to enter into a labor agreement. Requires the CEC to take certain steps to maintain its neutrality in labor disputes.

(Failed passage in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 632 (Dutton-R) Electrical corporations: rates

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to continue the availability of optional interruptible or curtailable service at least through December 31, 2009, and prohibits, until after that date, the reduction of the level of the pricing incentive for interruptible or curtailable service below the levels in effect on December 31, 2004.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 641 (Campbell-R) Electricity: electrical restructuring

Repeals the provisions of AB 1X (Keeley), Chapter 4, Statutes of 2005, suspending direct access during the term of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) contracts and instead requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to permit direct access, pursuant to a "core/non-core" structure to be defined by the PUC. Requires the PUC's core/non-core structure to require direct access customers to bear a fair share of DWR's electricity costs or to accept a proportionate allocation of the electrical generation resources used by the investor-owned utilities to serve the departing customer.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 664 (Morrow-R) Public utilities: telegraph and telephone lines

Provides that the authorization for telegraph or telephone corporations to construct lines, as specified, does not apply to the construction or placement of towers, facilities, or other wireless repeaters, amplifiers, regenerative repeaters, or regenerators, to provide mobile telephony services, as defined.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 690 (Cox-R) Public contracts: utility districts: competitive bids

Establishes a threshold of $15,000 or more for specified public works contracts awarded by a municipal utility district and prescribes the procedures to be followed in the advertisement and solicitation of bids. Provides that a public work may be performed without advertising for bids, by day labor, upon unanimous consent of the district's board, and in response to an emergency, as defined.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 757 (Kehoe-D) Oil Conservation, Efficiency, and Alternative Fuels Act

Enacts the Oil Conservation, Efficiency, and Alternative Fuels Act. Requires state agencies to reduce the growth of petroleum demand, increase vehicle energy efficiency and increase the use of alternative fuels.

(Failed passage in Assembly Transportation Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 769 (Simitian-D) Energy Reliability and Affordability Act

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to expand existing low-income ratepayer refrigerator replacement.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 816 (Kehoe-D) Electric service providers: net metering

Makes the San Diego Gas and Electric Company's net energy metering tariff available to customer generators up to a total capacity, within the company's service territory, of 50 megawatts instead of 0.5 percent of peak demand.

Chapter 105, Statutes of 2005

SB 850 (Escutia-D) Broadband telecommunications service

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to determine the availability of, and degree of competition for, two-way broadband service, by census tract, and report to the Legislature and the State Chief Information Officer (SCIO) by July 1, 2006. Requires the SCIO to develop a strategy making broadband telecommunications service accessible to all areas of the state, and report to the Legislature by January 1, 2007.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 909 (Escutia-D) Telecommunications: video services: fair competition

Declares it is state policy to establish fair competition in the areas of telecommunications and video service.

(On Assembly Second Reading File)

SB 911 (Dunn-D) Telecommunications: 911 system

Allows a wireless 911 call to be answered by a public safety agency other than the Department of the California Highway Patrol, if the call originates from a location other than a freeway.

Chapter 21, Statutes of 2005

SB 951 (Escutia-D) Public Utilities Commission: compensation

Provides that the provisions pertaining to participant and intervenor compensation are to be liberally construed to promote participation. Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to award additional compensation for reasonable costs incurred in organizing and publicizing opportunities for participation in PUC hearings or proceedings, or in forming and coordinating coalitions to participate in PUC hearings or proceedings. Requires consultation with the public advisor before an administrative law judge issues a ruling addressing issues raised by a notice of intent to claim compensation.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 984 (McClintock-R) Greenhouse gas emissions reductions: powerplants

Requires the California Energy Commission to perform an assessment of life-cycle costs and environmental impacts of existing and proposed electric generation technologies, including fossil, nuclear, renewable, and hydroelectric, as specified.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1003 (Escutia-D) Energy resources: liquefied natural gas terminals

Requires the California Energy Commission to establish a permitting process for the siting and construction of liquefied natural gas facilities.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1017 (Campbell-R) Solar energy: taxation

Makes the credit relating to the use of solar or wind energy systems, as defined, applicable for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2004, and before January 1, 2017. Continues the exclusion for an active solar energy system, as defined, until January 1, 2018, for property tax lien dates for the 1999-2000 to 2016-17 fiscal years, inclusive.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 1037 (Kehoe-D) Energy efficiency

Requires electrical utilities, municipal utilities, and the Public Utilities Commission to make energy efficiency programs a priority before acquiring other sources of electricity or building new transmission lines.

