BILL NUMBER: SB 1035	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hancock

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2010

   An act to amend Section 12811.1 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to utility charges.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1035, as introduced, Hancock. Municipal utility district:
utility charges: delinquencies.
   The existing Municipal Utility District Act authorizes the
formation of a municipal utility district. The act authorizes a
district to acquire, construct, own, operate, control, or use works
for supplying the inhabitants of the district and public agencies
with light, water, power, heat, transportation, telephone service, or
other means of communication, or means for the collection,
treatment, or disposition of garbage, sewage, or refuse matter. The
act authorizes a municipal utility district, by resolution or
ordinance, to require the owner of record of privately owned real
property within the district to pay the fees, tolls, rates, rentals,
or other charges for certain utility services rendered to a lessee,
tenant, or subtenant, and provides that those charges that have
become delinquent, together with interest and penalties, are a lien
on the property when a certificate is filed by the district in the
office of the county recorder and that the lien has the force,
effect, and priority of a judgment lien. The act exempts water and
sewer services to residential property and electrical services from
this provision.
   This bill, in addition to the above-described methods for
collecting delinquent charges, would establish procedures for a
municipal utility district to collect delinquent fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, or other charges, together with interest and penalties
thereon, for services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or subtenant,
through the tax roll, in the same manner as property taxes. The bill
would authorize a municipal utility district to collect delinquent
fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges, together with interest
and penalties thereon, for services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or
subtenant, by recording in the office of the county recorder of the
county in which the affected parcel is located, a certificate
declaring the amount of the delinquent charges, together with
interest and penalties thereon, which would then constitute a lien
against the affected real property of the delinquent property owner
in that county and have the force, effect, and priority of a judgment
lien. The bill would delete the above-described exemption for water
and sewer services to residential property, thereby exempting only
electrical services from these collection provisions. By requiring
county auditors and recorders to undertake certain actions in
response to the exercise of collection measures by a municipal
utility district, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program. The bill would require a municipal utility district that
exercises these collection measures to reimburse the county for the
reasonable expenses incurred by the county.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 12811.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   12811.1.  (a) A district may, by resolution or ordinance, require
the owner of record of real property within the district to pay the
fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services rendered
to a lessee, tenant, or subtenant, and those fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, and other charges that have become delinquent, together with
interest and penalties thereon, are a lien on the property when a
certificate is filed in the office of the county recorder pursuant to
subdivision (b) and the lien has the force, effect, and priority of
a judgment lien. No lien may be created under this section on any
publicly owned property.
   (b) A lien under this section attaches when the district files for
recordation in the office of the county recorder a certificate
specifying the amount of the delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals,
or other charges together with interest and penalties thereon; the
name of the owner of record of the property to which services were
rendered by the district; and the legal description of the property.
Within 30 days of receipt of payment of all amounts due, including
recordation fees paid by the district, the district shall file for
recordation a release of the lien. 
   (c) A district may, by resolution or ordinance, provide that any
delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges, together
with interest and penalties thereon, including any delinquent fees,
tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services rendered to a
lessee, tenant, or subtenant, may be collected on the tax roll in the
same manner as property taxes. Before any entity may collect any
delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges, together
with interest and penalties thereon, including any delinquent fees,
tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services rendered to a
lessee, tenant, or subtenant on the tax roll, the district shall
prepare a report, provide notice, conduct a public hearing, and file
a certificate in the office of the county recorder, as follows: 

   (1) The general manager shall prepare and file with the district
board of directors a report that describes each affected parcel of
real property and the amount of the delinquent fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, or other charges, together with interest and penalties
thereon, including any delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or
other charges for services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or subtenant
for each affected parcel for the year. The general manager shall
give notice of the filing of the report and of the time and place for
a public hearing by publishing the notice pursuant to Section 6066
of the Government Code in a newspaper of general circulation, and by
mailing the notice to the owner of each affected parcel.  
   (2) At the public hearing, the board of directors shall hear and
consider any objections or protests to the report. At the conclusion
of the public hearing, the board of directors may adopt or revise the
delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges, together
with interest and penalties thereon, including any delinquent fees,
tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services rendered to a
lessee, tenant, or subtenant. The board of directors shall make its
determination on each affected parcel and its determinations shall be
final.  
   (3) On or before August 10 of each year following these
determinations, the general manager shall file with the county
auditor a copy of the final report adopted by the board of directors.
The county auditor shall enter the amount of the delinquent fees,
tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges, together with interest and
penalties thereon, including any delinquent fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, or other charges for services rendered to a lessee, tenant,
or subtenant, against each of the affected parcels of real property
as they appear on the current assessment roll. The county tax
collector shall include the amount of the delinquent fees, tolls,
rates, rentals, or charges, together with interest and penalties
thereon, including any delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or
other charges for services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or
subtenant, on the tax bills for each affected parcel of real property
and collect the delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or charges,
together with interest and penalties thereon, including any
delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services
rendered to a lessee, tenant, or subtenant, in the same manner as
property taxes.  
   (4) The district may recover any delinquent fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, or other charges, together with interest and penalties
thereon, including any delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or
other charges for services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or
subtenant, by recording in the office of the county recorder of the
county in which the affected parcel is located, a certificate
declaring the amount of the delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals,
or charges, together with interest and penalties thereon, including
any delinquent fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for
services rendered to a lessee, tenant, or subtenant, due, and the
name and last known address of the person liable therefore. From the
time of recordation of the certificate, the amount of the delinquent
fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or charges, together with interest and
penalties thereon, including any delinquent fees, tolls, rates,
rentals, or other charges for services rendered to a lessee, tenant,
or subtenant, constitutes a lien against the affected real property
of the delinquent property owner in that county. This lien shall have
the force, effect, and priority of a judgment lien. Within 30 days
of receipt of payment of all amounts due, including recordation fees
paid by the district, the district shall file for recordation a
release of the lien.  
   (c) 
    (d)  In filing any instrument for recordation under this
section, the district shall pay the fees specified in Sections 27361
and 27361.4 of the Government Code. 
   (e) A district shall reimburse the county for the reasonable
expenses incurred by the county pursuant to this section. 

   (d) 
    (f)  The remedies in this section are  cumulative
and  in addition to any other remedy provided by law.  The
district may pursue remedies alternatively or consecutively. 

   (e) 
    (g)  This section does not apply to delinquent fees or
charges for the furnishing of  water or sewer service to
residential property or  electrical service.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a
local agency or school district has the authority to levy service
charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or
level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section
17556 of the Government Code.