BILL ANALYSIS � 1
SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
ALEX PADILLA, CHAIR
SB 196 - Canella Hearing Date:
April 30, 2013 S
As Amended: April 23, 2013 Non-FISCAL
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DESCRIPTION
Current law requires the management of a mobilehome park or
apartment building (management) that is a master-meter customer
to post in a conspicuous place the prevailing residential
utility rates for its tenants. (Public Utilities Code 739.5)
This bill provides management with the option of instead posting
the Internet web site address where the tenant may access the
utility rate schedule.
This bill provides that if electing to post the Internet web
site address, management shall also state that a tenant may
request a copy of the rate schedule from management, and
management shall provide a copy of the schedule upon request at
no cost to the tenant.
BACKGROUND
Mobilehome park and apartment building owners may have
individual units that receive utility service directly with
individual meters, or that receive service through a master
meter to the entire property and then bill individual homeowners
or tenants a portion of the charges. Current law requires the
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to require a
master-meter customer to charge tenants at the same rate that
would otherwise apply if the tenant received utility service
directly. They are required to provide tenants an itemized
billing of charges for utility service generally in accordance
with the form and content of residential utility bills,
including opening and closing readings for the meter, and
identification of all rates and details of the applicable rate
structure (P.U. Code �739.5(e)).
The "Mobilehome Residency Law" provides a private right of
action to mobilehome park residents against park owners for
failing to abide by requirements, including a requirement that
park owners who provide master-meter and submeter utility
service to separately state individual residents' charges and
conspicuously post utility rate schedules (Civil Code �798.38).
COMMENTS
1. Author's Purpose . According to the author, rate sheets
from utilities are voluminous and cumbersome for park
management to post, but they rarely are sought out and
viewed by park residents. In addition, when changes are
made to rates, park management often receives new rate
sheets in the mail after they have gone into effect. This
bill updates the law to give management the option to post
the utility's Internet web site address rather than posting
lengthy rate schedules.
2. Internet Access Required . This bill provides a practical
alternative for master meter property owners to meet the
obligation of providing tenants required rate information.
For customers to benefit from this option, however, they
need Internet access. To the extent that mobile home park
residents or apartment building tenants may be
disproportionately low-income, they are more likely to not
subscribe to broadband service and have access to utility
Internet web sites to view the rate information. Thus, it
is imperative that property owners maintain up-to-date rate
sheets so that they can provide copies to any tenant who
requests a copy.
POSITIONS
Sponsor:
Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association
Support:
California Apartment Association
Oppose:
None on file.
Jacqueline Kinney
SB 196 Analysis
Hearing Date: April 30, 2013