BILL NUMBER: SB 1222	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hertzberg

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2016

   An act to amend Sections 910.4, 913.2, 913.4, 913.5, 913.10,
914.3, 914.7 of, and to repeal Sections 910.6, 913.3, 913.6, 913.8,
913.9, 913.11, and 913.13 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to
the Public Utilities Commission.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1222, as introduced, Hertzberg. Public Utilities Commission:
reports.
   The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities
Commission, with jurisdiction over all public utilities. The
California Constitution grants the commission certain general powers
over all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature, and
authorizes the Legislature to confer additional authority and
jurisdiction upon the commission that is cognate and germane to the
regulation of public utilities. Existing law requires the commission
to submit various reports to the Legislature, legislative committees,
and the Governor, as specified.
   This bill would change the date by which the commission must
submit specified reports, change the contents of specified reports,
and repeal the provisions requiring the commission to submit
specified reports.
   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 910.4 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   910.4.  By  January 10   February 1  of
each year, the commission shall report to the Joint Legislative
Budget Committee and appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the
Legislature, on all sources and amounts of funding and actual and
proposed expenditures, both in the two prior fiscal years and for the
proposed fiscal year, including any costs to ratepayers, related to
both of the following:
   (a) Entities or programs established by the commission by order,
decision, motion, settlement, or other action, including, but not
limited to, the California Clean Energy Fund, the California Emerging
Technology Fund, and the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands
Stewardship Council. The report shall contain descriptions of
relevant issues, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

   (1) Any governance structure established for an entity or program.

   (2) Any staff or employees hired by or for the entity or program
and their salaries and expenses.
   (3) Any staff or employees transferred or loaned internally or
interdepartmentally for the entity or program and their salaries and
expenses.
   (4) Any contracts entered into by the entity or program, the
funding sources for those contracts, and the legislative authority
under which the commission entered into the contract.
   (5) The public process and oversight governing the entity or
program's activities.
   (b) Entities or programs established by the commission, other than
those expressly authorized by statute, under the following sections:

