Bill Text: CA AB2765 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Public Utilities Public Purpose Programs Fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-19 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2765 Detail]
Download: California-2021-AB2765-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 07, 2022 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 24, 2022 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Santiago |
February 18, 2022 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(3)Gas rates are also increasing as a result of these increased costs.
(4)Additionally, public benefit program
SEC. 2.
Section 25711 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:25711.
For the purposes of implementing this chapter, the Electric Program Investment Charge Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury.SEC. 3.
Section 318 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:(a)In
318.
(a) For purposes of this section, “public purpose programs” means all of the following programs:
(b)
(c)
(1)Energy efficiency and conservation programs established pursuant to Section 381.
(2)Cost-effective energy efficiency programs described in Section 399.4.
(3)The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program established pursuant to Section 739.1.
(4)The rate assistance programs for eligible food banks implemented pursuant to Section 739.3.
(5)Research, development, and demonstration programs, including those described in Section 740.1.
(6)The home insulation financial assistance program established in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2781) of Part 2.
(7)The Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program developed pursuant to Chapter 8.1 (commencing with Section 25710) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)Notwithstanding any other law, the commission shall prohibit the collection of charges from public utility customers to fund the programs described in subdivision (c).
SEC. 4.
Section 327 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:327.
(a) The electrical corporations and gas corporations that participate in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, as established pursuant to Section 739.1, shall administer low-income energy efficiency and rate assistance programs described in Sections 382, 739.1, 739.2, and 2790, subject to commission oversight. In administering the programs described in Section 2790, the electrical corporations and gas corporations, to the extent practicable, shall do all of the following:SEC. 5.
Section 379.6 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:379.6.
(a) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that the self-generation incentive program increase deployment of distributed generation and energy storage systems to facilitate the integration of those resources into the electrical grid, improve efficiency and reliability of the distribution and transmission system, and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, peak demand, and ratepayer costs. It is the further intent of the Legislature that the commission, in future proceedings, provide for an equitable distribution of the costs and benefits of the program.SEC. 5.SEC. 6.
Section 381 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:381.
(a) To ensure that the funding for the programs described in subdivision (b) and Section 382 are not commingled with other revenues, the commission shall require each electrical corporation to establish a two-way balancing account for moneys allocated from the Public Utilities PublicSEC. 6.SEC. 7.
Section 381.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:381.1.
(a) No later than July 15, 2003, the commission shall establish policies and procedures by which any party, including, but not limited to, a local entity that establishes a community choice aggregation program, may apply to become administrators for cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation programs established pursuant to Section 381 and funded by moneys allocated from the Public Utilities PublicSEC. 7.SEC. 8.
Section 399.4 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:399.4.
(a) (1) In order to ensure that prudent investments in energy efficiency continue to be made that produce cost-effective energy savings, reduce customer demand, and contribute to the safe and reliable operation of the electrical distribution grid, it is the policy of this state and the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall supervise the administration of cost-effective energy efficiency programs authorized pursuant to its statutory authority, including Sections 381, 381.1, 381.2, 381.5, 382, 384.5, 400, 454.5, 454.55, 454.56, 589, 701.1, 749, and 769, Article 10 (commencing with Section 891) of Chapter 4, and Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2781) of Part 2.SEC. 8.SEC. 9.
Section 399.8 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:399.8.
(a) In order to ensure that the citizens of this state continue to receive safe, reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable electric service, it is the policy of this state and the intent of the Legislature that prudent investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and research, development and demonstration shall continue to be made.SEC. 10.
Section 718 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:718.
(a) (1) The commission shall develop policies, rules, or regulations with a goal of reducing, by January 1, 2024, the statewide level of gas and electric service disconnections for nonpayment by residential customers, including policies, rules, or regulations specific to the four gas and electrical corporations that have the greatest number of customers. The commission shall convene stakeholders, including, but not limited to, public health officials, consumer advocates, and organizations representing low-income communities, to assist with the development of the policies, rules, or regulations.SEC. 9.SEC. 11.
Section 739.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:739.1.
(a) The commission shall continue a program of assistance to low-income(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
SEC. 10.SEC. 12.
Section 739.3 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:739.3.
(a) Subject to direction and supervision by the commission, each electrical corporation and gas corporation shall develop and implement a program of rate assistance to eligible food banks at a fixed percentage to be determined by the commission. The commission may adjust the fixed percentage as appropriate. The funding source for the gas rate assistance program isSEC. 11.SEC. 13.
Section 739.4 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:739.4.
(a) A natural gas customer who enrolls in the CARE program after May 22, 2001, but before October 1, 2001, shall receive the same one-time bill credit based on the amount of each gas corporation’s average CARE customer discount applied for each month in October 2000 to March 2001, inclusive. The credit does not apply to a customer who initiates service with a gas corporation after May 22, 2001, and who has no prior history of service with the gas corporation. CARE program funds shall be used for the purpose of providing these credits. The commission shall adjust CARE program income requirements annually to reflect the increased cost-of-living due to inflation.SEC. 12.SEC. 14.
Section 739.9 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:739.9.
(a) “Fixed charge” means any fixed customer charge, basic service fee, demand differentiated basic service fee, demand charge, or other charge not based upon the volume of electricity consumed.The Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury.
Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, moneys in the Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund are continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, as follows:
(a)To the commission. If the commission designates the Energy Commission to receive funds for public interest research and development, both of the following shall apply:
(1)The Controller shall transfer the funds to a separate subaccount within the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund. Notwithstanding Section 384 of this code and Section 13340 of the Government Code, moneys in the subaccount are continuously appropriated, without regard to
fiscal year, to pay the Energy Commission for its costs in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this article.
(2)The Energy Commission may administer the program pursuant to Chapter 7.1 (commencing with Section 25620) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code.
(b)To pay the commission for its costs in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this article.
(c)To pay the State Board of Equalization for its costs in administering this article.
A municipality, district, or public agency that offers in published tariffs home weatherization services or rate assistance for low-income customers shall not be required to collect a surcharge from customers within its service territory.
Section 892 does not apply to any gas customer of a municipality, district, or public agency exempted by Section 898 from collecting a surcharge.
SEC. 23.SEC. 15.
Section 2788 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:Using moneys allocated from the Public Utilities Public Purposes Program Fund, the