CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1513

Author:(Holden)

As Amended Ver:September 6, 2019

Majority vote

SUMMARY:

This bill makes several technical and clarifying changes to current law which concern programs under the jurisdiction of, and the authority of, the California Public Utilities Commission and other energy programs. The bill also makes one substantive change to the legislative package adopted in July to address increasing the increasing threats of wildfires and utility liability related to those fires.

The Senate Amendments:

1. Amend several additional sections of the Public Utilities and Water codes to clean-up AB 1054 (Holden,et al.) Chapter 79, Statutes of 2019, including changes to dates, grammar, punctuation, and cross-references.
2. Upon termination of the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054, require any remaining funds to be transferred to the State's General Fund with the stated intent that the funds be used for wildfire mitigation,

COMMENTS:

With one exception, this bill is a simple and straight-forward code clean-up bill. It makes several clarifying and technical changes to various sections of the codes, most of which do not substantively alter existing policy.

One substantive amendment is included to AB 1054 (Holden) adopted earlier this summer which, among other provisions, established the Wildfire Fund (outside of the State Treasury), funded with ratepayer and electrical corporation contributions, to pay eligible claims arising from catastrophic wildfires. In the event that the fund terminates, current law requires that any remaining funds be rebated directly to ratepayers. This bill eliminates that requirement and instead transfers the funds to the General Fund with the intent that it be used for wildfire mitigation.

According to the Author:

The bill is generally a code clean-up bill. However one amendment to AB 1054 is necessary to protect the Wildfire Fund's claim to exemption from federal income tax. Tax counsel has advised that the requirement to return any remaining funds "to ratepayers" jeopardizes the state's ability to obtain a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service that the fund is entitled to tax exempt status. This would result in the Wildfire Fund itself being subject to federal income tax, which would be a terrible result. Both initial and ongoing contributions to the fund and any investment earnings of the fund would be subject to 21% federal income tax – in short, a transfer of billions of dollars from the wildfire fund to the federal government that would undermine the long-term durability of the fund.

Arguments in Support:

There is no registered support to this bill.

Arguments in Opposition:

There is no registered opposition to this bill.

FISCAL COMMENTS:

This bill is not keyed fiscal.

VOTES:

ASM UTILITIES AND ENERGY: 12-0-3

YES: Holden, Patterson, Burke, Carrillo, Chen, Cunningham, Eggman, Cristina Garcia, Mayes, Reyes, Santiago, Ting

ABS, ABST OR NV: Eduardo Garcia, Muratsuchi, Quirk

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0-6

YES: Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chen, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dahle, Daly, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Obernolte, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

ABS, ABST OR NV: Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Brough, Burke, Frazier, Gloria

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1

YES: Allen, Atkins, Bates, Beall, Borgeas, Bradford, Caballero, Chang, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Galgiani, Glazer, Lena Gonzalez, Grove, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Hurtado, Jackson, Jones, Leyva, McGuire, Mitchell, Monning, Moorlach, Morrell, Nielsen, Pan, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Umberg, Wieckowski, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Archuleta

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1

YES: Allen, Archuleta, Atkins, Bates, Beall, Borgeas, Bradford, Caballero, Chang, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Galgiani, Glazer, Lena Gonzalez, Grove, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Hurtado, Jackson, Leyva, McGuire, Mitchell, Monning, Moorlach, Morrell, Nielsen, Pan, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Umberg, Wieckowski, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Jones

UPDATED:

