BILL NUMBER: AB 425	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Richman

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2003

   An act to amend Section 743.1 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 425, as introduced, Richman.  Electric service: rates:
interruptible programs.
   (1) The Public Utilities Act authorizes the Public Utilities
Commission to establish rates for public utilities regulated by the
commission, including electrical corporations.  The act requires
electrical corporations to continue the availability to qualified
heavy industrial customers, until March 31, 2002, of optional
interruptible or curtailable service wherein the heavy industrial
customer is charged a rate that reflects a pricing incentive for
electing to operate under the optional or curtailable service.
   This bill would instead require the commission to continue the
availability to qualified heavy industrial customers of optional
interruptible or curtailable service until December 31, 2008.
   Because a violation of the act is a crime, this bill, by
continuing to require electrical corporations to offer optional
interruptible or curtailable service, would change the definition of
a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
  (2) 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 743.1 of the Public Utilities Code is amended
to read:
   743.1.  (a) Electrical corporations shall continue the
availability to qualified heavy industrial customers of optional
interruptible or curtailable service.  The effective rate for
interruptible or curtailable service to qualifying customers shall
reflect a pricing incentive for electing to operate under the
interruptible or curtailable service option.
   (b) The commission shall direct each public utility electrical
corporation to continue its efforts to reduce the rates charged heavy
industrial customers to a level competitive with other states, and
to do so without shifting recovery of costs to other customer
classes.  The commission shall continue the availability of optional
interruptible or curtailable service at least until  March
31, 2002   December 31, 2008  .  In no event shall
the level of the pricing incentive for interruptible or curtailable
service be altered from the levels in effect on June 10, 1996, until
 March 31, 2002   December 31, 2008  .
  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.