CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill No. 1338

Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 16, 2018

An act to amend Section 718 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy rates.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1338, as introduced, Hueso. Electrical and gas corporations: rates.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law 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 commission to 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, as specified, and requires the commission, in each gas and electrical corporation general rate case, to, among other things, conduct an assessment of and properly identify the impact of any proposed increase in rates on disconnections for nonpayment. Existing law requires the commission to adopt residential utility disconnections for nonpayment as a metric and to incorporate the metric into each gas and electrical corporation’s general rate case.
This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the requirement that the commission adopt residential utility disconnections for nonpayment as a metric and incorporate that metric into each gas and electrical corporation’s general rate case.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 718 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

718.
 (a) 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.
(b) (1) In each gas and electrical corporation general rate case, the commission shall do both of the following:
(A) Designate the impact of any proposed increase in rates on disconnections for nonpayment as an issue in the scope of the proceeding.
(B) Conduct an assessment of and properly identify the impact of any proposed increase in rates on disconnections for nonpayment, which shall be included in the record of the proceeding.
(2) The commission shall adopt residential utility disconnections for nonpayment as a metric and incorporate the metric metric. The adopted metric shall be incorporated into each gas and electrical corporation general rate case.