VERSION: September 6, 2019

CONSULTANT: Kellie Smith / U. & E. / (916) 319-2083 FN: 0002228

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS

Senator Ben Hueso, Chair

2019 - 2020 Regular

Bill No: AB 1513 Hearing Date: 9/10/2019

SUBJECT: Energy

DIGEST: This bill makes several noncontroversial, technical and clarifying changes to the codes, including technical clean-up of language adopted in AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statute of 2019), chaptering amendments with SB 247 (Dodd), and makes a substantive change to require the transfer of any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Creates the California Catastrophe Response Council composed of nine members to oversee the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). (Government Code §8899.70)
2. Establishes the Wildfire Safety Division of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to Oversee and enforce electrical corporations’ compliance with wildfire safety, as specified. (Public Utilities Code §326)
3. Establishes the California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board in order to advise the Wildfire Safety Division. (Public Utilities Code §326.2)
4. Establishes the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, which must assume all functions of the Wildfire Safety Divisions, effective July 1, 2021. (Government Code §15470, et seq. and Public Utilities Code §326)
5. Provides mechanisms for electrical corporations to recover costs and expenses arising from covered wildfires, as defined, establishes the Wildfire Fund to pay eligible claims arising from a covered wildfire, and requires each electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, and electrical cooperative to annually prepare and submit a wildfire mitigation plan.
6. Provides for the financing of energy or water efficiency improvements through the issuance of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds that are secured by a voluntary contractual assessment on property or a special tax on property. (Government Code §26054)
7. Defines “Energy Commission” to mean the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, commonly known as the CEC, for purposes of that code. (Public Utilities Code §20)

This bill:

1. Corrects section number cross-references in the Insurance and Government codes for the PACE program.
2. Updates references to the CEC by changing “California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” to “Energy Commission” in several sections of the Public Utilities Code.
3. Makes several grammatical, clarifying, and technical changes to sections in the Public Utilities Code.
4. Makes nonsubstantive changes to provisions related to Wildfire Fund mechanisms, requirements, and the Wildfire Fund.
5. Requires in any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund to be transferred to the General Fund. States the intent of the Legislature that any funds transferred should be appropriated to support wildfire mitigation.

Background

AB 1054 clean-up. Recent amendments include technical clean-up of language adopted in AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statute of 2019). These amendments include replacing references to days following effective date with specific dates. Additional clean up amendments incorporate correct references to code sections. As well as other technical clean-up amendments.

Wildfire Fund. A recent amendment would transfer any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund when, and if, the administrator determines the fund should be terminated. AB 1054 establishes a Wildfire Fund as a mechanism to address third-party damages against an electrical corporation from wildfires ignited by the utility. The Wildfire Fund is overseen by an appointed administrator and funded by both ratepayers (through the extension of an existing charge on electric utility bills) and shareholders of the participating electric utilities, with each group contributing 10.5 billion dollars for a total of 21 billion dollars. Per the statute, when, and if, the administrator terminates the fund, the remaining funds must be repaid to electric utility ratepayers.

Code clean up. This bill makes several clarifying and technical changes to various sections of the codes, none of which substantively alter existing policy related to updating references to the definition of PACE bonds in various codes, updates references to the CEC, and other changes

Chaptering amendments. Recent amendments also include chaptering amendments with SB 247 (Dodd).

Comments

Impacts to ratepayers. The majority of the changes included in this bill are technical, clean-up, and, largely, non-substantive changes. The most substantive language relates to the Legislature’s intent to transfer funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund when, and if, the administrator determines the Wildfire Fund should be terminated. According to the Governor’s Office and the attorneys of the CEA who are designated as overseeing the administration of the Wildfire Fund, such a change is necessary based on informal conversation with the Federal Internal Tax Revenue Service (IRS). According to the CEA attorneys: “…there is material risk that the refund of the balance of the Wildfire Fund to the ratepayers upon termination could result in an IRS refusal to issue a favorable ruling on the potential federal tax exemption of the Wildfire Fund. We believe that this risk could be mitigated by revising Section 3292(i)(2) to require the Wildfire Fund, upon termination, to "be transferred to the General Fund.” Although this change could result in ratepayers forgoing a future credit or repayment for funds, it seems warranted given the risk of the tax impact that could affect the Fund. The Utility Reform Network has verbally stated its neutral position in light of the benefits of the tax exemption afforded to the Fund.

