Energy and Utilities

Energy and Utilities Legislation

Energy and Utilities Legislation

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SB 70 (Florez-D) Biodiesel
Authorizes the State of California, cities, counties, mass transit districts, and school districts to use a biodiesel fuel blend of greater than 20% biodiesel to operate all their diesel-powered vehicles, if certain conditions are met.
Vetoed

SB 71 (Florez-D) Alternative fuels: biodiesel
Requires that all diesel vehicles owned by the State of California, a city, county, or mass transit district use diesel that is at least 20% biodiesel made from nonpetroleum constituents.
(In Senate Transportation and Housing Committee)

SB 74* (Florez-D) Biodiesel: tax exemption
Exempts from specified taxes the gross receipts from the sale and the storage of, use or other consumption of, tangible personal property purchased for use by a qualified person in the manufacturing, processing, or production of biodiesel fuel.
(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 75 (Florez-D) Alternative fuels: biodiesel
Deems diesel vehicles and engines using biodiesel to be in compliance with applicable state toxic air control measures and requires that vehicles sold or leased by the State of California be warranty-certified to use at least 20% biodiesel fuel.
(In Senate Transportation and Housing Committee)

SB 140 (Kehoe-D) Fuels: renewable diesel fuel
Requires, within one year after the Air Resources Board makes a specified determination, at least 2% of the total volume diesel fuel sold or offered for sale in the state contain renewable diesel fuel (RDF), and two years thereafter, that at least 5% of the total volume diesel fuel sold or offered for sale in the state contain RDF.
(On Assembly Third Reading)

SB 158 (Florez-D) Telecommunications: mobile telephony services: handsets
Requires cellular telephone providers, upon request, to remove or deactivate any device in a handset that prevents the subscriber from using that handset with a different cellular telephone provider.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 210 (Kehoe-D) Greenhouse gas emissions: fuel standard
Requires the Air Resources Board to adopt, implement, and enforce a low-carbon fuel standard by regulation to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels in California.
Vetoed

SB 312 (Kehoe-D) Public utilities
Makes a number of technical changes to various provisions of the state law relating to public utilities, such as requiring the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to post on its Internet web site all documents, testimony, or other materials filed with the PUC in any rate-setting or quasi-legislative proceedings, and eliminating or amending references to the Public Utilities Holding Company Act of 1935 which was repealed by the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 323 (Kehoe-D) Telecommunications: broadband report
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to report to the Legislature on the availability of two-way broadband telecommunications access.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 324 (Migden-D) Electricity: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power solar generation
Authorizes a private energy producer to generate electricity not generated from conventional sources for a community choice aggregator. Authorizes the City and County of San Francisco to elect to designate specific solar electricity generation facilities pursuant to the above-described authorization and provides that the authorization does not limit the right of Hetch Hetchy Water and Power to sell electricity from a solar generation facility owned by the City and County of San Francisco when otherwise authorized by law.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 328 (Corbett-D) Telephone calls: Personal information: prohibited practices
Expands the definition of "personal information" to include a telephone calling pattern. Prohibits "pretexting" and provides civil remedies for violations.
(In Assembly Banking and Finance Committee)