   (1) Section 379.6.
   (2) Section 399.8.
   (3) Section 739.1.
   (4) Section 2790.
   (5) Section 2851.
  SEC. 2.  Section 910.6 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   910.6.  It is the intent of the Legislature that, commencing one
year from the date that the procedures described in subdivision (a)
of Section 311.4 are implemented, the commission annually review the
procedures and the technology involved to ensure the continued
effectiveness of the program, and report any findings to the
Legislature. 
  SEC. 3.  Section 913.2 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   913.2.  By  January 1, 2011, and by January 1 
 February 1  of each  year thereafter, 
 year,  the commission shall report to the Governor and the
Legislature on the commission's recommendations for a smart grid, the
plans and deployment of smart grid technologies by the state's
electrical corporations, and the costs and benefits to ratepayers.
  SEC. 4.  Section 913.3 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.3.  (a) By May 1 of each year, the commission shall prepare
and submit to the policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a
written report summarizing the following information:
   (1) All electrical corporation revenue requirement increases
associated with meeting the renewables portfolio standard, as defined
in Section 399.12, including direct procurement costs for eligible
renewable energy resources and renewable energy credits,
administrative expenses for procurement, expenses incurred to ensure
a reliable supply of electricity, and expenses for upgrades to the
electrical transmission and distribution grid necessary to the
delivery of electricity from eligible renewable energy resources to
load.
   (2) All cost savings experienced, or costs avoided, by electrical
corporations as a result of meeting the renewables portfolio
standard.
   (3) All costs incurred by electrical corporations for incentives
for distributed and renewable generation, including the
self-generation incentive program, the California Solar Initiative,
and net energy metering.
   (4) All cost savings experienced, or costs avoided, by electrical
corporations as a result of incentives for distributed and renewable
generation.
   (5) All pending requests by an electrical corporation seeking
recovery in rates for renewable, fossil fuel, and nuclear procurement
costs, research, study, or pilot program costs.
   (6) The decision number for each decision of the commission
authorizing recovery in rates of costs incurred by an electrical
corporation since the preceding report.
   (7) Any change in the electrical load serviced by an electrical
corporation since the preceding report.
   (8) The efforts each electrical corporation is taking to recruit
and train employees to ensure an adequately trained and available
workforce, including the number of new employees hired by the
electrical corporation for purposes of implementing the requirements
of Article 16 (commencing with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3, the
goals adopted by the electrical corporation for increasing women,
minority, and disabled veterans trained or hired for purposes of
implementing the requirements of Article 16 (commencing with Section
399.11) of Chapter 2.3, and, to the extent information is available,
the number of new employees hired and the number of women, minority,
and disabled veterans trained or hired by persons or corporations
owning or operating eligible renewable energy resources under
contract with an electrical corporation. This paragraph does not
provide the commission with authority to engage in, regulate, or
expand its authority to include, workforce recruitment or training.
   (b) The commission may combine the information required by this
section with the reports prepared pursuant to Article 16 (commencing
with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3. 
  SEC. 5.  Section 913.4 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   913.4.  (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (g) of Section 454.5 and
Section 583, no later than May 1 of each year, the commission shall
release to the Legislature the costs of all electricity procurement
contracts for eligible renewable energy resources, including
unbundled renewable energy credits, and all costs for utility-owned
generation approved by the commission. The first report shall include
all costs commencing January 1, 2003. Subsequent reports shall
include only costs for the preceding calendar year.
   (1) For power purchase contracts, the commission shall release
costs in an aggregated form categorized according to the year the
procurement transaction was approved by the commission, the eligible
renewable energy resource type, including bundled renewable energy
credits, the average executed contract price, and average actual
recorded costs for each kilowatthour of production. Within each
renewable energy resource type, the commission shall provide
aggregated costs for different project size thresholds.
   (2) For each utility-owned renewable generation project, the
commission shall release the costs forecast by the electrical
corporation at the time of initial approval and the actual recorded
costs for each kilowatthour of production during the preceding
calendar year. 
   (b) The commission shall report all electrical corporation revenue
requirement increases associated with meeting the renewables
portfolio standard, as defined in Section 399.12, including direct
procurement costs for eligible renewable energy resources and
renewable energy credits.  
   (c) The commission shall report all cost savings experienced, or
costs avoided, by electrical corporations as a result of meeting the
renewables portfolio standard.  
   (b) 
    (d)  This section does not require the release of the
terms of any individual electricity procurement contracts for
eligible renewable energy resources, including unbundled renewable
energy credits, approved by the commission. The commission shall
aggregate data to the extent required to ensure protection of the
confidentiality of individual contract costs even if this aggregation
requires grouping contracts of different energy resource type. The
commission shall not be required to release the data in any year when
there are fewer than three contracts approved. 
   (c) The commission may combine the information required by this
section with the report prepared pursuant to Section 913.3. 

  SEC. 6.  Section 913.5 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   913.5.  In order to evaluate the progress of the state's
electrical corporations in complying with the California Renewables
Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing with Section
399.11) of Chapter 2.3), the commission shall report to the
Legislature  on or before the first day of each quarter
  no later than November 1 of each year  on all of
the following:
   (a) The progress  of each electrical corporation in
meeting the renewables portfolio standard, as defined in Section
399.12.   and status of procurement activities by each
retail seller pursuant to the California Renewables Portfolio
Standard Program. 
   (b) For each electrical corporation, an implementation schedule to
achieve the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements,
including all substantive actions that have been taken or will be
taken to achieve the program procurement requirements. 
   (c) The projected ability of each electrical corporation to meet
the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements under the
cost limitations in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 399.15 and
any recommendations for revisions of those cost limitations. 

