BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1937 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 1937 (Gordon) As Amended June 30, 2014 Majority vote ----------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: |73-0 |(May 23, 2014) |SENATE: |34-0 |(August 7, | | | | | | |2014) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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