BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 838
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   January 19, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    AB 838 (Hill) - As Amended:  January 4, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              
          UtilitiesVote:11-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to 
          appoint an assistant executive director for public safety to 
          coordinate all commission divisions to ensure public safety is a 
          primary goal of all commission proceedings.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Estimated annual special fund cost of $160,000 for the 
          newly-established assistant director position. �Public Utilities 
          Reimbursement Account]

           COMMENTS 

           Purpose  .  The Independent Review Panel (IRP) formed by the PUC 
          in response to the September 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion 
          pointed to deficiencies in PUC oversight as contributing to the 
          ineffective safety programs at Pacific Gas and Electric Company. 
          The IRP called for better coordination between the various 
          divisions within the PUC, stating that "the silos between the 
          various disciplines must be dismantled." This bill creates an 
          executive level administrator who would be responsible for 
          integrating safety considerations into all PUC proceedings.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081