SB 332 (Corbett-D) Energy: appliance efficiency standards
Requires the California Energy Commission, within available resources, to develop a priority list of appliances for test procedures and energy efficiency standards. Requires the list to include televisions and computer monitors in active mode and to be completed by 7/1/08.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 380 (Kehoe-D) Cable and video service
Corrects technical errors in statutes enacted last year establishing a process by which a multi-channel video provider may obtain approval to offer service by acquiring a state-issued franchise.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 410 (Simitian-D) Energy: renewable energy resources
Requires the California Energy Commission, in making awards for existing Renewable Research Development Demonstration programs technologies, to establish a specified production incentive and to make payments depending upon the availability of funding. Clarifies existing law regarding the ability of publicly owned utilities to count the same technologies toward their renewable portfolio standard obligations as investor-owned utilities.
(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 411 (Simitian-D) Energy: renewable energy resources
Extends and expands the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard to require the investor-owned utilities and certain other retail sellers of electricity to increase their procurement of renewable resources to at least 33% of retail sales by 2020.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 412 (Simitian-D) Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission
Requires the California Energy Commission, as part of its biennial Integrated Energy Policy Report, to study and report, as specified, on the need for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) at reasonable prices to meet the state's energy demands. Prohibits the Governor or a state or local entity from approving the construction of an LNG terminal until the final report is issued and all appeals have been exhausted, or 11/1/08, whichever is earlier. Requires the environmental impact report for an LNG terminal project, in addition to elements required under the California Environmental Quality Act, to include an analysis of feasible alternative project technologies and an analysis of disproportionately high effects on minority and low-income populations.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 428 (Dutton-R) Electrical corporations: demand reduction
Requires investor-owned utilities to expand the availability of interruptible programs to all customer classes. Requires pricing incentives to be cost-effective and permits incentives to reflect the full range of costs avoided by the demand reductions, including environmental effects.
Chapter 539, Statutes of 2007

SB 451 (Kehoe-D) Energy: renewable electric generation facilities
Creates a program that allows small-scale renewable generators to sell renewable electricity to the investor-owned utilities at rates set by the Public Utilities Commission.
Vetoed

SB 463 (Negrete McLeod-D) Energy: biogas digester customer-generator pilot program
Permits an eligible biogas digester customer-generator (typically large dairies) to sell excess electricity to their electric service provider at a capped price, only if the generator has entered into a long-term purchase agreement with the electrical corporation.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 469 (Runner-R) Energy
Requires the California Energy Commission to identify practices and financial impediments that currently discourage private capital from being invested in privately held self-generation facilities, the impact on the existing transmission system, the environment, and efforts to reduce greenhouse gases which is associated with new generation capacity, and report those findings to the Legislature by 1/1/08.
(In Senate Rules Committee)

SB 558 (Cogdill-R) Public utilities
Declares that the Public Utilities Code's requirements for special procedures and voter approval before selling or transferring city utilities does not apply when a city transfers public utilities to another public agency under the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act.
Chapter 209, Statutes of 2007

SB 724 (Kuehl-D) PUC: ratesetting and quasi-legislative cases
Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in a ratesetting or quasi-legislative case involving a light rail grade crossing, to resolve issues raised in the scoping memo within nine months of the date of the memo, unless the PUC makes a written determination that the deadline cannot be met, including findings as to the reason, and issues an order extending the deadline.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 757 (Ridley-Thomas-D) Telecommunications: grant programs
Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to establish, until 1/1/14, a Community Supplemental Education Demonstration Grant Program and a Telemedicine Demonstration Grant Program. Specifies that awards under the grant programs will be for the purpose of providing advanced telecommunications network services to community technology programs and to public libraries that deliver supplemental education services to pupils and to health care facilities that provide telemedicine services.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 780 (Wiggins-D) Telecommunications: rates
Requires a carrier of last resort offer the same rates, terms, and conditions for telecommunications service, as defined, to all subscribers in all geographical areas throughout the carrier's service territory.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 831 (Lowenthal-D) Telecommunications
Provides additional protection and information to cell phone customers regarding billing discrepancies. Allows a customer to present evidence that unauthorized calls were made, allows for a grace period to rescind contracts, and includes information about procedures for addressing unauthorized charges.
(Failed passage on Senate Floor)

