BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 270
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 270 (Bradford) - As Amended: April 16, 2013
Policy Committee: Utilities and
Commerce Vote: 15-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to
order investor-owned utilities to establish a single public
website containing aggregate information on ratepayer-funded
energy efficiency programs by June 1, 2014.
This bill also requires the PUC to annually report to the
Legislature on its effort to identify and revise or eliminate
similar ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs that are
duplicative of programs at the Energy Commission, Air Resources
Board, or California Alternative Energy and Advanced
Transportation Financing Authority.
FISCAL EFFECT
Minimal, if any additional costs for the PUC. The requirements
are within the current scope of PUC duties.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The state currently lacks a comprehensive
framework to coordinate energy efficiency programs or provide
the information necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the
programs in achieving state goals.
According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, over the past
10 to 15 years, the state spent a combined $15 billion on
energy efficiency and alternative energy programs. The
majority of these programs were funded by utility ratepayers.
AB 270
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Further, a recent Department of Finance (Office of State
Audits and Evaluations) audit of the PUC found "significant
weaknesses within PUC's budget operations which compromise its
ability to prepare and present reliable and accurate budget
information."
The lack of information prevents policy makers and the public
from determining which programs should continue and which
programs are duplicative or ineffective. This bill is
intended to improve transparency and accountability.
2)Background. The PUC currently has a rulemaking underway to
consider whether establishing an Energy Data Center is in the
public interest. The goal of the research center would be to
encourage independent research and analysis of current
programs using customer-specific data but publishing results
of that data in an aggregated form to protect privacy. The
relationship between this bill and the existing effort is
unclear.
The PUC's proposed 2013-2014 Energy Efficiency Budget
allocates $1.4 million to energy efficiency program data
management.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081