Chapter 366, Statutes of 2005

SB 1059 (Escutia-D) Electric transmission corridors

Authorizes the California Energy Commission to designate electric transmission corridor zones, according to a specified process, in which high-voltage electric transmission lines may be built in the future.

(In Assembly Rules Committee)

SB 1068 (Escutia-D) Telecommunications: consumer protection

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop and enforce specified telephone consumer protection rules for landline telecommunications and mobile telephone services by July 1, 2006.

(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce; reconsideration granted)

SCA 18 (Dunn-D) Public utilities

Includes in the definition of public utilities, private corporations and persons that own, operate, control, or manage a line, plant, or system for the production, generation, transmission, or furnishing of gasoline, directly or indirectly to or for the public.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

SCR 40 (Lowenthal-D) Liquefied natural gas facilities

Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to take necessary action to preserve state and local authority over the siting of liquefied natural gas facilities in California.

Resolution Chapter 76, Statutes of 2005

SR 19 (Escutia-D) Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 3

States that the Senate does not favor Reorganization Plan No. 3 (GRP 3) transmitted to the Legislature by the Governor on June 13, 2005, and recommends that GRP 3 be assigned to the Senate on Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

(Adopted by the Senate)

AB 67 (Levine-D) Energy: report to the Legislature

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to annually report on the elements embedded in electricity and gas rates. Extends an existing program that provides partial net metering to customer-owned fuel cell electric generation facilities, which sunsets on January 1, 2006 to 2010.

Chapter 562, Statutes of 2005

AB 80* (Houston-R) Sales tax: exemptions: equipment

Creates a state sales and use tax exemption (equal to 5.25 percent) for investment in manufacturing equipment, telecommunication equipment, research and development, and electrical generation activities.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 139* (Assembly Budget Committee) State government

Moves the sunset date for enterprise zone fees from July 1, 2006, to January 1, 2007. Increases the maximum fee the Public Utilities Commission can charge household goods carriers from regulation of the household goods carrier industry. This fee increase raises approximately $500,000 for deposit in the Transportation Rate Fund.

Chapter 74, Statutes of 2005

AB 151 (Laird-D) Oil Conservation, Efficiency, and Alternative Fuels Act

Enacts the Oil Conservation, Efficiency, and Alternative Fuels Act.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 200 (Leslie-R) California Renewable Portfolio Standard Program

Modifies the manner in which an electrical corporation with fewer than 60,000 customers in California, that also serve customers in other states, must meet California's Renewable Portfolio Standard.

Chapter 50, Statutes of 2005

AB 315 (Hancock-D) School facilities: energy efficiency: design standards

Requires the State Allocation Board, by July 1, 2007, to adopt regulations for design standards for energy efficient school facilities that meet the minimum design and construction criteria established by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 326 (Blakeslee-R) Telephone corporations: universal service

Abolishes the six funds in the State Treasury related to the state's telecommunications universal service programs and requires the Public Utilities Commission, until January 1, 2009, to establish a trust account to administer any transfer payments made pursuant to the state's universal service programs. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish subaccounts and appoint a third party trustee, subject to confirmation by the Legislature, to administer the universal service programs trust account.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 343 (Huff-R) Utility user taxes: exemption

Exempts local agencies or school districts from Utility User Taxes for the consumption of natural gas for transportation purposes if that natural gas is dispensed by a separately metered and dedicated gas compressor.

(Failed passage in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 380 (Nunez-D) Electrical restructuring: resource adequacy

Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in consultation with the California Independent System Operator to establish resource adequacy requirements and requires the PUC to implement and enforce the resource adequacy requirements on all electricity providers, or load-serving entities.