SB 871 (Kehoe-D) Electric generators
Reinstates those provisions of law for establishing a process for the expedited review of application to construct and operate thermal power plants and related facilities and for the expedited review of repowering projects.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 980 (Padilla-D) Electric utilities
Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to evaluate, by 11/1/09, the adequacy of the electric distribution system of local publicly owned electric utilities that meet specific criteria as part of its integrated energy public report. Specifies that the CEC shall compare the adequacy of the electric distribution systems of local utilities with investor-owned electric utilities.
(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 1012 (Kehoe-D) Electricity: self-generation incentive program
Deletes the authority for the defunct Power Exchange to provide a competitive wholesale electricity market, and deletes the governing board of the California Electricity Oversight Board (EOB). Requires EOB to be directly accountable to the Secretary of the Resources Agency.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 1013 (Padilla-D) Telecommunications: universal service
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to annually designate a class of lifeline service, including broadband service, necessary to meet minimum residential communications needs, including the ability to originate and receive calls and the ability to access electronic information services at reasonable download and upload speeds.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1017 (Perata-D) East Bay Municipal Utility District: electricity generation
Requires an electrical corporation to transmit and distribute East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) generated electricity to serve EBMUD load at other locations. Requires EBMUD to pay applicable rates approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
Chapter 668, Statutes of 2007

SB 1024* (Kehoe-D) Telecommunications: Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Act
Expands the definition of "service supplier" in order to include Voice Over Internet Protocol in the 911 State Emergency Telephone Account.
(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 1036 (Perata-D) Energy: renewable energy resources
Recasts, effective July, 2008, the Renewables Portfolio Standard Program, a program for the purchase of renewable energy.
Chapter 685, Statutes of 2007

SB 1040* (Kehoe-D) Telecommunications: Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Act
Provides for a surcharge to be imposed on amounts paid by every person in California for Voice Over Internet Protocol service that provides access to the 911 emergency system by any service user in this state beginning 7/1/08.
(On Senate Unfinished Business File)

SCR 6 (Florez-D) Public Utilities Commission
Requests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to cooperate with the state's public utilities in immediately approving advice letter filings to establish appropriate payment deferral programs for agricultural growers whose crops were destroyed as a result of the cold storms and consequent frost damage that occurred in January of 2007. Requests the PUC to authorize recovery for the actual administrative costs, with the exception of interest foregone on deferred amounts and recovery of uncollected deferred amounts incurred by the state's public utilities as a result of this program.
(On Senate Inactive File)

SCR 64 (Calderon-D) Electrical generating facilities
Declares the support of the Legislature for measures to encourage the development of new electrical generating facilities in California.
(At Assembly Desk)

SJR 7 (Maldonado-R) Renewable energy resources
Urges the support of legislation in Congress that expresses the sense that not less than 25% of energy consumed in the United States should, by 1/1/25, be provided from renewable resources. Requests that Congress ensure that efforts to increase renewable energy production do not harm current production of food, feed, and fiber.
Resolution Chapter 120, Statutes of 2007

SJR 15 (Florez-D) Telecommunications: caller identification spoofing
Urges the Congress and the President of the United States to enact the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2007, with specified amendments.
(At Assembly Desk)

SR 3 (Kehoe-D) Home Energy Assistance
Calls for an increase in the federal budget authorization for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Adopted by the Senate

AB 35 (Ruskin-D) State buildings: sustainable building standards
Enacts the Sustainable Building Act of 2007 which requires all state agencies that begin construction or renovation to a state building, on and after 7/1/10, to design, construct, and operate that state building to meet minimum standards, as described in the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for a gold rating.
Vetoed

AB 80 (Krekorian-D) Energy efficiency: school facilities
Requires the State Architect to incorporate specified energy efficiency standards as a condition of certification for school facilities constructed or modernized with state funds.
(In Assembly Education Committee)

AB 94 (Levine-D) Renewable energy
Requires all retail sellers of electricity, excluding publicly owned utilities, to procure at least 33% of their electricity from renewable resources by 2020.
(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 99 (Feuer-D) Clean alternative fuels
Requires the Air Resources Board, in consultation with the California Energy Commission, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and other relevant state agencies to develop and adopt regulations by 6/30/09 that become operative no later than 1/1/10, that will ensure that commencing 1/1/12, 50% of new passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks sold in California are clean alternative vehicles, and that commencing 1/1/20, all new passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks sold in California are clean alternative vehicles.
(In Assembly Transportation Committee)

