Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2100

Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

February 17, 2016

An act begin insert to add and repeal Section 718 to the Public Utilities Code, end insert relating to infrastructure.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2100, as amended, Calderon. The 21st Century Infrastructure Act of 2016.

Existing law requires the Governor to submit to the Legislature, in conjunction with his or her annual budget proposal, a proposed 5-year infrastructure plan that identifies state infrastructure needs and sets out priorities for funding. Existing law requires the plan to be sufficiently detailed to provide a clear understanding of the type and amount of infrastructure to be funded and the programmatic objectives to be achieved by this funding approach.

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This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources Board, until January 1, 2020, to review and evaluate their policies and plans for the expansion of 21st century infrastructure and to take other related actions. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.

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This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact the 21st Century Infrastructure Act of 2016 to improve California’s infrastructure in order to prepare the state for a 21st century economy.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 718 is added to the end insert begin insert Public Utilities Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

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begin insert 718. end insert   

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that as a result of
increased investments from public utilities, including Southern
California Edison Company’s twelve billion dollar
($12,000,000,000) investment over three years to modernize the
electric distribution grid, Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s six
hundred fifty-four million dollar ($654,000,000) proposal in 2015
to build 25,100 electric vehicle charging stations, and San Diego
Gas and Electric Company’s vehicle grid integration program,
which will spend forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) to deploy
3,500 electric vehicle charging stations, there is significant public
interest in ensuring that substantial utility investments made with
ratepayer moneys are spent in a responsible manner and encourage
the use of modern, low-cost renewable technologies while ensuring
local safety and grid reliability.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the proliferation
and adoption of 21st century infrastructure, including, but not
limited to, electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy
generation facilities, distributed energy resources, smart grid
technologies and services, microgrids, and demand response
programs.

(c) In order to promote the proliferation and adoption of 21st
century infrastructure, the commission, the Energy Commission,
the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources
Board shall review and evaluate their policies and plans for the
expansion of 21st century infrastructure, and shall do all of the
following:

(1) Develop an interagency permitting committee to institute
reforms and modernize infrastructure permitting and reviews.

(2) Strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms to quickly resolve
conflicts and ensure that interagency disputes do not delay projects
that are consistent with existing state policy priorities.

(3) Identify duplicative, burdensome, or unnecessary
requirements, permits, or processes and evaluate whether they
can be minimized or eliminated in a manner that would not
jeopardize safety or grid reliability.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.

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SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact the 21st
Century Infrastructure Act of 2016 to improve California’s
infrastructure in order to prepare the state for a 21st century
economy. New energy, communications, and transportation
technologies are essential to building the “smart cities” of the
future and driving economic growth to keep California’s economy
strong. Massive improvements to the electrical grid, natural gas
pipelines, roadways, bridges, transportation systems, and ports are
necessary to keep California competitive in the world economy
and should be considered a high priority for the state.

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