Energy and Utilities

Energy and Utilities Legislation

SB 46* (Alpert-D) Distributed energy resources

Expands the distributed energy resources criterion to include electric generation technology that commenced initial operation between May 1, 2001 and June 1, 2005, except that gas-fired distributed energy resources that are not operated in a combined heat and power application must commence operation no later than September 1, 2003.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 72 (Dunn-D) Independent System Operator

Requires the Independent System Operator, prior to submitting any discretionary tariff change to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to determine the change will have a demonstrable economic benefit for ratepayers. FERC-required and emergency filings are exempt from this requirement.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 107* (Bowen-D) Independent System Operator: report

Replaces the existing Self-Generation Incentives Program with a new program, with specified, narrowed parameters.

(Failed passage in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 118 (Bowen-D) Solar Energy Peak Procurement Program

Establishes a Solar Energy Peak Procurement Program in the State Public Utilities Commission to award rebates for the installation of grid connected solar energy systems as specified and requires the development of a solar Peak Energy Affordable Housing Revolving Fund in the State Treasury.

(Died on Assembly Third Reading File)

SB 119 (Morrow-R) Independent System Operator

Requires specified transactional and transmission information regarding market activities of electrical corporations and other market participants be reported to the Independent System Operator and the State Attorney General and authorizes the conveyance of that information to a federal government agency, as specified.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 128 (Bowen-D) Cellular telecommunications service

Requires providers of cellular telephone service to extend a minimum 30-day grace period to new customers during which the customer may rescind the agreement.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

SB 171 (Bowen-D) State Public Utilities Commission: judicial review

Authorizes any aggrieved party to petition the court to review the decision of the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with respect to an order that interprets a provision of the Public Utilities Code. Specifies the court shall only determine if the PUC acted without, or in excess of, its powers and jurisdiction or whether the order violates any right of the petitioner.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 173 (Dunn-D) Energy

Reduces the State Public Utilities Commission's reliance on price indexes to establish certain energy prices, in response to reports that these indexes have been manipulated and tainted by fraudulent information. Increases the penalty assessed under the Unfair Competition Law for fraudulent reporting of information to energy price index publishers.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 199 (Murray-D) Energy: Solar Homes Peak Energy Procurement Program

Implements the Solar Homes Peak Energy Procurement Program which creates a rebate program for installation of new solar energy systems with the goal of installing solar systems on a million homes by 2017.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 289 (Murray-D) Residential solar energy systems

Requires that an unspecified percentage of single-family residences, constructed on or after January 1, 2006, include a solar energy system and the California Energy Commission to make a related determination by January 1, 2008.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 304 (Morrow-R) Petroleum: refiners: service stations

Prohibits refiners of motor fuels from converting service stations owned by independent dealers to company-operated service stations, after January 1, 2005. Also prohibits refiners from engaging in various pricing and delivery practices.

(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

SB 310 (Sher-D) California Energy Commission

Requires the Secretary for the State Environmental Protection Agency to be an ex officio, nonvoting member of the California Energy Commission.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 429 (Torlakson-D) Petroleum infrastructure projects

Requires an examination of government agencies' requirements associated with the development of petroleum infrastructure projects.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 520 (Sher-D) Independent System Operator

Requires the Independent System Operator to review its performance and costs, compare its costs to other system operators, and report its findings to the Legislature by February 1, 2004.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 529 (Morrow-R) Irrigation districts: electric power facilities: sale

Requires an irrigation district that owns, operates, and maintains facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electric power, to give notice to the State Public Utilities Commission at least 30 days prior to the proposed sale date of the proposed sale of evidence of indebtedness issued to provide financing of any works of the district.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

SB 659 (Soto-D) State Public Utilities Commission: decisions

Repeals provisions in existing law that require an expedited rehearing and expedited judicial review of any State Public Utilities Commission decisions arising out of implementation of AB 1X (Keeley), Chapter 4, Statutes of 2001.

