Amended in Senate August 19, 2016

Amended in Senate August 15, 2016

Amended in Senate June 20, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 17, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1651

Introduced by Assembly Member Obernolte

January 12, 2016

An act to add Sections begin delete 324.7, 324.8, and 324.9 end delete begin insert 324.7 and 324.8 end insert 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 begin insert authorizes state agencies, including the Public Utilities Commission, to enter into contracts, and end insert requires begin delete public end delete begin insert those end insert contracts to be awarded by competitive bidding pursuant to procedures set forth in the Public Contract Code, subject to certain exceptions. begin delete 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. end delete

begin delete

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to semiannually electronically publish certain data collected for its clearinghouse minority and women business database for use by governmental agencies and members of the public who request the information.

end delete

This bill would require the commission to make available on its Internet Web site free of charge information about each contract that it enters into, including specified information about the contract and contracting parties. The bill would require this information to be published no less frequently than once a year. begin delete 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. end delete 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.  

No less frequently than once a year, the commission
shall make the following information about each contract that the
commission enters into available free of charge on its Internet Web
site:

(a) The names, addresses, and points of contact of the parties
to the contract.

(b) The goods and services requested, as applicable.

(c) The contract value.

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.

begin delete

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.

end delete