BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    SB 1222


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          SENATE THIRD READING


          SB  
          1222 (Hertzberg)


          As Amended  June 16, 2016


          Majority vote


          SENATE VOTE:  39-0


           ------------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |Committee       |Votes|Ayes                   |Noes               |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------|
          |Utilities       |15-0 |Gatto, Patterson,      |                   |
          |                |     |Burke, Chávez, Dahle,  |                   |
          |                |     |Eggman, Cristina       |                   |
          |                |     |Garcia, Eduardo        |                   |
          |                |     |Garcia, Hadley,        |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |                |     |Roger Hernández,       |                   |
          |                |     |Obernolte, Quirk,      |                   |
          |                |     |Santiago, Ting,        |                   |
          |                |     |Williams               |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------|
          |Appropriations  |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow,     |                   |
          |                |     |Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, |                   |
          |                |     |Calderon, Chang, Daly, |                   |
          |                |     |Eggman, Gallagher,     |                   |








                                                                    SB 1222


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          |                |     |Eduardo Garcia,        |                   |
          |                |     |Holden, Jones,         |                   |
          |                |     |Obernolte, Quirk,      |                   |
          |                |     |Santiago, Wagner,      |                   |
          |                |     |Weber, Wood, Chau      |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
          |                |     |                       |                   |
           ------------------------------------------------------------------ 


          SUMMARY:  Makes various changes to the authorities of the  
          California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the reports  
          required to be provided to the Legislature.  Specifically, this  
          bill: 


          1)Changes dates by which the CPUC must submit specified reports.


          2)Changes and adds to the required contents of specified CPUC  
            reports. 


          3)Repeals requirements for CPUC to submit specified reports.


          4)Transfers the responsibility for developing specified energy  
            efficiency report, from the CPUC to the California Energy  
            Commission (CEC), and expands the reporting requirements.


          5)Extends CPUC's authority to issue financing orders from  
            December 31, 2016, to June 30, 2022.


          6)Limits CPUC's authority to serve warrants and make arrests to  
            investigators.










                                                                    SB 1222


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          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee: 


          1)Increases CEC costs of approximately $136,000 (1 personnel  
            year) to compile information, conduct analysis, and prepare  
            formal comments regarding energy efficient programs (Energy  
            Resources Program Account or other special fund.)


          2)No additional CPUC costs, potential minor savings.


          COMMENTS:


          Purpose and Background.  According to the author, this bill  
          clarifies CPUC reporting obligations.  According to the CPUC,  
          there are several dozen reports required by the Legislature.   
          Many of these report requirements have been scattered throughout  
          the Public Utilities Code. Several are now outdated, with  
          deadlines that have long passed.


          CPUC sponsored legislation last year, SB 697 (Hertzberg),  
          Chapter 612, Statutes of 2015, shifted many reporting  
          requirements to one location within the code in an effort to  
          better organize the Public Utilities Code.  This bill builds off  
          efforts from last year.


          This bill also extends the sunset date on the CPUC's authority  
          to refinance the costs of electric deregulation.  In 1995, the  
          state issued 20-year bonds to cover certain costs associated  
          with that transition that are paid back by utility ratepayers.   
          In recent years, interest rates have declined substantially and  
          the short term finance rates are near zero percent.  According  
          to the CPUC, having refinancing authority saves ratepayers  
          money.  This bill extends that authority to June 30, 2022.








                                                                    SB 1222


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          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
                          Darion Johnston / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083  FN:  
          0003933