BILL NUMBER: AB 1735	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 2, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 8, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 24, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Utilities and Commerce (Reyes (Chair),
Calderon, Campbell, Canciamilla, Diaz, Jerome Horton, La Malfa,
Levine, Maddox, Nunez, Richman, and Ridley-Thomas)

                        MARCH 5, 2003

   An act to add  Section 1701.5   Sections
1701.5 and 1701.6  to the Public Utilities Code, relating to
public utilities.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1735, as amended, Committee on Utilities and Commerce.  Public
Utilities Commission: ratesetting and quasi-legislative cases.
    (1)  Under the Public Utilities Act, the Public
Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities
and is authorized to conduct investigations and conduct proceedings.
Existing law authorizes the commission to determine whether a
proceeding requires a hearing, and if so, to determine whether the
matter requires a quasi-legislative, an adjudication, or a
ratesetting hearing, authorizes the commission to assign one or more
commissioners and administrative law judges to oversee cases, and
prescribes separate procedures for proceedings that the commission
determines are either quasi-legislative, adjudication, or ratesetting
cases.   The assigned commissioner or administrative law judge
is required to schedule a prehearing conference and to issue a
scoping memo that describes the issues to be considered and the
applicable timetable for resolution.   Adjudication matters are
required to be resolved within 12 months of initiation unless the
commission makes findings why that deadline cannot be met and issues
an order extending that deadline.  In a ratesetting or
quasi-legislative hearing, the commission is required to issue a
final decision not later than 60 days after the issuance of a
proposed decision, except that under extraordinary circumstances the
commission may extend the time for issuance of a final decision for a
reasonable period.
   This bill would require the commission to resolve  the issues
in the scoping memo in  a ratesetting or quasi-legislative case
within 18 months of the date  of filing   the
scoping memo is issued  , unless the commission makes a written
determination that the deadline cannot be met and issues an order
extending that deadline.  
   (2) Existing law requires the commission to develop, publish, and
annually update an annual work plan access guide that describes the
scheduled ratemaking proceedings and other decisions that may be
considered by the commission during the calendar year, as prescribed.
  Existing uncodified law requires the commission to annually submit
a report to the Legislature on the number of cases where resolution
exceeded the time periods prescribed in scoping memos and the days
that commissioners presided in hearings.
   This bill would require that the president of the commission to
appear annually before the appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature to report on the annual work plan access guide and to
report on the number of cases where resolution exceeded the time
periods prescribed in scoping memos and the days that commissioners
presided in hearings. 
   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 1701.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code,
to read:
   1701.5.   The commission shall resolve a ratesetting or
quasi-legislative case within 18 months of the date of filing
  In a ratesetting or quasi-legislative case, the
commission shall resolve the issues raised in the scoping memo within
18 months of the date the scoping memo is issued  , unless the
commission makes a written determination that the deadline cannot be
met, including findings as to the reason, and issues an order
extending the deadline.  
  SEC. 2.  Section 1701.6 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   1701.6.  (a) The president of the commission shall annually appear
before the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly
to report on the annual work plan access guide of the commission
required pursuant to Section 321.6.
   (b) The president of the commission shall annually appear before
the appropriate policy committees of the Senate and Assembly to
report on the annual report of the commission on the number of cases
where resolution exceeded the time periods prescribed in scoping
memos and the days that commissioners presided in hearings, pursuant
to Section 13 of Chapter 856 of the Statutes of 1996.