AB 114 (Blakeslee-R) Carbon dioxide containment program
Requires the California Energy Commission, by 11/1/09, to report to the Legislature on technology to capture and contain carbon dioxide emissions from thermal powerplants and other industrial processes.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 118 (Nunez-D) Alternative fuels and vehicle technologies: funding programs
Creates the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, which the California Energy Commission (CEC) will administer, to provide, upon appropriation by the Legislature, grants, revolving loans, loan guarantees, loans, or other appropriate measures to public agencies, vehicle consortia, businesses, consumers, recreational boaters, and academic institutions to develop and deploy innovative technologies that transform California fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state's climate change policies. The CEC shall determine what alternative fuel and vehicle technology projects may receive funds, establish sustainability goals for those projects, set the definitions of terms used in the bill, determine which revenue streams will fund the program, and select projects to receive grants and loans. Requires the CEC to create an advisory body to assist in developing an investment plan to designate projects eligible for funding, and requires the CEC to determine the size and membership of this advisory body, but it must include representatives from various interest groups, including vehicle consortia, business, labor, and environmental organizations.
Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007

AB 133 (Garcia-R) Economic development capital investment incentive programs
Includes, within the types of businesses that operate a qualified manufacturing facility, a business engaged in the operation of a powerplant used for the production of electricity from one or more specified energy sources in the capital investment incentive program.
(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 140 (Garcia-R) Desert Water Agency
Authorizes the Desert Water Agency (DWA) to expand the types of resources it can use to generate electricity and to develop electricity for the construction, treatment, and disposal of sewage. Authorizes the DWA to generate electricity by hydroelectric or eligible renewable energy resources. Defines "disposal of sewage" to include the sale or resale of treated effluent for any purpose.
Chapter 29, Statutes of 2007

AB 153 (Blakeslee-R) Energy Biosciences Institute
Calls for the establishment of an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) in California. States the economic and environmental benefits of locating the EBI in California, urges the University of California (UC) to enter into a partnership with British Petroleum to establish the EBI, and declares legislative intent that the state provides UC with $40 million in the 2007-08 Budget Act to construct the EBI.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 154* (Nakanishi-R) Energy efficient commercial buildings
Defines an energy efficient commercial building property as that which meets specific federal energy efficiency standards and is installed as part of (1) a certified interior lighting system, (2) a heating, cooling, ventilation or hot water system, or (3) a building envelope. Limits the deduction to the product of $1.80 times the square footage of the building for property resulting in at least a 50% reduction in energy use relative to an identified building standard, limits the deductions to the product of 60 cents times the total square footage of the building for qualifying property not resulting in at least a 50% reduction in power usage, and applies to property placed into service between 1/31/05 and 1/1/08 which receives certification between 1/1/08 and 12/1/10.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 155* (Nakanishi-R) Energy efficient homes
Provides a credit to a qualified taxpayer for the taxable year in which a qualified energy efficient home is certified. Defines "qualified energy efficient home" as a dwelling unit located in California that is certified, as required, for the credit claimed. Awards a credit of $2,000, provided that the qualified energy efficient home is certified and specified conditions are met.
(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 231 (Eng-D) Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Act
Makes clarifying changes to the definition of what types of telephone services are assessed fees to fund the Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Account.
(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 236 (Lieu-D) Governmental motor vehicle fleets
Requires the Department of General Services, in conjunction with the Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission, by 12/31/08, to revise the purchasing methodology used to rank the environmental and energy benefits and costs of motor vehicles for potential procurement by state and local governments. Requires that state fleet vehicles capable of using alternative fuels be operating on those fuels to the maximum extent practicable unless alternative fuels are not readily available or other factors exist that may prevent the use of those fuels in the area in which the vehicle is used.
Chapter 593, Statutes of 2007

AB 255 (De Leon-D) Clean air and energy independence
Increases, from $12 to $16, the annual Smog Abatement Fee imposed on newer motor vehicles exempt from biennial inspection under the state Smog Check program, and earmarks the additional revenue to provide subsidies for the development and use of alternative fuels.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 292 (Blakeslee-R) Emergency Services Act: nuclear planning assessment
Extends the sunset on the California Emergencies Services Act from 7/1/09 to 7/1/19. Revises funding levels payable from the Nuclear Planning Assessment Special Account commencing in 2009-10. Revises the manner for yearly funding available for the Diablo Canyon, with specified adjustments, and San Onofre nuclear powerplants.
Chapter 492, Statutes of 2007

