Bill Text: CA SB900 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Public utilities: rate case application: safety.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 552, Statutes of 2014. [SB900 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SB900-Chaptered.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 900	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  552
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 18, 2014
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 14, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 1, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 27, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 8, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hill

                        JANUARY 15, 2014

   An act to amend Section 321.1 of, and to add Section 750 to, the
Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 900, Hill. Public utilities: rate case application: safety.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, as defined. Existing law authorizes
the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility
and authorizes the commission to establish rules for all public
utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. If the commission
finds after a hearing that the rules, practices, equipment,
appliances, facilities, or service of any public utility, or the
methods of manufacture, distribution, transmission, storage, or
supply employed by the public utility, are unjust, unreasonable,
unsafe, improper, inadequate, or insufficient, the Public Utilities
Act requires that the commission determine and, by order or rule, fix
the rules, practices, equipment, appliances, facilities, service, or
methods to be observed, furnished, constructed, enforced, or
employed. Existing law states it is the intent of the Legislature
that the commission assess the economic effects or other consequences
of its decisions as a part of each ratemaking, rulemaking, or other
proceeding.
   This bill would require the commission to develop formal
procedures, as specified, to consider safety in a rate case
application by an electrical corporation or gas corporation. The bill
would require the commission to take actions to assess the economic
effects of its decisions and to assess and mitigate the impacts of
its decisions on customer, public, and employee safety.



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

  SECTION 1.  Section 321.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   321.1.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
commission assess the consequences of its decisions, including
economic effects, and assess and mitigate the impacts of its decision
on customer, public, and employee safety, as part of each
ratemaking, rulemaking, or other proceeding, and that this be
accomplished using existing resources and within existing commission
structures. The commission shall not establish a separate office or
department for the purpose of evaluating and mitigating consequences
of commission activities.
   (b) The commission shall take all necessary and appropriate
actions to assess the economic effects of its decisions and to assess
and mitigate the impacts of its decisions on customer, public, and
employee safety.
  SEC. 2.  Section 750 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   750.  The commission shall develop formal procedures to consider
safety in a rate case application by an electrical corporation or gas
corporation. The procedures shall include a means by which safety
information acquired by the commission through monitoring, data
tracking and analysis, accident investigations, and audits of an
applicant's safety programs may inform the commission's consideration
of the application.