BILL NUMBER: AB 2218	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 21, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 19, 2014
	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.   defined,
while local publicly owned electric utilities, as defined, are under
the direction of their governing board.  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 corporation and gas
corporation, subject to direction and supervision by the commission,
to develop and implement a program of rate assistance to eligible
food banks, as defined, at a fixed percentage to be determined by the
commission. The bill would authorize the commission to adjust the
fixed percentage of rate assistance as appropriate.  The bill
would encourage   the governing board of each local publicly
owned electric utility to develop and implement a program of rate
assistance to eligible food banks at a fixed percentage, to be
determined by the governing board, but consistent with that fixed by
the commission for electrical corporations. 
   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.  (a) Subject to direction and supervision by the
commission, each electrical corporation and gas corporation shall
develop and implement a program of rate assistance to eligible food
banks at a fixed percentage to be determined by the commission. The
commission may adjust the fixed percentage as appropriate. The
funding source for the rate assistance program is subject to the
approval of the commission. 
   (b) The Legislature encourages the governing board of each local
publicly owned electric utility to develop and implement a program of
rate assistance to eligible food banks at a fixed percentage, to be
determined by the governing board, but consistent with that fixed by
the commission for electrical corporations.  
   (b) 
    (c)  For purposes of this section, the following terms
have the following meanings:
   (1) "Eligible food bank" means a qualified eligible recipient
agency that has executed an agreement with the State Department of
Social Services in order to participate in The Emergency Food
Assistance Program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of
the United States Department of Agriculture.
   (2) "Eligible recipient agency" has the same meaning as defined in
Section 251.3(d) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
   (3) "Agreement" means an agreement executed in compliance with
Section 251.2 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  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.