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Bills

SB 1474: Public utilities: intervenor compensation.

  • Session Year: 2023-2024
  • House: Senate

Current Status:

Failed

(2024-05-16: May 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.)

Introduced

First Committee Review

First Chamber

Second Committee Review

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities. Existing law provides compensation for reasonable advocates fees, reasonable expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs to public utility customers for preparation for and participation in a hearing or proceeding of the commission. Existing law requires the commission to award a customer compensation if certain requirements are satisfied, including that the customers presentation makes a substantial contribution to the adoption of the commissions order or decision. Existing law requires a customer who intends to seek compensation to file and serve on all parties to the proceeding, within 30 days after the prehearing conference is held, a notice of intent to claim compensation.

This bill would instead require a customer who intends to seek compensation to file and serve on all parties to the proceeding a notice of intent to claim compensation within 30 days after the prehearing conference is held or within 30 days of becoming a party to the proceeding, whichever is later.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities. Existing law provides compensation for reasonable advocates fees, reasonable expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs to public utility customers for preparation for and participation in a hearing or proceeding of the commission. Existing law defines customer for these purposes to include, among other individuals, a participant representing consumers, customers, or subscribers of any electrical, gas, telephone, telegraph, or water corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the commission.Existing law requires the commission to award a customer compensation if certain requirements are satisfied, including that the customers presentation makes a substantial contribution to the adoption of the commissions order or decision. Existing law defines substantial contribution for these purposes to mean that, in the judgment of the commission, the customers presentation has substantially assisted the commission in the making of its order or decision because the order or decision has adopted in whole or in part one or more contentions or recommendations presented by the customer. Existing law requires a customer who intends to seek compensation to timely file and serve on all parties to the proceeding a notice of intent to claim compensation, as specified. Existing law requires the commission to issue a decision on the request for compensation within 75 days after the filing of the request or within 50 days after the filing of a report on an audit of the customer by the commission, whichever occurs later.This bill would add a participant representing patrons or employees of any electrical, gas, telephone, telegraph, or water corporation to the definition of customer for these purposes. The bill would expand the definition of substantial contribution to include situations in which the commissions order or decision is informed by reasoned decisionmaking made possible by the customers presentation even if the customers contentions or recommendations are not adopted by the commission. The bill would deem a request for compensation granted if the commission fails to issue a decision within 75 days after the filing of the request or within 50 days after the filing of an audit report, whichever occurs later. The bill would require the commission, if it reduces or denies the requested compensation, to provide a written explanation of that decision.Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and therefore a violation of the bills requirements or of a commission action implementing its requirements would be a crime, the 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.

Discussed in Hearing

Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications5MIN
Apr 22, 2024

Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications

Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications46SEC
Apr 22, 2024

Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications

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News Coverage:

SB 1474: Public utilities: intervenor compensation. | Digital Democracy