BILL NUMBER: AB 2271	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 2, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 13, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 17, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Quirk

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2016

   An act to add Section 713 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to electricity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2271, as amended, Quirk. Electricity: research programs: peer
review.
   Existing law provides the Public Utilities Commission with broad
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations.
Existing law requires the commission to convene, or continue, until
August 26, 2025, an independent peer review panel to conduct an
independent review of enhanced seismic studies and surveys of a
certain nuclear powerplant.
   This bill would require the commission to establish a procedure
for an independent peer review of certain research programs proposed
by an electrical corporation for approval by the commission. The bill
would require the independent peer review of a proposed research
program to be conducted upon the commission's receipt of the proposed
program. The bill would require the commission to make available to
the public on its Internet Web site the results of the review upon
approval of the program.
   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 713 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   713.  (a) For purposes of this section, "research programs" means
programs for the development of novel and innovative processes that
are proposed by electrical corporations for approval by the
commission and that would be funded through the rates of ratepayers
of the electrical corporations. Research programs do not include
programs that are funded pursuant to the Public Interest Energy
Research, Demonstration, and Development Program (Chapter 7.1
(commencing with Section 25620) of Division 15 of the Public
Resources Code) or the Electric Program Investment Charge program
developed pursuant to Section 25711.5 of the Public Resources Code.
   (b) The commission shall establish a procedure for the independent
peer review of a research program proposed by an electrical
corporation, to be followed if the research program will cost
 fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)  one million
dollars ($1,000,000)  or more. The independent peer review shall
be conducted in accordance with the procedure upon the commission's
receipt of the proposed research program. 
   (c) This section does not apply to a research program that is
directly reviewed and approved by the commission.  
   (c) 
    (d)  The commission shall make available to the public
on its Internet Web site the results of the review upon the approval
of the research program.