Chapter 855, Statutes of 2004

SB 697 (Soto-D) Public utilities: community choice aggregation

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to establish separate distribution service rates and charges for electricity, as defined, that is supplied to end use customers, as specified, where the electricity is transported within a single local distribution system.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 770 (Chesbro-D) Pacific Union College: electric service reliability

Makes findings that there have been allegations of inadequate electric service quality in northern Napa County. Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to order Pacific Gas and Electric Company to undertake a service quality study in the Napa County area.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 772* (Bowen-D) Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Authorizes Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to issue recovery bonds, secured by a dedicated rate component, to refinance, and lower the costs of, its $2.21 billion regulatory asset, established by the State Public Utilities Commission, pursuant to its bankruptcy settlement with PG&E.

Chapter 46, Statutes of 2004

SB 820 (Denham-R) Ethanol

Requires the California Energy Commission to report to the Legislature and Governor, by January 1, 2005, on the renewable ethanol industry in the state.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 830 (Florez-D) Telecommunications: caller identification

Requires that every telephone call identification service offered in this state by a telephone corporation, or by any other person or corporation that makes use of the facilities of a telephone corporation, to offer that service without charge to any elementary or secondary public school.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 834 (Bowen-D) Public utilities: high speed communications services

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to convene a proceeding to consider how to encourage more competition in the high speed communications services business.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 874 (Bowen-D) Net energy metering

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to adopt regulations relating to a customer's request to net meter and create a process for resolving differences of opinion on how quickly systems should be installed and how costs should be apportioned.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 894 (Aanestad-R) Telecommunications: rates

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission, until January 1, 2005, to establish a competitively neutral and broad-based program, consistent with a policy of rate comparability to ensure that rates are not more than 150 percent higher in one area of the state than another.

(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

SB 920 (Bowen-D) Electricity Oversight Board: Independent System Operator

Eliminates the Electricity Oversight Board (EOB) and transfers all legal and regulatory proceedings where EOB is a party, as specified, and makes related changes to provisions concerning the Independent System Operator and the Power Exchange.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 944 (Sher-D) Rates: cost recovery: advocacy account

Requires each public utility to establish a separate regulatory, legislative, and judicial advocacy account and record in that account all costs that the utility includes in its revenue requirement for rate recovery related to appearing at certain governmental proceedings. The costs recorded in the account will be recoverable in rates following a separate request by the affected utility.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 981 (Soto-D) Children's Health and Petroleum Pollution Remediation Act

Enacts the Children's Health and Petroleum Pollution Remediation Act of 2003 and makes extensive legislative findings regarding petroleum products and air pollution.

(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 1015 (Morrow-R) Distributed energy resources

Removes the installation deadline for specified distributed generation projects making any such project installed between 2004 and 2011 eligible for a waiver of utility standby charges until 2011.

(Failed passage in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1102* (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) General government

Is the general government omnibus budget trailer bill. Provides various legislative changes related to general government necessary for the enactment of the 2004-05 Budget Act.

Chapter 227, Statutes of 2004

SB 1163 (Dunn-D) Utilities

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to accept and investigate, as necessary, complaints made by sub-metered mobilehome park or apartment complex customers alleging violations of master-meter responsibilities, and makes changes to the utility statements provided by the management of a mobilehome park to residents.

Chapter 728, Statutes of 2004

SB 1201* (Torlakson-D) Electrical restructuring: Bay Area Rapid Transit District

Provides the Bay Area Rapid Transit District with the additional option of receiving electric service from a local publicly-owned supplier of electricity (municipal utility).

Chapter 613, Statutes of 2004

SB 1276 (Bowen-D) Telecommunications: telephone service rates

Extends the requirement for the State Public Utilities Commission to provide affordable telephone rates in high cost areas and appropriates funds for the support of the California Teleconnect Program.

