BILL NUMBER: SB 1055	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 19, 2001
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 22, 2001

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Morrow

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2001

   An act to amend Section 2772 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to public utilities, and declaring the urgency thereof, to
take effect immediately.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1055, as amended, Morrow.  Public Utilities Commission:
customer priorities  :  health facilities  .
   (1) Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to
establish priorities among the types or categories of customers of
every electrical corporation and every gas corporation  , and
among the uses of electricity or gas by those customers  .
 Existing law requires the commission to include specified
considerations when establishing these priorities   In
establishing those priorities, the commission is required, among
other things, to identify those customers and uses that provide the
most important public benefits and serve the greatest public need in
descending order of priority  .
   This bill would require the commission to  also  include
as a consideration when establishing these priorities a determination
 that certain health facilities shall have access to
uninterruptible supplies of electricity   of
unacceptable jeopardy or imminent danger to public health and safety
that creates substantial likelihood of severe health risk requiring
medical attention.  The bill would also require the commission to
consider the effect of providing a high priority to some customers on
nonpriority customers  .
   (2) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately
as an urgency statue.
   Vote:  2/3.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 2772 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   2772.  In establishing the priorities pursuant to Section 2771,
the commission shall include, but not be limited to, a consideration
of all the following:
   (a) A determination of the customers and uses of electricity and
gas, in descending order of priority, that provide the most important
public benefits and serve the greatest public need.
   (b) A determination of the customers and uses of electricity and
gas that are not included under subdivision (a).
   (c) A determination of the economic, social, and other effects of
a temporary discontinuance in electrical or gas service to the
customers or for the uses determined in accordance with subdivision
(a) or (b).
   (d)  A determination of unacceptable jeopardy or imminent
danger to public health and safety that creates substantial
likelihood of severe health risk requiring medical attention.
   (e)  Any curtailment or allocation rules, orders, or
regulations issued by any agency of the federal government.  

   (e) A determination that any nursing facility or skilled nursing
facility, as defined pursuant to Section 1250 of the Health and
Safety Code shall have access to uninterruptible supplies of
electricity.  
   (f) The commission shall also consider the effect of providing a
high priority to some customers on those customers who do not receive
a high priority. 
  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to immediately protect  the public's health and
safety, including, but not limited to,  the elderly and disabled
residents who reside in the  states   state's
 1,200 skilled nursing facilities and who depend on the 
facility's ability   ability of those facilities 
to provide quality care in a safe, low-stress environment, and to
maintain temperature control, lighting, infection control  ,
 and the use of technologically advanced medical equipment, it
is necessary that this act take effect immediately.