BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



          SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                             Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
                            2015 - 2016  Regular  Session

          AB 825 (Rendon) - Public Utilities Commission.
          
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          |Version: July 16, 2015          |Policy Vote: E., U., & C. 11 -  |
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          |Urgency: No                     |Mandate: Yes                    |
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          |Hearing Date: August 27, 2015   |Consultant: Marie Liu           |
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          *********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM - SUSPENSE FILE ***********
             The following information is revised to reflect amendments 
                     adopted by the committee on August 27, 2015


          Bill  
          Summary:  AB 825 would make a number of changes to the CPUC to  
          increase public access to documents and to ease participation in  
          proceedings.
          Fiscal  
          Impact:  
           Ongoing costs of at least $170,000 and up to $1 million  
            (special*) to increase the amount of information available on  
            the CPUC website.
           Ongoing costs of approximately $200,000 (special*) for the  
            public advisor to have independent responsibility over the  
            CPUC website.
           Unknown costs (special*) to post the transcripts of documents,  
            evidence, testimony, and proceedings online.
           One-time costs of $157,000 annually for two years (special*)  
            for a proceeding to reopen its confidentiality practices.
           Ongoing costs of $626,000 annually (special*) for hearings to  







          AB 825 (Rendon)                                        Page 1 of  
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            consider motions to make confidential documents public.
           Unknown costs (special*) to require that the assigned  
            commissioner attend all hearings in a proceeding.
           Ongoing costs between $450,000 and $850,000 (special*) to  
            appoint an inspector general from the State Auditor's office  
            to the CPUC.
           Ongoing costs of $220,000 annually (special*) to provide legal  
            staff at the public advisor's office to ensure compliance with  
            the Public Records Act and the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.  
            These costs may be offset by reduced workload in other CPUC  
            division to oversee compliance.

          * Public Utilities Commission Utilities Reimbursement Account.


          Author  
          Amendments:  Delete the requirement for each commissioner to  
          hold monthly public office hours and to specify requirements of  
          the inspector general. 


          Committee  
          Amendments:  Delete §722(b) from the bill to make clear there  
          are no changes to the existing way the Office of the Public  
          Advisor is funded and specify that the inspector general shall  
          recover its costs from the reimbursement fees paid to the CPUC  
          upon appropriation of the Legislature.


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