Amended in Senate May 21, 2015

Amended in Senate May 5, 2015

Amended in Senate March 26, 2015

Amended in Senate February 4, 2015

Senate Bill No. 18

Introduced by Senators Hill and Hueso

December 1, 2014

An act to add Section 307.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to the Public Utilities Commission.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 18, as amended, Hill. Public Utilities Commission: outside counsel.

The Public Utilities Act authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to appoint an attorney for the commission who holds that office at the pleasure of the commission. The act requires the attorney to represent and appear for the people and the commission in all actions and proceedings involving any question under the act or under any order or act of the commission. The act requires the attorney to commence, prosecute, and expedite the final determination of all actions and proceedings directed or authorized by the president, except as otherwise directed or authorized by vote of the commission, to advise the commission and each commissioner in regard to all matters in connection with the powers and duties of the commission or a commissioner, when requested, and generally, to perform all duties and services as attorney to the commission that the president, or vote of the commission, may require of him or her.

This bill would require that any contract or other agreement by the commission for services by outside legal counsel begin delete with respect to a criminal matter end delete begin insert to represent the commission in a criminal investigation initiated by any federal, state, or local agency end insert be approved by a vote of the commission and be subject to a 30-day review by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee before the agreement is entered into.

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 307.5 is added to the Public Utilities
Code, to read:

307.5.  

(a) Any contract or other agreement by the commission
for services by outside legal counsel begin delete with respect to a criminal
matter end delete begin insert to represent the commission in a criminal investigation
initiated by any federal, state, or local agency end insert shall be approved
by a vote of the commission and subject to a 30-day review by the
Joint Legislative Budget Committee before the agreement is entered
into.

(b) The Joint Legislative Budget Committee, as part of its
review, shall consider all of the following:

(1) The funds that the commission will use to pay for these
services.

(2) Whether the commission has followed all of the laws and
procedures applicable to contracting for legal services.

(3) Whether, and to what degree, existing programs and
operations of the commission will be affected.