BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 1937
                                                                  Page  1

          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 1937 (Gordon)
          As Amended  June 30, 2014
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |73-0 |(May 23, 2014)  |SENATE: |34-0 |(August 7,     |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2014)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    U. & C.  

           SUMMARY  :  Requires a gas corporation to provide at least three  
          days' notice to a school or hospital prior to performing  
          excavation construction of gas pipeline maintenance or testing  
          of the work is located within 500 feet of a school or hospital.   
          Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Requires the notification to include specified information.

          2)Requires the gas corporation to maintain a record of the date  
            and time of any notification provided to the administration of  
            a school or hospital and any subsequent contacts with the  
            administration and actions taken, if any, in response to those  
            subsequent contacts.

           The Senate amendments  strike a provision that requires an  
          excavator or operator, as defined, including, but not limited  
          to, a gas corporation, to comply with those requirements.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, "an increasing number of  
          significant natural gas pipeline accidents in California have  
          received attention throughout the country over the past several  
          years.  The most visible of those took place in San Bruno in  
          late 2010, and additional natural gas accidents in Cupertino and  
          Roseville at the end of 2011 also highlight exactly how  
          pervasive our problems really are. 

          "There are numerous locations throughout California where a gas  
          pipeline exists on or adjacent to school and hospital property.   
          There have been an increasing number of instances where schools  
          are being evacuated due to gas pipelines being struck when  








                                                                  AB 1937
                                                                  Page  2

          maintenance or excavations are being performed, and these  
          circumstances have resulted in the public's safety being put at  
          risk.  As such, there are currently no public noticing  
          requirements to schools (or hospitals) in statute or CPUC  
          [California Public Utilities Commission] regulations, regarding  
          noticing when maintenance or pipeline testing is being  
          performed, and AB 1937 will be a tool to improve the safety of  
          the public.

          "Undoubtedly, it is in the public's best interest to ensure that  
          public gathering places, such as schools and hospitals, are  
          given ample notice of a gas company's pipeline maintenance or  
          testing, especially when the work is located in the direct  
          vicinity of some of California's most precious, and potentially  
          vulnerable, human resources."


          Analysis Prepared by  :    DaVina Flemings / U. & C. / (916)  
          319-2083                                               FN:  
          0004452