Chapter 847, Statutes of 2004

SB 1296* (Soto-D) Bark beetle wood waste fueled generating facilities

States the intent of the Legislature to promote investment in, and the use of, power generation systems that have the capability of utilizing bark beetle wood waste as fuel for electrical power generation.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1388 (Ortiz-D) Criminal history information

Allows cable corporations, as defined, access to state and federal criminal history information for their employees and contract employees who may be seeking entrance to private residences and/or adjacent grounds.

Chapter 570, Statutes of 2004

SB 1398 (Morrow-R) Distributed energy resources

Increases eligibility for incentives, decreases utility charges, and lowers emission standards applicable to distributed generation (DG) by revising and adding to DG provisions established by current law.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1478 (Sher-D) Renewable energy

Makes numerous changes to the California Renewables Portfolio Standards Program and the Renewable Energy Program, as specified.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1488 (Bowen-D) State Public Utilities Commission: public information

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to initiate a proceeding to review its public disclosure practices.

Chapter 690, Statutes of 2004

SB 1491 (McPherson-R) Capital facilities fees

Prohibits a public agency providing public utility service from imposing capital facilities fees that result in subsidizing of any other class of customers by public agency customers.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1565 (Bowen-D) State Energy Resources Conservation & Development Commission

Requires the California Energy Commission to adopt a strategic plan for investments in the state's electric transmission grid, using existing resources.

Chapter 692, Statutes of 2004

SB 1575 (Soto-D) Direct transactions: community choice aggregation

Exempts a joint powers authority providing electricity service within the boundaries of a former military base that has been closed by the federal government from AB 117 (Migden), Chapter 838, Statutes of 2002, provisions to ensure cost recovery.

(Failed passage in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1582 (Bowen-D) Provisional driver's license: wireless telephones

Prohibits a driver under the age of 18 from using a wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle.

(Failed passage in Assembly Transportation Committee)

SB 1624 (Bowen-D) Office of Ratepayer Advocates

Makes minor and clarifying changes related to the Office of Ratepayer Advocates, within the State Public Utilities Commission.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SB 1652 (Murray-D) Energy: residential solar energy systems

Establishes a new program to fund solar energy systems for new residential construction and mandates that specified percentages of new homes include solar energy systems.

(Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1716 (Ducheny-D) California Energy Commission: California power authority

Repeals the statutes creating the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority (CPA) and transfers any assets, liabilities, and surpluses to the Energy Resources Programs Account. Abolishes the role of the CPA in powerplant siting permit revocations.

(Failed passage in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1776 (Bowen-D) Electrical energy: thermal powerplants

Reinstates, until January 1, 2007, a requirement for the California Energy Commission to establish an expedited, six-month review process for the certification of thermal powerplants.

Chapter 245, Statutes of 2004

SB 1805 (Murray-D) Solar energy systems

Prohibits a homeowner's association from withholding approval on the installation of or use of specified solar energy systems.

(Died in Senate Housing and Community Development Committee)

SB 1854 (Ducheny-D) Public utilities: reports and records

Provides the information made available by a public utility to the State Public Utilities Commission at the public utility's Internet web site satisfies the requirements of delivering copies.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1859 (Bowen-D) Energy

Moves the California Energy Commission to the California environmental protection Agency.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 1891 (Senate Energy, Utilities, And Communications Committee) Public utilities: metering of multiunit residences

Makes technical, non-controversial changes to utility-related statutes. Is the annual committee bill.

Chapter 694, Statutes of 2004

SCA 6 (Battin-R) State Public Utilities Commission: election

Subject to voter approval (1) requires commissioners of the State Public Utilities Commission to be elected, rather than appointed, (2) increases the number of commissioners from five to seven, and (3) requires the state to be divided into seven districts, as specified.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SCA 13 (Dunn-D) Public utilities: gasoline

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.