AB 408 (Levine-D) Public utility contracts: prevailing wages
Requires that public utilities that contract or subcontract outside employees for their security services must pay the prevailing wage, and that the contractors or subcontractors who are awarded a contract to provide security services must pay their employees providing security services the prevailing wage.
(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 527 (Torrico-D) Energy efficiency
Establishes a plan to include energy efficient technology in public buildings by 1/1/09. Creates the California Energy Efficient Technology Pooled Investment Fund to be administered by the Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency for procurement and implementation.
Vetoed

AB 532 (Wolk-D) Solar energy: state property
Extends, from 1/1/07 to 1/1/09, the requirement that the Department of General Services, in consultation with the California Energy Commission, ensure that solar energy equipment is installed on all state buildings, state parking facilities, and state-owned swimming pools, where feasible.
Chapter 598, Statutes of 2007

AB 533 (Galgiani-D) Local publicly owned electric utilities: cost responsibility
Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from imposing a cost responsibility surcharge, as defined, on a customer of a local publicly owned electric utility, if the customer's service location has not previously received service from an electrical corporation and if the customer's service location is within the service territory of an irrigation district meeting certain requirements.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 578 (Blakeslee-R) Energy: distributed energy generation: study
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to submit a report to the Legislature, by 1/1/09, on the impacts of distributed energy generation on the state's distribution and transmission grid.
(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 588 (De Leon-D) Public utilities: credit history
Permits privately and publicly owned utilities to release a customer's service payment history to a financial institution upon express written consent of the customer, and if a customer revokes consent, requires the utilities to comply with the revocation within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 60 days.
(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 609 (Eng-D) Energy conservation: state buildings
Allows energy conservation measures and energy service contracts for existing state buildings to be approved by the Public Works Board if cost savings will be realized through a life-cycle cost analysis over the life of the equipment installed or the term of the contract.
Chapter 600, Statutes of 2007

AB 625 (Levine-D) Energy: efficiency retrofits
Permits California's higher education facilities to request funding from awards derived from the Williams Settlement Agreement to integrate energy efficiency technologies in the educational curriculum and perform energy-efficiency retrofits on schools and public buildings. Requires these funds to be appropriated by the Legislature in the annual budget process.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 662 (Ruskin-D) Water conservation
Requires the California Energy Commission to establish minimum levels of water efficiency for appliances, the use of which requires a significant amount of water on a statewide basis.
Chapter 531, Statutes of 2007

AB 690 (Jones-D) Water corporations: rates
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a schedule for a general rate case review of the rates and operations of every water corporation that has between (1) 2,000 and 9,999 service connections not less than every three years, and (2) 500 and 1,999 service connections not less than every five years. Clarifies that if a water utility receives compensation for damages resulting from contamination of their water supply, the proceed should be allocated equitably to return the utility and ratepayers to the same financial position they were in before the contamination.
(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 719 (DeVore-R) Energy: electrical generation
Creates the California Zero Carbon Dioxide Emission Electrical Generation Act, repealing the moratorium on the building of new nuclear fusion power plants in California.
(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 722 (Levine-D) Energy: general service lamp
Phases in minimum energy efficiency requirements for general purpose light bulbs over a six-year period.
(On Assembly Inactive File)

AB 747 (Levine-D) Greenhouse gas emissions
Codifies the Governor's Executive Order that establishes a low-carbon fuel standard for transportation funds through a market-based approach, as specified.
(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 785 (Hancock-D) Energy efficiency measures
Makes numerous legislative findings and declarations regarding the urban heat island effect, directs the Contractors State License Board, the Air Resources Board, and the California Energy Commission to submit specified reports to the Legislature relating to the urban heat island effect, and changes the definition of energy efficient vehicles to include highly reflective colored vehicles that meet the current Department of General Services requirements for the California energy-efficient vehicle group purchase program.
Vetoed

