BILL NUMBER: AB 2803	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 27, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 14, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2004

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jerome Horton

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2004

   An act to add Section 1701.7 to the Public Utilities Code,
relating to the Public Utilities Commission.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2803, as amended, Jerome Horton.  Public Utilities Commission:
hearings.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities and can establish its own
procedures, subject to statutory limitations or directions and
constitutional requirements of due process.  Existing law requires
the commission to determine whether a proceeding requires a
quasi-legislative, an adjudication, or a ratesetting hearing.
   This bill would require  that when   , if
 the commission determines that a ratesetting or
quasi-legislative case requires a hearing,  that  the
assigned commissioner or administrative law judge designate in the
scoping memorandum  the   whether there is a
 need to perform an economic impact analysis  ; and if
  . The bill would require the assigned commissioner or
the assigned administrative law judge, in determining whether an
economic impact analysis is necessary, to assess whether the
ratemaking or quasi-legislative case is likely to affect prescribed
elements of economic significance.  The bill would require, if the
assigned commissioner or the assigned administrative law judge
determines that  an economic impact analysis  that
 is  needed   necessary  ,
 to include   that  the findings of the
analysis  be included  as a part of the final written
decision.
   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 1701.7 is added to the Public Utilities Code,
to read:
   1701.7.  (a) If the commission determines that a ratemaking or
quasi-legislative case requires a hearing pursuant to Section 1701.1,
the assigned commissioner or the assigned administrative law judge
shall designate in the scoping memorandum  the  
whether there is a  need to perform an economic impact
analysis.   If a determination is made   In
determining whether an economic impact analysis is necessary, the
assigned commissioner or the assigned administrative law judge shall
assess whether the ratemaking or quasi-legislative case is likely to
affect employment, capital investment, infrastructure deployment,
public safety, or any other element determined to be of economic
significance. If the assigned commissioner or the assigned
administrative law judge determines  that an economic impact
analysis is  required   necessary  , the
findings of the analysis shall be included as a part of the final
written decision.
   (b) Any additional cost to the commission resulting from the
implementation of subdivision (a) shall not be borne by ratepayers or
the General Fund.