BILL NUMBER: AB 2339	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 19, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Williams and V. Manuel Pérez

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to add Section 740.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2339, as amended, Williams. Energy: geothermal heat pump.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has
regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical
corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires
the PUC, in cooperation with specified entities, to evaluate and
implement policies to promote the development of specified
technologies.
   This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, State Air
Resources Board, electrical corporations, and the geothermal heat
pump and distributed solar thermal heating and cooling industries to
evaluate policies  and develop sufficient infrastructure
 sufficient to overcome barriers to the widespread
deployment and use of geothermal and solar heating and cooling
technologies. The bill would require the PUC, by July 1, 2013, to
adopt rules addressing specified issues regarding geothermal and
solar heating and cooling technologies.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 740.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   740.5.  (a) The commission, in consultation with the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission, State Air
Resources Board, electrical corporations, and the geothermal heat
pump and distributed solar thermal heating and cooling industries,
shall evaluate policies  to develop an infrastructure
 sufficient to overcome barriers to the widespread
deployment and use of geothermal and solar heating and cooling
technologies.
   (b) By July 1, 2013, the commission shall adopt rules addressing
all of the following:
   (1) The technological advances that are needed to ensure the
consideration of geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal heating and
cooling in state policy and what role the state should take to
support the development of these technologies.
   (2) The benefits  and costs  to ratepayers specific to
safer, more reliable, or less costly gas or electrical service and
through greater energy efficiency, reduction of health and
environmental impacts from air pollution, and reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions related to electricity and natural gas production and
use, through the use of geothermal heat pump and solar thermal
heating and cooling technologies.
   (3) The existing statutory and permit requirements that will
impact the widespread use of geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal
heating and cooling technologies and any recommended changes to
existing legal impediments to the widespread use of geothermal heat
pumps and solar thermal heating and cooling technologies.
   (4) The impact of widespread use of the geothermal heat pump and
solar thermal heating and cooling technologies on achieving the state'
s goals pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of
2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and
Safety Code) and the renewables portfolio standard program pursuant
to Section 399.12.