AB 809 (Blakeslee-R) Energy: renewable energy resources
Makes several changes to the definition of "eligible small hydroelectric" for compliance with California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Allows any increase in the amount of electricity generated from a hydroelectric generation facility as a result of efficiency improvements at the facility to be considered renewable for purposes of the RPS, under specified conditions.
Chapter 684, Statutes of 2007

AB 811* (Levine-D) Energy: income tax credit
Allows a tax credit for the costs paid or incurred by a taxpayer for the construction of an eligible renewable resource.
(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 826 (Levine-D) Telecommunications
Directs the Public Utilities Commission to require a telephone corporation to provide additional disclosures to customers relating to bundles products and services, marketing confirmation of orders, descriptions and costs of services, and the need to obtain a customer's express consent to access proprietary customer information.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 837 (Levine-D) Oil and gas leases
Prohibits the State Lands Commission from issuing a new lease or lease extension for the extraction of oil and gas from coastal tidelands or submerged lands in state waters within the Santa Barbara Channel if the lease or lease extension will be developed from an existing or offshore oil platform.
(In Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee)

AB 868 (Davis-D) Gasoline dispensing
Requires the California Energy Commission, in partnership with the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Air Resources Board, to conduct a survey on the effect of temperatures on fuel deliveries and to report the survey findings, including recommended legislation and regulations, to the Legislature no later than 12/31/08.
Chapter 398, Statutes of 2007

AB 873 (Davis-D) Telecommunications
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to request the Federal Communications Commission to implement technology specific area codes in order to reduce the need to split area codes for voice telecommunication.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 882* (Hernandez-D) Energy efficient products: sales tax exemption
Exempts the sale or use of energy efficient products from state sales use taxes during a specified period each year.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 888 (Lieu-D) Green building standards
Requires new commercial buildings for which a public agency deems the application for a development project completed on or after 7/1/13 and that are 50,000 feet or greater be designed, constructed, and operated to meet the applicable standards described in the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating or its equivalent, unless the state adopts specified minimum green building standards, in which case those commercial buildings will be required to meet the adopted standards.
Vetoed

AB 891 (De La Torre-D) Telecommunications: consumer protection
Enacts the Truth in Telecommunications Act which requires, among other things, a contract or agreement for telecommunications services to be provided in the language in which the contract was negotiated, and requires the contract to clearly and conspicuously disclose key rates, terms, and conditions of service to be provided or product to be purchased.
(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 918 (Torrico-D) Public utilities: stocks and securities
Exempts telephone corporations that are not regulated under a rate-of-return regulatory structure from provisions in law that require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to approve new issuances of stock and security certificates. Specifies that the PUC can still require prior approval of stock transactions if the PUC first finds the prior approval requirement is in the public interest.
Chapter 239, Statutes of 2007

AB 940 (Krekorian-D) Solar energy
Requires the Office of Planning and Research to report recommendations for streamlining the siting of solar energy facilities and related transmission facilities.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 942 (Krekorian-D) Emergency telecommunications
Requires every telephone exchange service, competitive local exchange carrier, multi-telephone system, private branch exchange system, key set system, Centrex, or similar system to provide enhanced "911" service with automatic routing, number identification, and automatic location information or identification.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 946 (Krekorian-D) Electricity: renewable energy
Expands an existing incentive program for electricity produced by a public water or wastewater agency by including, as eligible projects, those on "property owned or under the control" of an agency instead of only those located "on or adjacent to" a water or wastewater facility.
Chapter 112, Statutes of 2007