(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

SCR 30 (Poochigian-R) Electricity cost refunds

Concludes that energy-related refunds ordered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or negotiated by the State Attorney General (AG), should be used to benefit ratepayers who were harmed, and to reimburse reasonable litigation expenses incurred by the AG.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

SCR 39 (Johnson-R) Local publicly owned electric utilities: exit fees

Declares legislative intent that any municipal utility serving customers in newly developed areas shall be exempt from any exit fees, after meeting specified conditions.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 135* (Reyes-D) Renewable energy resources

Extends by one year, until December 31, 2008, the California Energy Commission's authority to spend moneys collected in the Renewable Resources Trust Fund (RRTF) for emerging renewable technologies from other accounts within RRTF, but limits this authority to no more than $60 million.

Chapter 867, Statutes of 2004

AB 426 (Cox-R) Local publicly owned electric utilities: cost responsibility

Prohibits the State Public Utilities Commission from imposing any charge, including a cost responsibility surcharge, on a customer of a local publicly-owned electric utility if the customer's service location has not previously received service from an investor-owned utility.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 428 (Richman-R) State Public Utilities Commission: direct transactions

Directs the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to permit direct access equivalent to load growth and reduction in the State Department of Water Resources contract obligations from 2006-09. Directs the PUC to establish core/non-core direct access, beginning 2009.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 442 (Levine-D) Telecommunications: regulatory streamlining

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to take specific actions regarding regulation of the communications industry.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 502 (Canciamilla-D) Permit Streamlining Act: natural gas projects

Provides that if an applicant for a natural gas exploration or production development project and a public agency agree in writing to expedite the permit process, the public agency may temporarily contract out services and charge fees to pay for the expedition of those services or functions necessary to meet the time limits and requirements under the Permit Streamlining Act.

Chapter 439, Statutes of 2004

AB 508 (McCarthy-R) Telecommunications: commercial mobile radio services

Provides that a telephone corporation does not include a person or corporation that provides commercial mobile radio services, unless expressly made applicable, by any statute, to commercial mobile radio service or a category of commercial mobile radio services. Changes the definition of a telephone line as including all conduits, ducts, poles, wires, cables, instruments, and appliances, and all other real estate, fixtures, and personal property owned, controlled, operated, or managed in connection with or to facilities communication by telephone using transmission wires.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 594 (Leno-D) Private energy producers: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power

Establishes a net metering program between the City and County of San Francisco through Hetch Hetchy Water and Power photovoltaic generation facilities and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Chapter 790, Statutes of 2004

AB 653 (Nunez-D) Energy Conservation in Public Buildings Program

Repeals the sunset date and expands eligibility requirements for bonding authority related to the State Public Works Board's "Energy Conservation in Public Buildings Program."

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 742 (Canciamilla-D) Streambed alteration

Adds the routine maintenance and operation of hydroelectric facilities to the list of activities that do not require the notice and agreement in current law.

(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 808 (Canciamilla-D) Energy: agency consolidation

Contains a major reorganization of California's energy regulatory apparatus. Establishes an Energy Agency.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 840 (Calderon-D) State Public Utilities Commission: evidence

Makes major procedural changes with regard to the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in two areas. First, requires the PUC to adhere to the evidentiary rules of the Administrative Procedure Act in its adjudicatory proceedings. Second, requires a writ of review to be issued by the court in certain cases where an application is filed for review of a PUC decision (any case where the petition challenges the decision on the ground that the decision relies on reasoning that misconstrues, misinterprets or misapplies a statute or where the decision relies on a statutory provision that is unconstitutional or prohibited by federal law or regulations).

(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 860 (Bates-R) Electrical corporations: desalination plants

Excludes an entity from regulation as a public utility if it sells electricity to another corporation for the purpose of operating a seawater desalination plant.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 868 (Parra-D) Migrant farm labor centers

Deems an entity operating a migrant farm labor center to be eligible for the California Alternative Rates for Energy Program.