Chapter 367, Statutes of 2005

AB 401 (Levine-D) Fuel cell customer-generators

Removes the January 1, 2006 repeal date of the standard tariff to provide for net energy metering, for eligible fuel cell customer-generators, as defined, thereby making the tariff requirement operative indefinitely. Under the bill, a fuel cell electrical generating facility, would not be eligible for participation in the tariff unless it commenced operation before January 1, 2010, and a fuel cell customer-generator would be eligible for the tariff only for the operating life of the eligible fuel cell electrical generating facility. Prohibits the combined statewide cumulative rated generating capacity used by the eligible fuel cell customer-generators in the service territories of all electrical corporations from exceeding 112.5 megawatts.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 515 (Richman-R) State Water Project: solar photovoltaic panels and systems

Authorizes the Department of Water Resources to establish a program to lease space above State Water Project conveyance facilities, such as aqueducts, to private entities for installing solar panels and generating electricity from those panels.

Chapter 368, Statutes of 2005

AB 582 (Matthews-D) Political advertisements: text messages

Prohibits candidates and political committees from transmitting unsolicited text message advertising to a cellular telephone, pager, or two-way messaging device.

Chapter 711, Statutes of 2005

AB 610 (Calderon-D) Telecommunications: mobile telephony services

Requires cellular telephone companies to provide subscribers a means to obtain reasonably current information about the Internet and text messaging usage and charges associated with their service plan by January 1, 2007.

Chapter 511, Statutes of 2005

AB 650 (Cogdill-R) Electrical restructuring: aggregation

Authorizes certain irrigation districts and municipal utility districts to act as community choice aggregators. Provides procedures for a city, county, or city and county to opt out of a community choice aggregation program proposed by an irrigation district or a municipal utility district.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 677 (Parra-D) Procurement plans: waste gas

Requires procurement plans for an electrical corporation to include a prescribed component for the procurement of electricity generated using waste gas, as defined.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

AB 701 (Nava-D) State buildings: energy and design criteria

Requires all state buildings on which construction or renovation is begun on or after January 1, 2006, to obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating, as developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) no later than January 1, 2015. A minimum score, as set forth in "Version 2.1" of LEED that USGBC published in March of 2003, shall determine compliance with this bill.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 728 (Negrete McLeod-D) Electricity: biogas digester customer-generators

Expands an existing pilot project allowing net energy metering for customer-owned electric generation projects fueled by manure methane production (biogas digestion).

Chapter 369, Statutes of 2005

AB 736 (Jerome Horton-D) Public utilities: regulation

Modifies the Public Utilities Commission's (PUC) approval process for the sale or transfer of public utility assets by allowing public utilities to sell, or otherwise transfer property valued at less than $5 million if the transfer is approved by PUC through a 120-day advice letter process rather than through a formal proceeding.

Chapter 370, Statutes of 2005

AB 737 (Jerome Horton-D) Property tax revenue allocations: public utilities

Requires that all property tax assessed value of a public utility plant and associated equipment be allocated entirely to the county in which the facility is located, and that the revenues derived from the tax be allocated to the county and to school districts and cities within the county, as applicable.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 745 (Blakeslee-R) Public utilities: eminent domain

Exempts privately-owned natural gas companies and electric companies from certain public notice and hearing requirements at the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) before the natural gas companies can condemn land as part of an eminent domain proceeding if the condemned land is to be used for PUC authorized natural gas storage.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 746 (Blakeslee-R) Public utilities: payment of billings

Authorizes energy utilities to accept credit and debit cards. Permits an electrical, gas, or water corporation to charge a reasonable transaction fee when customers pay their utility bills by credit card or debit card. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to determine how any associated costs or potential savings resulting from these payment methods will be passed on to customers.

Chapter 426, Statutes of 2005

AB 810* (Parra-D) Personal income and corporation taxes: tax incentives

Conforms to federal law, to allow accelerated deductions and a tax credit related to the production of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 903 (De La Torre-D) Cable television franchises

Allows a telephone corporation to obtain a local cable television franchise from the local franchising authority for an area within the telephone corporation's service territory.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 936 (Wyland-R) Energy resources: transportation fuels: supply

Establishes, until January 1, 2010, the Office of Special Counsel on Transportation Fuels in the Office of the Governor, and the Governor's Council on Transportation Fuels Policies in state government.

