BILL NUMBER: AB 1651	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 17, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Obernolte

                        JANUARY 12, 2016

   An act to add Sections  324.7 and 324.8  
324.7, 324.8, and 324.9  to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to the Public Utilities Commission.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1651, as amended, Obernolte. Public Utilities Commission:
contracts.
   Existing law generally requires public contracts to be awarded by
competitive bidding pursuant to procedures set forth in the Public
Contract Code, subject to certain exceptions. Existing law authorizes
any state agency that receives delegated authority from the
Department of General Services to acquire, without prior approval,
materials, supplies, and equipment to make those acquisitions as long
as they do not exceed certain cost thresholds.
   Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to
semiannually electronically publish certain data collected for its
clearinghouse minority and women business  data base
  database  for use by governmental agencies and
members of the public who request the information.
   This bill would require the commission to  publish
  make available on its Internet Web site free of charge
 a copy of each  awarded contract  
contract  that it enters into  for goods or services
 and  to identify  specified information
about the contract and contracting  party on its Internet Web
site.   parties.  The bill would require this
information to be published no less frequently than once a 
month and be available free of charge on the commission's Internet
Web site.   month. The bill would subject to these same
requirements, commencing July 1, 2017, a contract entered into at the
direction of the commission, whether or not the commission is a
party to the contract.  The bill would also require the
commission to make available on its Internet Web site audits
conducted by the Department of General Services of the commission's
contracting practices.
   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.  This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
Public Utilities Commission Contracting Transparency Act of 2016.
  SEC. 2.  Section 324.7 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   324.7.   (a)     The
  No less frequently than once a month, the 
commission  shall,   shall make the following
documents and information available free of charge  on its
Internet Web  site,   publish a 
 site: 
    (a)     A  copy of each 
awarded  contract that the commission enters  into
pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 10300) and Article 4
(commencing with Section 10335) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 2
of the Public Contract Code and identify the following information
about the contract and contracting party: the name, address, and
point of   into. 
    (b)     The names, addresses, and points of
 contact of the  company, the   parties to
the contract. 
    (c)     The  goods and services
 requested, and the   requested, as applicable.

    (d)     The  contract value. 
   (b) The information described in subdivision (a) shall be
published no less frequently than once a month.  
   (c) The information described in subdivision (a) shall be made
available free of charge on the commission's Internet Web site.

  SEC. 3.  Section 324.8 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   324.8.  The commission shall make available on its Internet Web
site audits conducted by the Department of General Services of the
commission's contracting practices.
   SEC. 4.    Section 324.9 is added to the  
Public Utilities Code   , to read:  
   324.9.  Commencing July 1, 2017, the requirements specified in
Section 324.7 apply to a contract entered into at the direction of
the commission, whether or not the commission is a party to the
contract.