Chapter 671, Statutes of 2004

AB 914 (Reyes-D) Electricity: financing energy recovery

Makes numerous changes in order to expand the capability of the 911 system.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 925 (Richman-R) Powerplants: permits

Reduces the number of conditions a powerplant must meet to qualify for an expedited review of application. Eliminates the repeal date of this provision and eliminates the repeal of the requirement that the California Energy Commission establish a process for the expedited review of applications to construct and operate thermal powerplants.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 1157 (Canciamilla-D) Public utilities: water and gas rates

Eliminates the State Public Utilities Committee's authority, regarding an application for a general rate increase by a water utility, as specified, to issue a lesser increase or require a different effective date. This authorizes water corporations to increase interim rates at the rate of inflation on all pending general rate case applications.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1169 (Bermudez-D) Telephone corporations

Clarifies the definition of property or asset as it relates to telephone corporations. Authorizes a telephone corporation to dispose of specified property or assets without obtaining the State Public Utilities Commission's approval.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1203 (Haynes-R) Electric power: purchase contracts

Authorizes the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to contract with any person, local publicly owned electric utility, or other entity for the purchase of power on such terms and for such periods as DWR determines and at such prices as DWR deems appropriate. Requires DWR to sell or liquidate all contracts for the purchase of power that it has entered into pursuant to the above provision.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1237 (Salinas-D) Electrical corporations

Requires energy efficiency programs operated by the state's investor-owned utilities to include a program for energy efficiency improvement at facilities owned and operated by nonprofit organizations that exclusively serve those who will meet the programs' income eligibility requirements.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1291 (Campbell-R) Baseline rates: electric pumps

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to establish a baseline quantity and electricity rate for people who live in homes that were designed to be all electric.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1292 (Campbell-R) State Public Utilities Commission: telecommunications

Specifies that all public service funds administered by the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will be continuously appropriated. Requires that six public service funds in the PUC be continuously appropriated regardless of the fiscal year.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1329 (Levine-D) State Public Utilities Commission: gasoline and diesel

Makes gasoline and diesel refining, storage, distribution, and retail sales facilities into public utilities, covering all oil company activities subsequent to the acquisition of the raw crude oil. Changes the rules for providing gasoline and diesel fuel in California. Charges the State Public Utilities Commission with ensuring gasoline products are just and reasonable.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1335 (Matthews-D) Telecommunications: selling or licensing lists

Prohibits a provider of mobile telephone services selling or licensing lists of subscribers or otherwise providing the name and dialing number of a subscriber for inclusion in any directory, from including the dialing number without first obtaining the express consent of the subscriber.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1452 (Hancock-D) Telecommunications: predictive dialers

Requires that the error rate established by the State Public Utilities Commission for predictive dialers not exceed one percent and specifies criteria for an "abandoned call".

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1642 (Ridley-Thomas-D) Passenger state corporations and charter-party carriers

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to adopt regulations establishing standards and procedures to investigate the criminal background of candidates seeking certificates for employment as drivers or key employees with passenger stage corporations and charter-party carriers that serve airports and railroad terminals.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1647 (Jerome Horton-D) Public water systems: mutual water companies: grant funds

Authorizes investor-owned water utility and mutual water companies to be eligible for grant funding from sale of any general obligation bond unless they are not included or excluded by the express provisions of the bond act.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1661 (Diaz-D) Public utilities: reports and records

Provides that information made readily available to the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) at a public utility's Internet web site satisfies the requirements in current law relating to delivery to the PUC of copies of specified information.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1684* (Leno-D) Combustion operated fossil fuel projects

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission, in consultation with the California Energy Commission, to administer a self-generation incentive program for all combustion operated fossil fuel distributed generation projects.

Chapter 675, Statutes of 2004

AB 1730 (Assembly Utilities And Commerce Committee) Telecommunications: high-cost funds

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to submit a report to the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee and the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, or their successors, by March 1, 2004, on the status of balances, transfers, and reimbursement requests for the California High-Cost Fund-A Administrative Committee fund and the High-Cost Fund-B Administrative Committee Fund.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1733 (Reyes-D) Wireless telephone numbers

Seeks to provide additional privacy protection for wireless telephone numbers. Requires wireless telephone companies to obtain express written opt-in consent from customers before publishing wireless phone numbers in a directory or directory database.

