SB 327: Public utilities: review of accounts: electrical and gas corporations: rates: political influence activities.

Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to fix the rates and charges for public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, and requires those rates and charges to be just and reasonable. Under existing law, a regulated public utility is prohibited from using ratepayer funds for advocacy-related activities that are political or do not otherwise benefit ratepayers. Existing law prohibits each electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording to an above-the-line account, or otherwise recovering from ratepayers, direct or indirect costs of specified activities.

This bill would additionally prohibit, except as provided, each electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording to accounts that contain expenses that the electrical corporation or gas corporation recovers from ratepayers, an above-the-line account, or otherwise recovering from ratepayers, the direct or indirect costs of activities related to opposing the municipalization of electrical or gas utility service, as specified. The bill would require the commission to monitor and investigate compliance and noncompliance with the prohibition.

Existing law authorizes the commission, each commissioner, and each officer and person employed by the commission to inspect the accounts, books, papers, and documents of any public utility.

This bill would specify that the Public Advocates Office of the Public Utilities Commission has the same authority to discover information and review the accounts of a public utility as the commission.

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 above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bills requirements would be 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.