Bill Text: CA AB793 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 793 (Prior Session Legislation)

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

Bill Title: Energy efficiency.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 589, Statutes of 2015. [AB793 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB793-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 793	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 16, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Quirk

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2015

   An act to amend Section 2790 of, and to add Section 8365 to, the
Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 793, as amended, Quirk. Energy efficiency.
   (1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has
regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical
corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires
the commission to require an electrical or gas corporation to perform
home weatherization services for low-income  customers,
  customers  if the commission determines that a
significant need for those services exists in the corporation's
service territory. For these purposes, existing law authorizes
weatherization, where feasible, to include certain measures for a
dwelling unit. Existing law also authorizes weatherization, for these
purposes, to include other measures determined by the commission to
be feasible, taking into consideration the cost-effectiveness of the
measures as a whole and the policy of reducing energy-related
hardships facing low-income households.
   This bill would require weatherization, for the above-specified
purposes, to include  home  energy management
technology, as defined, determined by the commission to be feasible,
taking into consideration the above-described factors.
    (2) Existing law requires the commission, by July 1, 2010, and in
consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission, the Independent System Operator, and other
key stakeholders, to determine the requirements for a smart grid
deployment plan consistent with specified policies and federal law.
Existing law requires each electrical corporation, by July 1, 2011,
to develop and submit a smart grid deployment plan to the commission
for approval.
   This bill would require the commission to require each electrical
corporation to develop and implement a plan to educate its
residential and  small  business customers 
whose homes or places of business are equipped with an advanced meter
about how they can use data from the advanced meter  to
better understand and control their use of electricity. The bill
would require the commission to require each electrical corporation
to develop  a rebate   an incentive 
program to  reimburse   provide incentives to
 a residential or  small  business customer
 , as prescribed, who purchases   who acquires
 energy management technology for use in the customer's home or
place of business.  The bill would require the commission to
require each electrical corporation to annually report to the
commission on actual customer savings resulting from the education
plan and the incentive program. 
   (3) Because a violation of any part of any order, decision, rule,
direction, demand, or requirement of the Public Utilities Commission
is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
   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.  Section 2790 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   2790.  (a) The commission shall require an electrical or gas
corporation to perform home weatherization services for low-income
customers, as determined by the commission under Section 739, if the
commission determines that a significant need for those services
exists in the corporation's service territory, taking into
consideration both the cost-effectiveness of the services and the
policy of reducing the hardships facing low-income households.
   (b) (1) For purposes of this section, "weatherization" may
include, where feasible, any of the following measures for any
dwelling unit:
   (A) Attic insulation.
   (B) Caulking.
   (C) Weatherstripping.
   (D) Low flow showerhead.
   (E) Waterheater blanket.
   (F) Door and building envelope repairs that reduce air
infiltration.
   (2) The commission shall direct any electrical or gas corporation
to provide as many of these measures as are feasible for each
eligible low-income dwelling unit.
   (c) "Weatherization" may also include other building conservation
measures,  home  energy management technology,
energy-efficient appliances, and energy education programs determined
by the commission to be feasible, taking into consideration for all
measures both the cost-effectiveness of the measures as a whole and
the policy of reducing energy-related hardships facing low-income
households.
   (d) Weatherization programs shall use the needs assessment
pursuant to Section 382.1 to maximize efficiency of delivery.

   (e) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:  
   (1) "Home energy 
    (e)     For purposes of this section,
"energy  management technology" is a  product or service
  product, service, or software,  that allows a
customer to better understand and manage energy use in the customer's
 home and may include, but is not limited to, a home energy
monitor.   home.  
   (2) "Home energy monitor" is a device that is able to provide
household electricity consumption in real-time by connecting to an
advanced meter equipped with home area network functionality.

  SEC. 2.  Section 8365 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   8365.  (a) The commission shall require each electrical
corporation to do the following:
   (1) Develop and implement a plan by June 30, 2016, to educate its
residential customers and  small  business customers
 whose homes or places of business are equipped with an
advanced meter about how they can use data from the advanced meter
 to better understand and control their use of electricity.
The plan shall include notification of the  rebate 
 incentive  program developed pursuant to paragraph (2).

   (2) Develop a rebate program no later than June 30, 2016, to
reimburse a residential customer or small business customer who
purchases energy management technology for use in the customer's home
or place of business. The rebate shall be an amount equal to ___
percent of the retail value of the product or service, not to exceed
___.  
   (2) Develop a program no later than June 30, 2016, to provide
incentives to a residential or business customer who acquires energy
management technology for use in the customer's home or place of
business. The electrical corporation shall allow third parties or
local governments to apply for incentives on behalf of customers. The
electrical corporation shall work with third parties, local
governments, and other interested parties in developing the program.
The electrical corporation shall establish incentive amounts at a
level necessary to encourage adoption of energy management
technologies that allow a customer to achieve progressively higher
savings.  
   (3) Annually report to the commission on actual customer savings
resulting from the education plan and the incentive program
established pursuant to this section.  
   (b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:  
   (1) "Energy 
    (b)     For purposes of this section,
"energy  management technology" is a  product or service
  product, service, or software  that allows a
customer to better understand and manage electricity use in the
customer's home or place of  business and may include, but is
not limited to, an energy monitor.   business. 

   (2) "Energy monitor" is a device that is able to provide
electricity consumption in real-time or near real-time by connecting
to an advanced meter equipped with home area network functionality.

  SEC. 3.  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.