Chapter 753, Statutes of 2004

AB 1734 (Assembly Utilities And Commerce Committee) Public utilities: energy efficiency budgets

Allows public utilities to submit multi-year energy efficiency program budgets to the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and requires PUC approval of the program budgets within six months after submittal.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1833 (Reyes-D) Telecommunications: commercial mobile radio service handset

Requires that every commercial mobile radio service handset on other device sold after January 1, 2008, that is equipped to take or transmit photographic images emit a distinctive noise or light to indicate when a photographic image is recorded.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 1874 (Cohn-D) Telecommunications: information and advanced communications

Makes legislative findings and declarations regarding the importance of, and establishing policies to encourage, the deployment of advanced communication services and shortens the processing time for encroachment permits for telecommunication and cable television companies from 60 to 45 days.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1889 (Chu-D) Electrical restructuring: Power Exchange

Deletes obsolete code sections in the Public Utilities Code that pertain to the bankrupted Power Exchange.

(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 1981 (Wolk-D) Telecommunications: deaf and disabled telecommunications

Requires telephone subscribers certified as disabled to have the option of receiving a mobile phone, with features for the disabled, in lieu of other specialized or supplemental telephone equipment.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1991 (Lowenthal-D) Petroleum infrastructure projects

Includes petroleum infrastructure projects in the existing certification process for electric transmission lines or thermal powerplants. Requires an expedited process for certification of a petroleum infrastructure project. Makes related changes.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2006 (Nunez-D) Electrical restructuring

Enacts the "Reliable Electric Service Act of 2004" and specifies cost recovery and obligation to serve provisions for investor-owned utilities, long-term procurement planning requirements, resource adequacy requirements, and State Public Utilities Commission process reform requirements.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2135 (Levine-D) Telecommunications: access to local government property

Requires local governments to compile and maintain lists of their property that might be suitable to leasing for wireless telecommunications equipment.

(Died on Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 2172 (Levine-D) Telecommunications: wireless providers

Makes numerous changes to statutes governing the leases and lease revenues of state-owned property, managed by the State Department of General Services, to wireless telecommunications providers as they relate to the "Digital Divide."

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 2242 (Strickland-R) Local cable television: franchises

Changes the requirements of an additional cable franchise if its given to a telephone corporation or its affiliate. Provides that, under this circumstance, the additional franchise only has to serve the area within that telephone corporation's service area and does not have to meet all of the requirements applied to cable companies.

(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

AB 2283 (Chu-D) "211" telephone number system

Provides a process for implementing the nationally-designated 2-1-1 system for non-emergency community information and referral services.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2299 (Plescia-R) Commercial dishwashing prerinse spray valves

Requires the California Energy Commission, not later than January 1, 2006, to revise any regulation that was operative on January 1, 2004 and relates to energy efficiency standards for commercial dishwashing prerinse spray valves to require, commencing January 1, 2007, every valve sold or installed in the state to u se less than 1.6 gallons of water per minute.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2303 (Leno-D) Public utilities: executive bonuses

Requires that any expense resulting from a bonus paid to an executive officer of a public utility that has ceased to pay its debts in the ordinary course of business shall be borne by the shareholders of that utility rather than being recovered through rates.

Chapter 759, Statutes of 2004

AB 2304* (Richman-R) Energy resources

Amends and repeals requirements that the California Energy Commission provide specified reports to the Legislature.

Chapter 781, Statutes of 2004

AB 2305 (Richman-R) Petroleum infrastructure: permitting process

Requires the California Energy Commission to make recommendations to the Legislature for establishing a streamlined permitting process for petroleum-related infrastructure.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2311 (Jackson-D) Energy efficiency: sustainable building

Calls upon the state to develop a sustainable, or "green" building goal requiring formulation of a defined strategy and an annual reporting requirement to the Legislature on the implementation of that strategy.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2419 (Campbell-R) Public utilities: judicial review

Authorizes any aggrieved party to petition the court of appeal or the Supreme Court, within the specified time limits for a review of the lawfulness of an order or decision on rehearing of the State Public Utilities Commission.