(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 974 (Nunez-D) Energy resources: Public Utilities Commission

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to prepare and implement, by July 1, 2006, a plan to streamline the electrical transmission facility permitting and siting process. The plan addresses eliminating regulatory overlap, reducing review and approval times, and providing expedited review of transmission facilities located in transmission corridors designated as such in local general and specific plans.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 993 (Canciamilla-D) Planning and forecasting: liquefied natural gas

Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to assess the costs and benefits, including safety risks, of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help meet the state's energy needs. Requires CEC to evaluate the differences between on-shore and off-shore terminals, new LNG supplies and existing natural gas supplies, and, emissions of both alternatives. Requires the assessment to include a bibliography of LNG cost and benefit information.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1009 (Richman-R) Electricity: time-of-use pricing tariffs

Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in consultation with other related entities, to develop time-of-use electricity pricing tariffs and require real-time meter for customers of investor-owned utilities. Implementation of the tariffs would be phased in; starting with the largest users by January 1, 2007, and encompassing all customers by January 1, 2014.

(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1082 (Ruskin-D) Telecommunications: consumer protection

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop and enforce consumer protection rules for telecommunications service, including mobile telephony services. Prescribes circumstances under which telephone and telegraph corporations may release certain information regarding residential subscribers without their express consent.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1099* (Leno-D) Property tax: active solar energy systems

Extends the sunset date for the exclusion of an active solar energy system from the definition of new construction for property tax purposes. Extends the exclusion to include fiscal years 2008-09, repeals the exclusion as of January 1, 2010, and requires no appropriation to reimburse local government for any loss of property tax revenues.

Chapter 193, Statutes of 2005

AB 1165 (Bogh-R) Energy resources: certification: environmental documents

Clarifies that public agencies may utilize the California Energy Commission's Presiding Member's Proposed Decision in the same manner it would use an environmental impact report or negative declaration in carrying out their duties regarding the siting of power plants.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

AB 1182 (Calderon-D) Public Utilities Commission: work plan access guide

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to post its annual work plan on its Internet web site, and propose a plan for submitting advice letters by electronic means if deemed feasible.

Chapter 372, Statutes of 2005

AB 1190 (Canciamilla-D) Energy: agency consolidation

Establishes an Energy Agency and requires the Governor to submit a Governor's Reorganization Plan (GRP) to the Little Hoover Commission by May 1, 2006, and to the Legislature by July 1, 2006. Specifies the structure and elements of the GRP, which consolidates existing state energy-related functions and is administered by the Secretary of Energy.

(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1206 (Jerome Horton-D) Telecommunications: new area codes

Requires that the telephone number utilization study be performed within 18 months of the approval of the new area code. Applies these provisions to any pending area code decision that has not been fully implemented as of January 1, 2006. This includes the recently approved 310 area code decision.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1274 (Jerome Horton-D) Telecommunications: prepaid mobile telephony services

Exempts prepaid mobile telephony services, as defined, from the imposition of any state or local tax, fee, or surcharge.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1332 (Gordon-D) Energy Commission: distributed generation

Requires the California Energy Commission to adopt regulations prescribing minimum operating efficiency standards for distributed generation technologies.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1348 (Sharon Runner-R) Antelope Valley Fairgrounds EE and PV Synergy Demonstration

Authorizes the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds EE and PV Synergy Demonstration Project which includes the installation of energy-efficient equipment and fixtures, including a photovoltaic solar energy system. Requires the fairground's electricity service provider to establish a tariff providing an incentive rate for the investment and durability testing of the fairground's solar energy system.

Chapter 373, Statutes of 2005

AB 1362 (Levine-D) Renewable energy

Accelerates the California Renewables Portfolio Standard to require retail sellers of electricity to procure at least 20 percent of their retail sales from renewable power by 2010 instead of 2017. Becomes operative only if SB 107 (Simitian) is enacted by January 1, 2006.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1380 (Gordon-D) Telecommunications: new area codes

Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), by January 15, 2006, to request a delegation of authority from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement telephone number inventory management guidelines. Requires the PUC, by July 31, 2006, to develop rules that comply with FCC numbering resource optimization orders.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1383 (Pavley-D) Solar energy

Creates a grant to facilitate the installation of solar energy systems in low-income housing.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1388 (Ridley-Thomas-D) California Telecommunications Fund and Account

Directs the Public Utilities Commission to establish and administer two grant programs: a grant program to demonstrate the benefits of using the state's telecommunications networks to deliver supplemental educational services, and a grant program to demonstrate the use of telemedicine resources within community.