Prior/Related Legislation

AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statutes of 2019) makes numerous provisions related to addressing wildfires caused by electric utility infrastructure, including: bolstering safety oversight and processes, recasting recovery of costs from damages to third-parties, including the authorization for an electrical corporation and ratepayer jointly funded Wildfire Fund to address future damages, and changes to provisions concerning the workforce of a change of ownership of a full or portion of an electrical or gas corporation.

SB 247 (Dodd, 2019) requires the CPUC’s Wildfire Safety Division to audit vegetation management done by electrical corporations (IOU) and establishes wage and qualification requirements for all individuals doing vegetation management for an IOU. The bill is pending concurrence on the Senate Floor.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT:

None received

OPPOSITION:

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

As the practices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and CEC evolve and the landscape of energy policy quickly shifts, the code needs to remain up-to-date to ensure state agencies can accurately implement the law. This bill makes a number of changes that keep up with those changes and specifically, ensures the Energy Commission is referred to accurately throughout the codes

-- END --

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1513

Author: Holden (D)

Amended: 9/6/19 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE: 12-0, 7/2/19

AYES: Hueso, Moorlach, Bradford, Dodd, Hertzberg, Hill, McGuire, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0, 8/22/19

AYES: Allen, Archuleta, Atkins, Bates, Beall, Borgeas, Bradford, Caballero, Chang, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Galgiani, Glazer, Lena Gonzalez, Grove, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Hurtado, Jackson, Leyva, McGuire, Mitchell, Monning, Moorlach, Morrell, Nielsen, Pan, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Umberg, Wieckowski, Wiener, Wilk

NO VOTE RECORDED: Jones

SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE: 13-0, 9/10/19 (Pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10)

AYES: Hueso, Moorlach, Bradford, Chang, Dodd, Hertzberg, Hill, McGuire, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Wiener

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 5/13/19 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Energy

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill makes several noncontroversial, technical and clarifying changes to the codes, including technical clean-up of language adopted in AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statutes of 2019), chaptering amendments with SB 247 (Dodd), and makes a substantive change to require the transfer of any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Creates the California Catastrophe Response Council composed of nine members to oversee the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). (Government Code §8899.70)
2. Establishes the Wildfire Safety Division of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to Oversee and enforce electrical corporations’ compliance with wildfire safety, as specified. (Public Utilities Code §326)
3. Establishes the California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board in order to advise the Wildfire Safety Division. (Public Utilities Code §326.2)
4. Establishes the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, which must assume all functions of the Wildfire Safety Divisions, effective July 1, 2021. (Government Code §15470, et seq. and Public Utilities Code §326)
5. Provides mechanisms for electrical corporations to recover costs and expenses arising from covered wildfires, as defined, establishes the Wildfire Fund to pay eligible claims arising from a covered wildfire, and requires each electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, and electrical cooperative to annually prepare and submit a wildfire mitigation plan.
6. Provides for the financing of energy or water efficiency improvements through the issuance of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds that are secured by a voluntary contractual assessment on property or a special tax on property. (Government Code §26054)
7. Defines “Energy Commission” to mean the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, commonly known as the CEC, for purposes of that code. (Public Utilities Code §20)

This bill:

1. Corrects section number cross-references in the Insurance and Government codes for the PACE program.
2. Updates references to the CEC by changing “California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” to “Energy Commission” in several sections of the Public Utilities Code.
3. Makes several grammatical, clarifying, and technical changes to sections in the Public Utilities Code.
4. Makes nonsubstantive changes to provisions related to Wildfire Fund mechanisms, requirements, and the Wildfire Fund.
5. Requires in any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund to be transferred to the General Fund. States the intent of the Legislature that any funds transferred should be appropriated to support wildfire mitigation.

Background

AB 1054 clean-up. Recent amendments include technical clean-up of language adopted in AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statute of 2019). These amendments include replacing references to days following effective date with specific dates. Additional clean up amendments incorporate correct references to code sections. As well as other technical clean-up amendments.

