SB 805, as introduced, De León. Water corporations: low-income rate relief programs.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including water corporations, as defined, and authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider, and authorizes the commission to implement, programs to provide rate relief for low-income ratepayers of a water corporation and to provide appropriate incentives and capabilities to achieve water conservation goals.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change in these provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 739.8 of the Public Utilities Code is
2amended to read:
(a) Access to an adequate supply of healthful water is
4a basic necessity of human life, and shall be made available to all
5residents ofbegin delete Californiaend deletebegin insert the stateend insert at an affordable cost.
P2 1(b) The commission shall consider and may implement programs
2to provide rate relief for low-income ratepayers.
3(c) The commission shall consider and may implement programs
4to assist low-income ratepayers in order to provide appropriate
5incentives and capabilities to achieve water conservation
goals.
6(d) In establishing the feasibility of rate relief and conservation
7incentives for low-income ratepayers, the commission may take
8into account variations in water needs caused by geography, climate
9and the ability of communities to support these programs.
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