(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 2432 (Oropeza-D) Blackouts

Requires any electrical corporation or local publicly owned electric utility, as defined, to provide a status report containing specified information, along with any additional information required the State Public Utilities Commission, to any customer that is without electricity as a result of an outage or blackout, beginning with hour 26 after the beginning of the outage or blackout, excluding an outage or blackout that occurs as a result of or in conjunction with, a declared state of emergency or local emergency, as defined.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 2447 (Diaz-D) State Public Utilities Commission: information practices

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to post on its Internet web site a list of the reports it is required to file with the Legislature and the status of those reports.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2473 (Wolk-D) Energy systems: local regulations

Requires cities and counties to permit the installation of solar energy systems by right if the system meets specified requirements, and redefines the term "significantly" in regard to restrictions on solar systems that raise costs or decrease efficiency.

Chapter 789, Statutes of 2004

AB 2497 (Cox-R) Energy: powerplant development: labor disputes

Requires the California Energy Commission to document the impact of labor disputes on power plant development.

(Failed passage in Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2499 (Jerome Horton-D) New publicly owned electric utilities: resource plans

Requires every new local publicly owned electric utility to meet resource adequacy requirements equivalent to those established by the State Public Utilities Commission for electrical corporations, as specified. Provides that the South Coast Air Quality Management District shall exempt vehicles used for electric utility high voltage work from any fleet rules requiring the use of alternative fuel.

(Failed passage on Senate Floor)

AB 2505 (Maldonado-R) Public utilities: stocks and security transactions

Exempts most large telephone corporations from the prior approval requirement for the issuance of stock or debt, but allows the State Public Utilities Commission to reimpose the requirement if it finds doing so is in the public interest.

(Failed passage in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2509 (Nakanishi-R) Electric microutilities

States legislative intent that the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) consider the costs imposed on a microutility in participating in a PUC proceeding before naming the microutility as a respondent in a hearing generally applicable to electrical corporations.

Chapter 639, Statutes of 2004

AB 2539 (Plescia-R) State Public Utilities Commission: organization

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to post a specified information guide related to the scheduled ratemaking proceedings on the commission's Internet web site.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 2577 (La Suer-R) Telecommunications

Allows telephone and telegraph companies to share with third parties information about a subscriber's calling patterns, credit information, or service history under specified situations without obtaining a customer's written consent.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 2589 (Calderon-D) Public utilities: reports and records

Allows the State Public Utilities Commission to fulfill specified report requirements by electronic filing or by posting on the Internet.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 2591 (Leno-D) Charter-party carriers: limousines

Strengthens the enforcement authority of local governments in the regulation of charter-party carriers.

Chapter 603, Statutes of 2004

AB 2593 (Calderon-D) Self-generation incentive program

Specifies that the State Public Utilities Commission has the option to suspend for a year the collection of the surcharge for the Self-Generation Incentive Program when it determines it has sufficient funds to meet current year demand for incentives.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2642 (Canciamilla-D) Permit Streamlining Act: natural gas

Creates an expedited 120-day permitting process for in-state natural gas wells.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2643 (Canciamilla-D) Energy: natural gas

Requires the California Energy Commission to prepare, as a component of the 2005 Integrated Energy Policy Report, an assessment of the costs and benefits of siting liquefied natural gas facilities within the state.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2652 (Bates-R) Electricity: repowering powerplants

Requires the California Energy Commission to establish a process for expedited review for the certification of application to repower a thermal powerplant or related facility.

(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 2685 (Oropeza-D) Vehicles: fuel conservation measures

Requires the Governor to launch a public education campaign, as specified, about reducing demand for gasoline and diesel fuel.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 2758 (Berg-D) Rural Telecommunication Infrastructure Grant Program

Extends, from 2006 to 2009, the sunset date for the Rural Telecommunication Infrastructure Grant Program, administered by the State Public Utilities Commission, funded out of an existing surcharge on telephone services, to extend telecommunications services to specified low-income communities.

