BILL NUMBER: SB 539	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 29, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 27, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 6, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator  Hueso   Glazer 
    (   Principal coauthor:   Senator 
 Hall   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to  repeal Section 782 of the Public Utilities
Code, relating to renewable energy resources.   amend
the heading of Chapter 2.9 (commencing with Section 8195) of Division
1 of Title 2 of, and to add Section 8197 to, the Government Code,
relating to public property. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 539, as amended,  Hueso   Glazer  .
 Renewable energy resources: geothermal.  
Public property: names: Confederate States of America.  
   (1) Existing law prohibits the sale or display of the Battle Flag
of the Confederacy, as specified, or its image, by the State of
California, subject to exceptions serving educational or historical
purposes.  
   This bill would, on and after January 1, 2017, prohibit the use of
a name associated with the Confederate States of America to name
schools, government buildings, parks, roads, and other state or local
property. The bill would define a name associated with the
Confederate States of America to include, but not be limited to, the
name of an elected leader or a senior military officer of the
Confederacy. The bill would require a name associated with the
Confederate States of America used to name state or local property
prior to January 1, 2017, to be changed and any sign associated with
the name to be removed. By increasing the duties of local officials,
this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would
also make a statement of legislative findings and a conforming
change.  
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.  
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions. 
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations.
The Public Utilities Act authorizes the Public Utilities Commission,
upon a complaint by a geothermal energy producer, to prohibit any
electrical corporation from curtailing the generation, production, or
transmission of electricity from a geothermal powerplant operated by
the corporation, if the commission deems that the curtailment is not
in the public interest.  
   This bill would repeal the above-described geothermal generation,
production, or transmission curtailment authorization. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  no   yes  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:  
   (a) The Confederate States of America's secessionist movement was
rooted in the defense of slavery.  
   (b) Currently, certain ideological groups use the symbols of this
movement to demean and offend whole segments of our society while
sowing racial divisions.  
   (c) The use of names of political leaders and senior military
officers of the Confederate States of America to name California
public schools, buildings, parks, roadways, and other state and local
property is antithetical to California's mission for racial
equality.  
   (d) California is opposed to enshrining the names of those
associated with the Confederate States of America, the secessionist
movement, or their discriminatory ideals in our public schools,
buildings, parks, roadways, and other state and local property. 

   SEC. 2.    The heading of Chapter 2.9 (commencing
with Section 8195) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the  
Government Code   is amended to read: 
      CHAPTER 2.9.  CONFEDERATE  FLAG   SYMBOLS



   SEC. 3.    Section 8197 is added to the  
Government Code   , to read:  
   8197.  (a) On and after January 1, 2017, a name associated with
the Confederate States of America shall not be used to name state or
local property. If a name associated with the Confederate States of
America is used to name state or local public property prior to
January 1, 2017, the name shall be changed and any sign associated
with the name shall be removed.
   (b) For the purpose of this section, "name associated with the
Confederate States of America" includes, but is not limited to, the
name of an elected leader or a senior military officer of the
Confederacy. 
  SEC. 4.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 782 of the Public Utilities
Code is repealed.