BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 976
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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 976 (Hall)
          As Amended  April 25, 2011
          Majority vote 

           UTILITIES & COMMERCE           12-2                 
          APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
           
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Bradford, Fletcher,       |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey,          |
          |     |Buchanan, Fong, Fuentes,  |     |Blumenfield, Bradford,    |
          |     |Furutani, Achadjian,      |     |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
          |     |Roger Hern�ndez, Ma,      |     |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto,   |
          |     |Nestande, Skinner,        |     |Hall, Hill, Lara,         |
          |     |Swanson                   |     |Mitchell, Nielsen, Smyth, |
          |     |                          |     |Solorio, Wagner           |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |Nays:|Huffman, Knight           |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 

           SUMMARY  :  Prohibits consultants advising Community Choice 
          Aggregators (CCA) from bidding on CCA contracts.  Specifically, 
           this bill  : prohibits a CCA from purchasing electricity or energy 
          services from an entity that provided analysis, advice, 
          consulting, or other services to CCA prior to CCA notifying that 
          CCA service will commence.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations 
          Committee, negligible costs for local entities to comply with 
          the bill's prohibition.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, firms hired by local 
          governments to make recommendations to local governments on 
          forming a CCA often seek contracts to implement their project 
          recommendations.  These firms can provide local government 
          information on the potential costs and benefits of forming a 
          CCA.  The author points out that there is a conflict of interest 
          that generally would benefit the consulting firm and that 
          current law does not adequately protect the interests of the 
          taxpayers or ratepayers affected.

          State law currently prohibits an entity who has been awarded a 
          consulting services contract, from a state agency, from 








                                                                  AB 976
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          submitting a bid for, receiving an award for a contract for the 
          provision of services, procurement of goods or supplies, or any 
          other related action which is required, suggested, or otherwise 
          deemed appropriate in the end product of the consulting services 
          contract. 

          San Francisco Public Utilities Commission was initially opposed 
          to this bill but has withdrawn its opposition.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916) 
          319-2083 


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