Senate BillNo. 631


Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 27, 2015


An act to amend Section 1904 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to the Public Utilities Commission.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 631, as introduced, Hueso. Public Utilities Commission: fees.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities. Existing law allows the commission to charge and collect a fee of $75 for filing each application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity, or for the mortgage, lease, transfer, or assignment of a certificate.

This bill would instead require the fee to not exceed the reasonable costs to the commission for filing these applications. The bill would authorize the fee in an amount not to exceed $500 and would authorize the commission to adjust this fee based on the Consumer Price Index.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

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SECTION 1.  

Section 1904 of the Public Utilities Code is
2amended to read:

3

1904.  

The commission shall also charge and collect the
4following fees:

5(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 1036 for filing each
6application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity,
7or for the mortgage, lease, transfer, or assignment thereof,
8begin delete seventy-five dollars ($75).end deletebegin insert an amount not to exceed five hundred
P2    1($500). The commission may adjust this fee based on the Consumer
2Price Index. The fee charged and collected pursuant to this
3subdivision shall not exceed the reasonable costs to the commission
4for filing the application.end insert

5(b) For a certificate authorizing an issue of bonds, notes, or
6other evidences of indebtedness, two dollars ($2) for each one
7thousand dollars ($1,000) of the face value of the authorized issue
8or fraction thereof up to one million dollars ($1,000,000), one
9dollar ($1) for each one thousand dollars ($1,000) over one million
10dollars ($1,000,000) and up to ten million dollars ($10,000,000),
11and fifty cents ($0.50) for each one thousand dollars ($1,000) over
12ten million dollars ($10,000,000), with a minimum fee in any case
13of fifty dollars ($50). No fee need be paid on such portion of any
14such issue as may be used to guarantee, take over, refund,
15discharge, or retire any stock, bond, note or other evidence of
16indebtedness on which a fee has theretofore been paid to the
17commission. If the commission modified the amount of the issue
18requested in any case and the applicant thereupon elects not to
19avail itself of the commission’s authorization, no fee shall be paid,
20and if such fee is paid prior to the issuance of such certificate by
21the commission, such fee shall be returned.



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