(In Assembly awaiting concurrence)

AB 1397 (Arambula-D) Eminent domain: public utility property

Deletes a rebuttable presumption, and instead requires a local public entity that appropriates electric, gas, or water public utility property to prove a more necessary use by clear and convincing evidence that the public utility has continually failed to comply with governing rules and regulations.

(In Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 1411 (DeVore-R) Telephone corporations: reimbursement of overcharges

Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to require that a telephone corporation that erroneously bills and collects charges in an amount greater than those authorized by the PUC, upon the request of the consumer that paid the overcharge, reimburse the consumer for the overcharge, along with interest at the rate of the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the previous 12 months, plus one percent.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1458 (De La Torre-D) Digital Divide Account

Increases the amount of lease revenue directed to the Digital Divide Account.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1520 (Niello-R) Public works contracts: infrastructure projects

Authorizes state governmental agencies to utilize private sector investment capital to study, design, construct, finance, and operate fee-producing infrastructure facilities, as specified.

(Failed passage in Assembly Business and Professions Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1555 (La Malfa-R) California Renewable Portfolio Standard Program

Allows electricity generated from an existing hydroelectric facility that generates more than 30 megawatts of electricity to count toward the California Renewable Portfolio Standard.

(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1576 (Nunez-D) Electrical corporations: rates: repowering projects

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to approve a rate adjustment for investor-owned utilities that contract with a generating facility that has replaced or repowered an existing facility.

Chapter 374, Statutes of 2005

AB 1585 (Blakeslee-R) Renewable energy resources conservation

Requires the California Energy Commission to review the feasibility of increasing the renewable resources target to 33 percent by 2020.

Chapter 579, Statutes of 2005

AB 1621* (Klehs-D) Electrical corporations: Bay Area Rapid Transit

Provides, notwithstanding the provisions creating a dedicated rate component for the recovery of the unamortized balance of the regulatory asset awarded to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, that electricity provided to the Bay Area Rapid Transit that is purchased from a federal power marketing agency or its successor or from a local publicly owned electric utility, is not subject to fixed recovery amounts and fixed recovery tax amounts.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1632 (Blakeslee-R) Energy: planning and forecasting

Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to compile and assess scientific studies to determine the potential vulnerability of the state's generating plants that exceed 1,700 megawatts due to aging or a major seismic event. Requires CEC to incorporate the above analysis into its biennial integrated energy policy report.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1704 (Richman-R) Electricity: electrical restructuring

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish rules for the transition to a core/non-core electrical market structure. Core customers are defined and include all residential and small commercial customers who retain electric service from the investor-owned utility (IOU). Non-core customers are the large commercial and industrial customers who have the option to choose an electric service provider or stay with the IOU.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1723 (La Malfa-R) Integrated energy policy report

Requires investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and specified existing local publicly owned utilities to file demand forecasts with the California Energy Commission (CEC), and requires CEC to assess the amount of electricity demand in the IOUs service territories that have the possibility of being lost or added due to other retail electricity providers.

Chapter 703, Statutes of 2005

AB 1732* (La Malfa-R) Natural gas: Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund

Provides that if the Public Utilities Commission designates the California Energy Commission (CEC) to receive funds from the Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund for public interest research and development in the gas industry, the CEC may administer the program using granting and contracting permissions consistent with its existing Public Interest Research, Development and Demonstration program.

Chapter 98, Statutes of 2005

ACR 86 (Parra-D) Emergency assistance

Urges all Californians to participate in the "In Case Of Emergency" campaign by entering an emergency contact number into their cell phone memory in order to assist medical and emergency personnel.

Resolution Chapter 137, Statutes of 2005

AJR 5 (Oropeza-D) Corporate average fuel economy standards

Requests the federal government to gradually double fuel efficiency standards.

Resolution Chapter 84, Statutes of 2005

GRP 3 (Other Governor Committee) Governor's Reorganization Plan: Commissions and Departments

Creates a Department of Energy, headed by a Cabinet-level Energy Secretary, charged with planning, developing, and implementing all major aspects of state energy policy.

(Plan did not take effect)

Index (in Bill Order)