BILL ANALYSIS AB 1685 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 1685 (Leno) As Amended May 13, 2003 Majority vote UTILITIES AND COMMERCE 11-0 NATURAL RESOURCES 9-1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Reyes, Richman, Calderon, |Ayes:|Jackson, La Malfa, | | |Campbell, Canciamilla, | |Hancock, Koretz, Laird, | | |Diaz, | |Lieber, Lowenthal, | | |Jerome Horton, La Malfa, | |Montanez, Wolk | | |Levine, Nunez, | | | | |Ridley-Thomas | | | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| |Nays:| |Nays:|Keene | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- APPROPRIATIONS 17-7 (vote not available) SUMMARY : Establishes a statutory sunset date of January 1, 2008, on the Public Utilities Commission's (PUC's) Self Generation Incentive Program (Incentive Program), which currently has an administrative sunset date of January 1, 2004. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires PUC to develop an incentive program to encourage customers of investor-owned utilities to install distributed generation, which operates on renewable fuel or contributes to system reliability. 2)Establishes the self generation incentive program to provide incentives for customers of Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Company to install photovoltaics, wind turbines, fuel cells, microturbines, small gas turbines, and internal combustion engines to provide some or all of their electricity for onsite use. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, continues for three more years the annual $125 AB 1685 Page 2 million in financial incentives provided by the utilities for the program. COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill re-authorizes a very successful program that would otherwise expire at the end of 2004. California has everything to gain from the continued growth of solar and other renewable energy technologies (i.e., clean air, new jobs and increased energy independence). Analysis Prepared by : Daniel Kim / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083 FN: 0001497