Wildfire Fund. A recent amendment would transfer any remaining funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund when, and if, the administrator determines the fund should be terminated. AB 1054 establishes a Wildfire Fund as a mechanism to address third-party damages against an electrical corporation from wildfires ignited by the utility. The Wildfire Fund is overseen by an appointed administrator and funded by both ratepayers (through the extension of an existing charge on electric utility bills) and shareholders of the participating electric utilities, with each group contributing 10.5 billion dollars for a total of 21 billion dollars. Per the statute, when, and if, the administrator terminates the fund, the remaining funds must be repaid to electric utility ratepayers.

Code clean up. This bill makes several clarifying and technical changes to various sections of the codes, none of which substantively alter existing policy related to updating references to the definition of PACE bonds in various codes, updates references to the CEC, and other changes

Chaptering amendments. Recent amendments also include chaptering amendments with SB 247 (Dodd).

Comments

Impacts to ratepayers. The majority of the changes included in this bill are technical, clean-up, and, largely, non-substantive changes. The most substantive language relates to the Legislature’s intent to transfer funds in the Wildfire Fund established by AB 1054 from ratepayers to the state General Fund when, and if, the administrator determines the Wildfire Fund should be terminated. According to the Governor’s Office and the attorneys of the CEA who are designated as overseeing the administration of the Wildfire Fund, such a change is necessary based on informal conversation with the Federal Internal Tax Revenue Service (IRS). According to the CEA attorneys: “…there is material risk that the refund of the balance of the Wildfire Fund to the ratepayers upon termination could result in an IRS refusal to issue a favorable ruling on the potential federal tax exemption of the Wildfire Fund. We believe that this risk could be mitigated by revising Section 3292(i)(2) to require the Wildfire Fund, upon termination, to "be transferred to the General Fund.” Although this change could result in ratepayers forgoing a future credit or repayment for funds, it seems warranted given the risk of the tax impact that could affect the Fund. The Utility Reform Network has verbally stated its neutral position in light of the benefits of the tax exemption afforded to the Fund.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1054 (Holden, Chapter 79, Statutes of 2019) makes numerous provisions related to addressing wildfires caused by electric utility infrastructure, including: bolstering safety oversight and processes, recasting recovery of costs from damages to third-parties, including the authorization for an electrical corporation and ratepayer jointly funded Wildfire Fund to address future damages, and changes to provisions concerning the workforce of a change of ownership of a full or portion of an electrical or gas corporation.

SB 247 (Dodd, 2019) requires the CPUC’s Wildfire Safety Division to audit vegetation management done by electrical corporations (IOU) and establishes wage and qualification requirements for all individuals doing vegetation management for an IOU. The bill is pending concurrence on the Senate Floor.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/9/19)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/9/19)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author, “As the practices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and CEC evolve and the landscape of energy policy quickly shifts, the code needs to remain up-to-date to ensure state agencies can accurately implement the law. This bill makes a number of changes that keep up with those changes and specifically, ensures the Energy Commission is referred to accurately throughout the codes.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 5/13/19

AYES: Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chen, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dahle, Daly, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Brough, Burke, Frazier, Gloria

Prepared by: Nidia Bautista / E., U., & C. / (916) 651-4107

9/10/19 22:11:32

**** END ****

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1513

Author: Holden (D)

Amended: 5/7/19 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE: 12-0, 7/2/19

AYES: Hueso, Moorlach, Bradford, Dodd, Hertzberg, Hill, McGuire, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 5/13/19 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Energy: energy efficiency financing: public utility contracting

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill makes several noncontroversial, technical and clarifying changes to the codes, including updating references to the definition of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds in various codes, updates references to the California Energy Commission (CEC), and other changes.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Provides for the financing of energy or water efficiency improvements through the issuance of PACE bonds that are secured by a voluntary contractual assessment on property or a special tax on property. (Government Code §26054)
2. Defines “Energy Commission” to mean the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, commonly known as the CEC, for purposes of that code. (Public Utilities Code §20)

This bill:

1. Corrects section number cross-references in the Insurance and Government codes for the PACE program.
2. Updates references to the CEC by changing “California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” to “Energy Commission” in several sections of the Public Utilities Code.
3. Makes several grammatical, clarifying, and technical changes to sections in the Public Utilities Code.

