BILL NUMBER: SB 1049	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 15, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 27, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 11, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hill

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2016

   An act to add Section 326 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to the Public Utilities Commission.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1049, as amended, Hill. Public Utilities Commission: 
electrical and gas corporations:  close call reporting program.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public  utilities.   utilities,
including electrical and gas corporations.  The California
Constitution authorizes the commission to establish rules for
 all public utilities,  electrical and gas
corporations,  subject to control by the Legislature.
   This bill would require the commission to establish procedures and
processes to implement a confidential, nonpunitive, and independent
close call reporting program for purposes of facilitating the
identification of accident precursors by persons familiar with
 public utility   the  operations  of
electrical or gas corporations  and of collecting, analyzing,
and disseminating unbiased safety information. The bill would
authorize any person to voluntarily submit through the program a
confidential close call report that both involves  a public
utility   an electric   al or gas corporation
 and relates to public, employee, or contractor safety.
   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 326 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   326.  (a) The commission shall establish procedures and processes
to implement a confidential, nonpunitive, and independent close call
reporting program for purposes of facilitating the identification of
accident precursors by persons familiar with  public utility
operations,   the operations of electrical or gas
corporations,  including, but not limited to,  public
utility  employees and  contractors,  
contractors of   electrical or gas corporations  ,
 and of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating unbiased safety
information. Through the program, any person, including, but not
limited to,  a public utility   an 
employee or contractor  of an electrical or gas corporation 
or a member of the public, may voluntarily submit a confidential
close call report that both involves  a public utility
  an electrical or gas corporation  and relates to
public, employee, or contractor safety.
   (b) The commission shall not use a report  submitted 
pursuant to subdivision (a) or information derived therefrom, except
for information concerning an accident or criminal offense, in an
enforcement action.  The commission may establish additional
exceptions to this subdivision. 
   (c) The commission may contract with a third party to administer
the program.
   (d)  A public utility   An  employee
 of,  or the employee of a contractor performing work
 for a public utility   for, an electrical or
gas corporation  shall not be subject to demotion, discharge, or
any other form of retaliation or discrimination for participating in
the close call reporting program established pursuant to this
section.