BILL NUMBER: AB 583	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Leslie

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2003

   An act to amend Section 377 of the Public Utilities Code, relating
to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 583, as introduced, Leslie.  Generation facilities:
regulation.
   Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to regulate
facilities for the generation of electricity owned by any public
utility prior to January 1, 1997, until the owner of those facilities
has applied to the commission to dispose of those facilities and has
been authorized by the commission to undertake that disposal.
Existing law prohibits any facility for the generation of electricity
owned by a public utility to be disposed of prior to January 1,
2006.
   This bill would exempt from those provisions the sale of a
facility for the generation of electricity, or of an interest in a
facility for the generation of electricity, that is located outside
of this state and is owned exclusively by a public utility that
serves 50,000 or fewer service connections in this state.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 377 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   377.   The   (a) Except as provided in
subdivision (b), the  commission shall continue to regulate the
facilities for the generation of electricity owned by any public
utility prior to January 1, 1997, that are subject to commission
regulation until the owner of those facilities has applied to the
commission to dispose of those facilities and has been authorized by
the commission under Section 851 to undertake that disposal.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law,  except as provided
in subdivision (b),  no facility for the generation of
electricity owned by a public utility may be disposed of prior to
January 1, 2006.  The commission shall ensure that public utility
generation assets remain dedicated to service for the benefit of
California ratepayers.  
   (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not apply
to the sale of a facility for the generation of electricity, or of an
interest in a facility for the generation of electricity, that is
located outside of this state and is owned exclusively by a public
utility that serves 50,000 or fewer service connections in this
state.