Background

Code clean up. This is a simple and straight-forward code clean-up bill. This bill makes several clarifying and technical changes to various sections of the codes, none of which substantively alter existing policy.

Comments

According to the author, “As the practices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and CEC evolve and the landscape of energy policy quickly shifts, the code needs to remain up-to-date to ensure state agencies can accurately implement the law. This bill makes a number of changes that keep up with those changes and specifically, ensures the Energy Commission is referred to accurately throughout the codes.”

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 7/2/19)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 7/2/19)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 5/13/19

AYES: Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chen, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dahle, Daly, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Brough, Burke, Frazier, Gloria

Prepared by: Nidia Bautista / E., U., & C. / (916) 651-4107

7/3/19 14:36:41

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS

Senator Ben Hueso, Chair

2019 - 2020 Regular

Bill No: AB 1513 Hearing Date: 7/2/2019

SUBJECT: Energy: energy efficiency financing: public utility contracting

DIGEST: This bill makes several noncontroversial, technical and clarifying changes to the codes, including updating references to the definition of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds in various codes, updates references to the California Energy Commission (CEC), and other changes.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Provides for the financing of energy or water efficiency improvements through the issuance of PACE bonds that are secured by a voluntary contractual assessment on property or a special tax on property. (Government Code § 26054)
2. Defines “Energy Commission” to mean the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, commonly known as the CEC, for purposes of that code. (Public Utilities Code §20)

This bill:

1. Corrects section number cross-references in the Insurance and Government codes for the PACE program.
2. Updates references to the CEC by changing “California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” to “Energy Commission” in several sections of the Public Utilities Code.
3. Makes several grammatical, clarifying, and technical changes to sections in the Public Utilities Code.

Background

Code clean up. This is a simple and straight-forward code clean-up bill. This bill makes several clarifying and technical changes to various sections of the codes, none of which substantively alter existing policy.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT:

None received

OPPOSITION:

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

As the practices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and CEC evolve and the landscape of energy policy quickly shifts, the code needs to remain up-to-date to ensure state agencies can accurately implement the law. This bill makes a number of changes that keep up with those changes and specifically, ensures the Energy Commission is referred to accurately throughout the codes

-- END --

Date of Hearing: May 1, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND ENERGY

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1513 (

Author:Holden) – As Amended Ver:March 25, 2019

SUBJECT: Energy: energy efficiency financing: public utility contracting.

SUMMARY: Makes various non-controversial changes to sections of law relating to energy. Specifically, this bill:

1. Corrects section number cross-references in the Insurance and Government codes for the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.
2. Updates references to the California Energy Commission by changing “California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” to “Energy Commission” in several sections of the Public Utilities Code.
3. Updates and corrects cross-references to code sections in the Public Utilities Code.
4. Makes several grammatical and technical changes to sections in the Public Utilities Code.

FISCAL EFFECT: None. This bill is not keyed fiscal.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s Statement. According to the author, as the practices of the CPUC and CEC evolve and the landscape of energy policy quickly shifts, the code needs to remain update to ensure state agencies can accurately implement the law. This bill makes a number of changes that keep up with those changes. Specifically ensures the Energy Commission is referred to accurately, the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program is referred to accurately and the bond requirements for public utilities is aligned with current law.
2. Code Clean-up. This bill makes several noncontroversial, technical and clarifying changes to the codes which concern programs under the jurisdiction of, and the authority of, the California Public Utilities Commission and other energy programs.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Kellie Smith/ U. & E. /