BILL NUMBER: AB 2769	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Utilities and Commerce (Fuentes (Chair),
Smyth (Vice Chair), Buchanan, Carter, Fletcher, Fong, Fuller,
Furutani, Huffman, Skinner, Swanson, Torrico, and Villines)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2010

   An act to amend Section 321.6 of, and to repeal Section 1701.6 of,
the Public Utilities Code, relating to the Public Utilities
Commission.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2769, as introduced, Committee on Utilities and Commerce.
Public Utilities Commission: President.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities and may establish its own
procedures, subject to statutory limitations or directions and
constitutional requirements of due process. Existing law requires the
commission to develop, publish, and annually update an annual work
plan access guide that describes the scheduled ratemaking proceedings
and other decisions that may be considered by the commission during
the calendar year, as prescribed. Existing uncodified law requires
the commission to submit a report to the Legislature annually on the
number of cases where resolution exceeded the time periods prescribed
in scoping memos and the days that commissioners presided in
hearings. Existing law requires the president of the commission to
appear annually before the appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature to report on the annual work plan access guide and to
report on the number of cases where resolution exceeded the time
periods prescribed in scoping memos and the days that commissioners
presided in hearings.
   This bill would recast the requirement that the president of the
commission appear annually before the appropriate policy committees
of the Legislature to report on the annual work plan access guide and
to report on the number of cases where resolution exceeded the time
periods prescribed in scoping memos and the days that commissioners
presided in hearings.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 321.6 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   321.6.   (a)    The commission shall do all of
the following: 
   (a) 
    (1)  Develop, publish, and annually update an annual
work plan that describes in clear detail the scheduled ratemaking
proceedings and other decisions that may be considered by the
commission during the calendar year. The plan shall include, but is
not limited to, information on how members of the public and
ratepayers can gain access to the commission's ratemaking process and
information regarding the specific matters to be decided. The plan
shall also include information on the operation of the office of the
public advisor and identify the names and telephone numbers of those
contact persons responsible for specific cases and matters to be
decided. The plan shall also include a statement that specifies
activities that the commission proposes to reduce the costs of, and
rates for, energy, including electricity, and for improving the
competitive opportunities for state agriculture and other rural
energy consumers. The commission shall post the plan under the
Official Documents area of its Internet Web site and shall develop a
program to disseminate the information in the plan utilizing computer
mailing lists to provide regular updates on the information to those
members of the public and organizations which request that
information. 
   (b) 
    (2)  Produce a complete accounting of its transactions
and proceedings for the preceding year, together with other facts,
suggestions, and recommendations that it deems of value to the people
of the state and a statement that specifies the activities and
achievements of the commission in reducing the costs of, and rates
for, energy, including electricity, for state agriculture and other
rural energy consumers. 
   (c) 
    (3)  Create a report on the number of cases where
resolution exceeded the time periods prescribed in scoping memos and
the days that commissioners presided in hearings. 
   (d) 
    (4)  Submit annually the plan, accounting, and report
required by  subdivisions (a), (b), and (c)  
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3)  to the Governor and Legislature no
later than February 1 of each year. 
   (b) The president of the commission shall annually appear before
the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly to
report on the annual work plan access guide of the commission
required pursuant to this section.  
   (c) The president of the commission shall annually appear before
the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly to
report on the annual report of the commission on the number of cases
where resolution exceeded the time periods prescribed in scoping
memos and the days that commissioners presided in hearings, pursuant
to Section 13 of Chapter 856 of the Statutes of 1996. 
  SEC. 2.  Section 1701.6 of the Public Utilities Code is repealed.

   1701.6.  (a) The president of the commission shall annually appear
before the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly
to report on the annual work plan access guide of the commission
required pursuant to Section 321.6.
   (b) The president of the commission shall annually appear before
the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly to
report on the annual report of the commission on the number of cases
where resolution exceeded the time periods prescribed in scoping
memos and the days that commissioners presided in hearings, pursuant
to Section 13 of Chapter 856 of the Statutes of 1996.