Chapter 767, Statutes of 2004

AB 2767 (Richman-R) State Department of Water Resources: electricity purchases

Clarifies existing law to authorize the State Department of Water Resources to re-negotiate contractual agreements pertaining to electricity purchase contracts.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2768 (Richman-R) Telecommunications: regulatory streamlining

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission to take specific actions regarding regulation of the communications industry.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 2799 (Calderon-D) Telecommunications: billings

Requires only the essential terms of an agreement be adequately disclosed in written solicitations mailed to an existing or prospective customer. Also establishes payment obligations for customers as a result of contractual obligations for a product or service.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2803 (Jerome Horton-D) State Public Utilities Commission: hearings

Requires that in specific State Public Utilities Commission cases, the scoping memorandum must also indicate whether there is a need to consider the economic impact of the issues presented in the case.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 2858 (Ridley-Thomas-D) Charter-party carriers of passengers

Requires that drivers and key employees of passenger stage corporations and charter-party carriers have obtained security clearances and to provide uniformity in credentialing among charter-party carriers, as specified.

(Failed passage in Senate Public Safety Committee)

AB 2869 (Levine-D) Local publicly owned electric utilities: charges

Exempts customers of a utility from paying specific charges established by either the board of the local publicly owned electric utility or the State Public Utilities Commission.

Chapter 646, Statutes of 2004

AB 2901 (Pavley-D) Solid waste: cell phones: recycling

Enacts the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 and requires all retailers of cellular telephones to have in place a system for the collection, reuse, and recycling of all phones, requires the State Department of Toxic Substances Control to provide information on cell phone recycling and to adopt regulations to prohibit a cell phone from being solid in California if the cell phone is prohibited form sale in the European Union.

Chapter 891, Statutes of 2004

AB 2918 (Laird-D) Desalination facilities

Requires the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to evaluate the interrelationship between the PUC's electricity policies and water policies as they relate to saline water conversion through ocean desalination, and to report to the Governor and the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2006, on the balance between electricity ratepayers and water ratepayers.

Chapter 648, Statutes of 2004

AB 2924 (Wiggins-D) Low-income Housing Development Revolving Loan Program

Establishes the Low-income Housing Development Revolving Loan Program to subsidize the financing gap for distributed solar energy systems in low-income housing units. Creates the Low-income Housing Development Revolving Loan Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, to implement the program.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communication Committee)

AB 2967 (La Malfa-R) California Energy Commission: California power authority

Repeals the statutory provisions creating the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority and abolishes its funding mechanism, including transfer of its assets, liabilities, and surplus funds to the Energy Resources Programs Account.

(Failed passage in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 3005 (Calderon-D) Renewable energy resources

Requires the California Energy Commission to establish a renewable energy credits trading program and to develop tracking, accounting, verification, and enforcement mechanisms for the program. Requires the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility to establish a renewables portfolio standard, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

ACR 118 (Wiggins-D) Public broadcasting

Recognizes the considerable contribution that the public broadcasting stations of this state make in educating and informing the citizens of our state and urges all state agencies to consider and explore partnerships with these stations that might assist in effectively and efficiently carrying out the responsibilities and mandates of those agencies, without increasing existing state expenditures.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

ACR 245 (Kehoe-D) Shell Oil Refinery at Bakersfield

Urges the Shell Oil Products U.S. to publicly announce the company's assurance to keep its refinery at Bakersfield operational until at least December 31, 2004, to allow the necessary time needed for Turner, Mason and Company Consulting Engineers to conduct a good faith effort to locate a potential buyer for the refinery who would continue to operate the refinery in the future.

(Died in Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

HR 55 (Jerome Horton-D) Nielsen Media Research

Calls upon Nielsen Media Research to delay the introduction of Local People Meters (LPMs) in the Los Angeles regional media market until sufficient study has been conducted to ensure fair and accurate counting of all Los Angeles area viewers, regardless of race, ethnicity, or national background.

(Died in Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee)

Index (in Bill Order)