BILL NUMBER: AB 2523	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 16, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Canciamilla

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2002

   An act to add and repeal Section 367.3  to  
of  the Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2523, as amended, Canciamilla.  Electrical corporations:
rates.
   Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to
establish rates for public utilities, including electrical
corporations.
   This bill would require the commission, until January 1, 2006, to
ensure that any rate reduction for the retail customer classes of the
electrical corporation, and to the rate schedules and rate options
within those classes, occurs in the same proportion as the percentage
rate increases by class, rate schedule, and rate option that were
adopted in the commission's Decision 01-05-064, as amended or
modified. Because under the Public Utilities Act  , 
a violation of an order of the commission is a crime, the bill would
impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of
a crime.
  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.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  yes.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 367.3 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   367.3.  (a) If the commission determines that an electrical
corporation's rates, authorized by the commission's Decision
01-05-064, as amended or modified, to recover the electrical
corporation's and the Department of Water Resources' power
procurement costs, should be reduced  for any reason
consistent with this code   to reflect a decrease in
power procurement costs which resulted in the rate increase
authorized by the commission's Decision 01-03-082  , the
commission shall ensure that the rate reduction for the retail
customer classes of the electrical corporation, and to the rate
schedules and rate options within those classes, occurs in the same
proportion as the percentage rate increases by class, rate schedule,
and rate option that were adopted in Decision 01-05-064, as amended
or modified.
   (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2006, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2006, deletes or extends
that date.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.