BILL NUMBER: AB 2218	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 24, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 10, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2014

   An act to add Section 739.3 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2218, as amended, Bradford. Electricity and natural gas rates.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations
and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law authorizes the
commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and
requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable.
Existing law requires the commission to establish a program of
assistance to low-income electric and gas customers, referred to as
the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program.
   This bill would require  each  electrical 
corporations   corporation  and gas 
corporations   corporation  to develop and
implement a program of rate assistance to eligible food banks, as
defined, subject to direction and supervision by the commission.
   Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any
order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the
commission is a crime.
   Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and
because a violation of an order or decision of the commission
implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose
a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime.
   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 739.3 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   739.3.  Subject to direction and supervision by the commission,
 each  electrical  corporations  
corporation  and gas  corporations  
corporation  shall develop and implement a program of rate
assistance to eligible food banks.  The funding source for the
rate assistance   program is subject to the approval of the
commission.  For purposes of this section, "eligible food bank"
means a public or charitable institution that participates in The
Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Food and
Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.