Bill Text: CA AB340 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Public utilities: Electric Program Investment Charge: contracting.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2014-03-06 - Last day to consider Governor's veto pursuant to Joint Rule 58.5. [AB340 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB340-Enrolled.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 340	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  MAY 23, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford

                        FEBRUARY 13, 2013

   An act to add Section 383 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 340, Bradford. Public utilities: Electric Program Investment
Charge: contracting.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations,
as defined. The Reliable Electric Service Investments Act required
the commission to require the state's 3 largest electrical
corporations, until January 1, 2012, to identify a separate
electrical rate component, commonly referred to as the public goods
charge, to collect specified amounts to fund energy efficiency,
renewable energy, and research, development, and demonstration
programs that enhance system reliability and provide in-state
benefits. Existing decisions of the commission institute an Electric
Program Investment Charge, referred to as EPIC, to fund research,
development, and demonstration programs.
   The California Constitution authorizes the commission to establish
rules for all public utilities, subject to control by the
Legislature. Existing law directs the commission to require every
electrical, gas, water, wireless telecommunications service provider,
and telephone corporation with annual gross revenues exceeding
$25,000,000, and their regulated subsidiaries and affiliates, to
implement a program developed by the commission to encourage,
recruit, and utilize minority, women, and disabled veteran-owned
business enterprises, as defined, in the procurement of contracts
from those corporations or from their regulated subsidiaries and
affiliates. The commission, by its rulemaking authority, has adopted
General Order 156, applicable to certain electrical, gas, and
telephone corporations, to effectuate these requirements.
   This bill would require the commission to establish a program to
encourage the use of women, minority, and disabled veteran-owned
businesses as prime contractors and subcontractors for all grants,
contracts, subsidies, financing, and activities administered through
the EPIC consistent with General Order 156 of the commission.
   Existing law requires the commission to provide to the Legislature
a specified report on the progress of activities undertaken by
certain entities in the implementation of women, minority, and
disabled veteran-owned business enterprise development programs.
   This bill would require the commission to include in its 2014
report a status report on the commission's progress in increasing the
participation of women, minorities, and disabled veteran-owned
businesses, as specified.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 383 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   383.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the Public
Utilities Commission adopted the Electric Program Investment Charge
(EPIC) pursuant to Decision 11-12-035 (Phase 1 Decision Establishing
Interim Research, Development And Demonstration, And Renewables
Programs Funding Levels), as modified by Decision 13-01-016 (Order
Modifying Decision (D.) 11-12-035 and Denying Rehearing of Decision,
As Modified), and Decision 12-05-037 (Phase 2 Decision Establishing
Purposes and Governance for EPIC and Establishing Funding Collections
for 2013-2020), as corrected by Decision 12-07-001 (Order Correcting
Error).
   (b) To promote greater competition among suppliers of research,
development, and demonstration programs and to expand the available
base and encourage greater economic opportunity for women, minority,
and disabled veteran-owned businesses historically left out of
research, development, and demonstration programs, the commission
shall establish a program through an existing or new proceeding, or
by modifying an existing general order, to encourage the use of
women, minority, and disabled veteran-owned businesses as prime
contractors and subcontractors for all grants, contracts, subsidies,
financing, and activities administered through the EPIC established
by Decisions 11-12-035 and 12-05-037, and related and subsequent
decisions, consistent with General Order 156 of the commission.
   (c) Not later than 2014, the commission shall include a status
report on its progress pursuant to this section in increasing the
participation of women, minority, and disabled veteran-owned
businesses as prime contractors and subcontractors in its annual
report to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section
8283.
   (d) Nothing in this section provides the commission with any
authority to order the collection of the moneys consistent with
Decision 11-12-035, Decision 12-05-037, or to increase the amount
collected through the EPIC.