BILL NUMBER: SB 837	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Florez

                        JANUARY 5, 2010

   An act to relating to electricity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 837, as introduced, Florez. Electricity: smart meters.
   The federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 states
that it is the policy of the United States to maintain a reliable and
secure electricity structure that achieves certain objectives that
characterize a Smart Grid. Existing federal law requires each state
regulatory authority, with respect to each electric utility for which
it has ratemaking authority, and each nonregulated electric utility,
to consider certain standards and to determine whether or not it is
appropriate to implement those standards to carry out the purposes of
the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. The existing standards
include time-based metering and communications, consideration of
smart grid investments, and providing purchases with smart grid
information, as specified.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations,
as defined. Existing law authorizes the commission to establish rules
for all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature.
   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that requires the commission to ensure that electrical
corporations that are authorized to deploy Smart Grid technology,
including smart meters, are meeting their intended goals and have not
shifted unnecessary deployment costs onto consumers.
   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.  It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that requires the Public Utilities Commission to ensure
that electrical corporations that are authorized to deploy Smart Grid
technology, including smart meters, are meeting their intended goals
and have not shifted unnecessary deployment costs onto consumers.