AB 1046 (Leno-D) Nuclear fission thermal powerplants
Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from authorizing an investor-owned utility to recover costs associated with filing an application for license renewal with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission until the California Energy Commission has assessed the potential state and local impacts associated with on-site storage of nuclear waste at nuclear power plants.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1064 (Lieber-D) Energy: heat corporations: self-generation incentive program
Expands eligibility for the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) rebates to include advanced solar thermal, landfill gas, and waste gas technologies. Requires the California Energy Commission to submit a report to the Legislature on the costs and benefits of SGIP to residential and small commercial ratepayers.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1065 (Lieber-D) Energy: building standards: greenhouse gas
Requires the California Energy Commission to enhance standards and commission efforts to reduce the consumption of energy from offsite sources in new homes and new non-residential buildings.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1103 (Saldana-D) Commercial buildings: energy consumption
Requires electric or gas utilities to provide owners or operators of nonresidential buildings with specified information regarding the energy consumption of the building and for building owners to provide such information to prospective tenants and owners.
Chapter 533, Statutes of 2007

AB 1109 (Huffman-D) Energy resources: lighting efficiency: hazardous waste
Enacts the California Lighting Efficiency and Toxics Reduction Act. Prohibits the manufacturing for sale or the sale of certain general purpose lights that contain hazardous substances. Requires the California Energy Commission to adopt energy efficiency standards for all general purpose lights on a schedule specified in regulations.
Chapter 534, Statutes of 2007

AB 1157 (Ruskin-D) Public Utilities Commission
Makes changes to the governance of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and makes additional parties eligible to receive intervener compensation for participation in PUC proceedings.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1223 (Arambula-D) Public utilities: net energy metering
Permits an agricultural customer who uses solar or wind generation to offset the customer's own electrical needs to aggregate the electricity use of properties adjacent or contiguous to the generator that are under the same ownership to its full electricity usage over a 12-month cycle at the retail rate.
(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1225 (DeSaulnier-D) Energy: vehicles: government
Requires the California Energy Commission, with the Air Resources Board and the Department of General Services (DGS) to develop a method, criteria, and procedures to evaluate the environmental and energy benefits and costs of motor vehicles for potential procurement. Revises certain DGS and local governmental agency procedures related to procurement of fleet vehicles and requires specified recordkeeping.
(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 1234 (Wolk-D) Energy commissioner: furnaces
Establishes that a dwelling unit containing a floor furnace after 1/1/14 shall be deemed untenantable. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a new program, to run from 7/1/08 to 12/31/13, to replace gas floor furnaces in residential dwelling units occupied by customers who are eligible for the electrical corporations' and gas corporations' low-income energy efficiency programs. Whenever feasible, the floor furnaces are to be replaced with a heating appliance other than a floor furnace.
(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1310 (Leno-D) Charter-party carriers
Streamlines and refocuses enforcement by the Public Utilities Commission of statutes regulating charter-party carriers (i.e., limousine-for-hire or passenger charter services).
Chapter 701, Statutes of 2007

AB 1383 (Fuller-R) Energy and natural gas agreements: State Water Projects
Authorizes the Department of Water Resources to enter into contracts and agreements for the purchase, sale, exchange, trading, financial hedging, commodities and energy brokerage services, information subscription, transmission, or interconnection of electric power or natural gas.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1428 (Galgiani-D) Energy: agricultural byproducts customer-generator program
Replaces the existing pilot program for eligible biogas digester customer-generators with a net energy metering program for eligible customer-generators to generate electricity.
(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 1451* (Leno-D) Solar energy systems
Extends the current exclusion from "new construction" for active solar energy systems from 2008-09 fiscal year to the 2015-16 fiscal year. Specifies the exclusion must be reduced by the value of any rebates to either the owner-builder or initial purchaser. Allows owners of active solar energy systems to additionally exclude equipment used in electricity conveyance that are currently subject to tax under existing law if the owner is a private energy producer that does not receive net metering. Provides that owners must have an electricity purchasing agreement to supply a local publicly owned electric utility or electric corporation.
(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1470 (Huffman-D) Solar energy
Creates the Solar Hot Water and Efficiency Act of 2007, a $250 million subsidy program for solar hot water heaters with the goal of promoting the installation of 200,000 solar hot water systems in California by 2017.
Chapter 536, Statutes of 2007