   (c) 
    (d)  Any renewable energy procurement plan approved by
the commission pursuant to Section 399.13, schedule, and status
report for all substantive procurement, transmission development, and
other activities that the commission has approved to be undertaken
by an electrical corporation to achieve the procurement requirements
of the renewables portfolio standard. 
   (e) Any barriers to, and policy recommendations for, achieving the
renewables portfolio standard pursuant to the California Renewables
Portfolio Standard Program. 
  SEC. 7.  Section 913.6 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.6.  The commission, in consultation with the Energy
Commission, shall report to the Legislature by January 1 of every
even-numbered year on all of the following:
   (a) The progress and status of procurement activities by each
retail seller pursuant to the California Renewables Portfolio
Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing with Section 399.11) of
Chapter 2.3).
   (b) The status of permitting and siting eligible renewable energy
resources and transmission facilities necessary to supply electricity
generated to load, including the time taken to permit each eligible
renewable energy resource and transmission line or upgrade,
explanations of failures to meet permitting milestones, and
recommendations for improvements to expedite permitting and siting
processes.
   (c) The projected ability of each electrical corporation to meet
the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements under the
cost limitations in subdivision (d) of Section 399.15 and any
recommendations for revisions of those cost limitations.
   (d) Any barriers to, and policy recommendations for, achieving the
renewables portfolio standard pursuant to the California Renewables
Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing with Section
399.11) of Chapter 2.3). 
  SEC. 8.  Section 913.8 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.8.  In the report prepared pursuant Section 913.7, the
commission shall include an assessment of each electrical corporation'
s and each gas corporation's implementation of the program developed
pursuant to Section 25943 of the Public Resources Code. 
  SEC. 9.  Section 913.9 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.9.  The commission shall report annually on its efforts to
identify ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs that are similar
to programs administered by the Energy Commission, the State Air
Resources Board, and the California Alternative Energy and Advanced
Transportation Financing Authority in its annual report prepared
pursuant to Section 913 and to require revisions to ratepayer-funded
programs as necessary to ensure that the ratepayer-funded programs
complement and do not duplicate programs of other state agencies.

  SEC. 10.  Section 913.10 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   913.10.  (a) On or before  January 1,  
February 1,  2010, and biennially thereafter, the commission, in
consultation with the Independent System Operator and the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, shall
study, and submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor, on
the impacts of distributed energy generation on the state's
distribution and transmission grid. The study shall evaluate all of
the following:
   (1) Reliability and transmission issues related to connecting
distributed energy generation to the local distribution networks and
regional grid.
   (2) Issues related to grid reliability and operation, including
interconnection, and the position of federal and state regulators
toward distributed energy accessibility.
   (3) The effect on overall grid operation of various distributed
energy generation sources.
   (4) Barriers affecting the connection of distributed energy to the
state's grid.
   (5) Emerging technologies related to distributed energy generation
interconnection.
   (6) Interconnection issues that may arise for the Independent
System Operator and local distribution companies.
   (7) The effect on peak demand for electricity.
   (b) In addition, the commission shall specifically assess the
impacts of the California Solar Initiative program, specified in
Section 2851 and Section 25783 of the Public Resources Code, the
self-generation incentive program authorized by Section 
379.6, and the net energy metering pilot program authorized by
Section 2827.9.   379.6. 
  SEC. 11.  Section 913.11 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.11.  The commission shall provide a progress report to the
Legislature by January 30 of each odd-numbered year concerning
policies on rates, equipment, and infrastructure implemented by the
commission and other state agencies, federal and local governmental
agencies, and private industry to facilitate the use of electricity
to power, and natural gas to fuel, low-emission vehicles. 
  SEC. 12.  Section 913.13 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   913.13.  The commission shall annually report to the Legislature
on its implementation of Section 785. 
  SEC. 13.  Section 914.3 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   914.3.  By  July 1   December 31  of
each year, the commission shall submit to the Governor and the
Legislature a report that includes, based on yearend data, on an
aggregated basis, the information submitted by holders pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 5960. All information reported by the
commission pursuant to this section shall be disclosed to the public
only as provided for pursuant to Section 583. No individually
identifiable customer or subscriber information shall be subject to
public disclosure.
  SEC. 14.  Section 914.7 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   914.7.  (a) By  January 1   April 1  of
each year, the commission shall provide a report to the Legislature
that includes all of the following information:
   (1) The amount of funds expended from the California Advanced
Services Fund in the prior year.
   (2) The recipients of funds expended from the California Advanced
Services Fund in the prior year.
   (3) The geographic regions of the state affected by funds expended
from the California Advanced Services Fund in the prior year.
   (4) The expected benefits to be derived from the funds expended
from the California Advanced Services Fund in the prior year.
   (5) Actual broadband adoption levels from the funds expended from
the California Advanced Services Fund in the prior year.
   (6) The amount of funds expended from the California Advanced
Services Fund used to match federal funds.
   (7) An update on the expenditures from California Advanced
Services Fund and broadband adoption levels, and an accounting of
remaining unserved and underserved households and areas of the state.

   (8) The status of the California Advanced Services Fund balance
and the projected amount to be collected in each year through 2020 to
fund approved projects.
   (b) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January 1, 2021.