BILL NUMBER: SB 900	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 1, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 27, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 8, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hill

                        JANUARY 15, 2014

   An act to amend Section 321.1 of, and to add Section 750 to, the
Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 900, as amended, Hill. Public utilities: rate case application:
safety.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, as defined. Existing law authorizes
the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility
and authorizes the commission to establish rules for all public
utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. If the commission
finds after a hearing that the rules, practices, equipment,
appliances, facilities, or service of any public utility, or the
methods of manufacture, distribution, transmission, storage, or
supply employed by the public utility, are unjust, unreasonable,
unsafe, improper, inadequate, or insufficient, the Public Utilities
Act requires that the commission determine and, by order or rule, fix
the rules, practices, equipment, appliances, facilities, service, or
methods to be observed, furnished, constructed, enforced, or
employed. Existing law states it is the intent of the Legislature
that the commission assess the economic effects or other consequences
of its decisions as a part of each ratemaking, rulemaking, or other
proceeding.
   This bill would require the commission to develop formal
procedures, as specified, to consider safety in a rate case
application by an electrical corporation or gas corporation. The bill
would require the commission to take actions  to assess the
economic effects of its decisions and  to assess and mitigate
the impacts of its decisions on customer, public, and employee
safety.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 321.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   321.1.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
commission assess the  economic effects or other 
consequences of its decisions  , including economic effects, and
assess and mitigate the impacts of its decision on customer, public,
and employee safety,  as part of each ratemaking, rulemaking, or
other proceeding, and that this be accomplished using existing
resources and within existing commission structures. The commission
shall not establish a separate office or department for the purpose
of evaluating  economic development   and
mitigating  consequences of commission activities.
   (b) The commission shall take all necessary and appropriate
actions  to assess the economic effects of its decisions and
 to assess and mitigate the impacts of its decisions on
customer, public, and employee safety.
  SEC. 2.  Section 750 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   750.  The commission shall develop formal procedures to consider
safety in a rate case application by an electrical corporation or gas
corporation. The procedures shall include a means by which safety
information acquired by the commission through monitoring, data
tracking and analysis, accident investigations, and audits of an
applicant's safety programs may inform the commission's consideration
of the application.