AB 1506 (Arambula-D) Greenhouse gas emissions
Requires the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to conduct a study of the most effective ways for the state to provide incentives to businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and increase California's energy independence and to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on or before 1/1/09. Makes legislative findings relative to increased energy costs, the threats of climate change to California businesses, and the role of business incentives to reduce GHG emissions.
(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1517 (Jones-D) Public utilities: regulation of rates
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to report annually to the Legislature the amount of state and federal income taxes actually paid by the utilities it regulates, and include in rates only those expenses for income taxes actually paid to the state and federal taxing authorities.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1532 (Parra-D) Public utilities: crude oil imports
Requires the Air Resources Board, when establishing the low carbon fuel standard pursuant to Executive Order S-01-07, to ensure that the standards do not increase the state's overall dependence on crude oil imports.
(In Assembly Rules Committee)

AB 1552 (Feuer-D) Petroleum products: information
Permits the Board of Equalization, the California Energy Commission, and the Attorney General to have access to similar information about refiners and major marketers of petroleum products under specified circumstances.
(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1560 (Huffman-D) Energy efficiency: building standards
Requires the California Energy Commission to incorporate standards for water efficiency and conservation into the existing regulations governing energy efficiency (does not include water efficiency in the requirement linking energy efficiency standards to building permits).
Chapter 532, Statutes of 2007

AB 1610 (Nunez-D) Fuels: refineries
Requires specified information from refineries, clarifies and expands the California Energy Commission's role in collecting the desired maintenance information, and authorizes inspections of refineries and the adjustment of scheduled maintenance activity.
(Failed passage on the Senate Floor)

AB 1613 (Blakeslee-R) Energy: Waste Heat and Carbon Emissions Reduction Act
Enacts the Waste Heat and Carbon Emissions Reduction Act which relates to the utilization of excess waste heat through combined heat and power distributed generation technologies.
Chapter 713, Statutes of 2007

AB 1647 (De La Torre-D) Video service: customer service standards
Requires the Public Utilities Commission to open a rulemaking or other appropriate proceeding and, in consultation with local entities, to adopt customer service standards for video service providers that ensure capable and responsive customer service.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1714* (Levine-D) Energy: solar energy systems
Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to delay the requirement that time variant electricity pricing be used for solar energy customers (this allows those customers the option of using either time-of-use rates or flat rates, as specified).
Chapter 11, Statutes of 2007

AB 1715 (Assembly Utilities And Commerce Committee) Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act
Makes technical, non-substantive, clarifying, and conforming changes to the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act, which creates a state-issued franchise process for video services in California.
Chapter 123, Statutes of 2007

AB 1716 (Assembly Utilities And Commerce Committee) Telecommunications: California Teleconnect Fund
Permits the Public Utilities Commission to use a representative discount figure to estimate customers' federal E-rate discount for use in calculating the Teleconnect discount.
Chapter 70, Statutes of 2007

AB 5XX (DeVore-R) Water: electricity for desalination: nuclear energy
Authorizes the California Energy Commission to certify one new nuclear fission thermal reactor located at the site of an existing operating nuclear fission thermal powerplant if not less than 20% of the electricity generated by the reactor is dedicated to powering desalinization facilities to produce additional fresh water from salt water and the generating capacity of the reactor does not exceed 2,000 megawatts.
(Unassigned to a committee)

ACR 12 (Parra-D) Agriculture: frost damage
Requests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to cooperate with the state's public utilities in immediately approving advice filings to establish appropriate payment deferral programs for citrus and other affected growers whose crops were destroyed as a result of the cold storms and consequent frost damage that occurred in January 2007. Requests the PUC to authorize recovery for the actual administrative costs, with the exception of interest foregone on deferred amounts, and recovery of uncollected deferred amounts incurred by the state's public utilities as a result of this program.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AJR 3 (Dymally-D) Low-income home energy assistance
Memorializes the President and the Congress to increase the federal budget authorization for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to $7 billion for the 2007-08 fiscal year and appropriate that entire amount for distribution to the states.
(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

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