Bill Text: CA AB270 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Public utilities: ratepayer-funded energy efficiency assistance.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2013-10-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 610, Statutes of 2013. [AB270 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB270-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 270	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 1, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford

                        FEBRUARY 7, 2013

   An act to add Sections 589 and 747.6 to the Public Utilities Code,
relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 270, as amended, Bradford. Public utilities: ratepayer-funded
energy efficiency assistance.
   (1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has
regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical and
gas corporations. The Public Utilities Act requires the PUC to
require electrical and gas corporations to establish various
ratepayer-funded energy efficiency assistance programs. Under
existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order,
decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission
is a crime.
   This bill would require the PUC to require the electrical and gas
corporations to cooperate in establishing, by June 1, 2014, a
publicly available Internet Web site containing specified information
regarding ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs. Because a
violation of this provision is a crime, this bill would create a
state-mandated local program.
   (2) Existing law requires the PUC to prepare and submit to the
Governor and the Legislature an annual report on the costs of
programs and activities conducted by each electrical and gas
corporation.
   This bill would require the PUC to include in that annual report
information on its effort to identify and eliminate ratepayer-funded
energy efficiency programs that duplicate programs administered by
other specified state agencies.
   (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) It is in the public interest to be able to measure the
effectiveness of energy efficiency programs to ensure that the state'
s interest in achieving its energy efficiency and climate change
goals are met.
   (b) Over the past 15 years, California ratepayers and taxpayers
have spent a combined total of roughly $15 billion to support
development of energy efficiency and renewable energy in California.
   (c) California currently lacks a comprehensive framework that
coordinates its efforts among programs administered by the Public
Utilities Commission, the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission, the State Air Resources Board, and the
California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing
Authority.
   (d) Current expenditures planned for energy efficiency in 2012-13
are $1 billion, and, historically, $9 billion have been expended for
energy efficiency programs funded by California ratepayers.
   (e) There currently exists an information gap that inhibits
assessment and monitoring of the expenditures of ratepayer funds
expended toward energy efficiency improvements and programs, and
research, development, and demonstration programs.
  SEC. 2.  Section 589 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   589.  (a)  The   In an existing or new
proceeding, the  commission shall require the electrical and gas
corporations to cooperate in establishing an Internet Web site
available to the public that provides up-to-date information
regarding ratepayer-funded energy efficiency assistance programs that
include all of the following:
   (1) The types of energy efficiency measures installed.
   (2) The location of each customer receiving ratepayer-funded
energy efficiency assistance without disclosing personal information
about the customer.
   (3) The amount of funds expended at each site.
   (4) The expected annual energy savings and reduced energy usage
expected in  kilowatthour   kilowatthours 
or therms.
   (b) (1) The commission shall order the electrical and gas
corporations to establish, based on data, ratepayer-funded energy
efficiency assistance program reports on program totals, geographical
and monthly statistics, cost distribution, and progress toward
program goals.
   (2) The electrical and gas corporations shall make the reports
available on the Internet Web site established pursuant to
subdivision (a).
   (c) The commission shall require the electrical and gas
corporations to publish data, including the amount expended, on the
ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs that are not direct
retrofits, including, but not limited to, research on building and
appliance standards and marketing and outreach, on the Internet Web
site established pursuant to subdivision (a). 
   (d) The commission shall require the electrical and gas
corporations to publish data on grants, contracts, subsidies,
financing, and activities administered through the Electric Program
Investment Charge established by Decisions 11-12-035 and 12-05-037,
and related and subsequent decisions, to comply with General Order
156 of the commission.  
   (e) 
    (d)  The commission shall take necessary steps to ensure
the Internet Web site established pursuant to subdivision (a) is
available to the public on or before June 1, 2014. 
   (f) 
    (e)  The commission shall have a link to the Internet
Web site established pursuant to subdivision (a) on the commission's
Internet Web site and require the electrical and gas corporations to
have a link to the Internet Web site established pursuant to
subdivision (a) on its Internet Web site.
  SEC. 3.  Section 747.6 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   747.6.  The commission shall report annually on its effort to
identify and eliminate ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs
that are duplicative of programs administered by the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the State Air
Resources Board, and the California Alternative Energy and Advanced
Transportation Financing Authority in its annual report prepared
pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 747. 
  SEC. 4.    This measure does not provide the
Public Utilities Commission with any authority to order the
collection of the moneys consistent with Decisions 11-12-035 and
12-05-037, and related subsequent decisions, or to increase the
amount collected through the Electric Program Investment Charge
(EPIC). 
   SEC. 5.  SEC. 4.   No reimbursement is
required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the
California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred
by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this
act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or
infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within
the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the
definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
B of the California Constitution.