BILL ANALYSIS
SB 183
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 183 (Sher)
As Amended July 16, 2003
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :35-1
UTILITIES AND COMMERCE 9-2 NATURAL RESOURCES 9-2
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|Ayes:|Reyes, Richman, Calderon, |Ayes:|Jackson, Hancock, Harman, |
| |Canciamilla, Diaz, Jerome | |Koretz, Laird, Lieber, |
| |Horton, Levine, Nunez, | |Lowenthal, Montanez, Wolk |
| |Wolk | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Campbell, Maddox |Nays:|La Malfa, Haynes |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 16-7
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|Ayes:|Steinberg, Berg, | | |
| |Calderon, Corbett, | | |
| |Correa, Diaz, Goldberg, | | |
| |Leno, Nation, Negrete | | |
| |McLeod, Nunez, Pavley, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Simitian, | | |
| |Wiggins, Yee | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Bates, Daucher, Haynes, | | |
| |Maldonado, Pacheco, | | |
| |Runner, Samuelian | | |
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SUMMARY : Makes substantive and non-substantive changes to the
provisions governing renewable energy programs. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Repeals two code sections in the Public Utilities Code
relating to the funding and administration of renewable energy
programs at the California Energy Commission (CEC) and recast
the same language in multiple code sections in the Public
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Resources Code. Corrects related cross-references in other
code sections.
2)Requires CEC to annually publish the balance of consumer
incentive program funds available to emerging renewable energy
resources.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Imposes a separate rate component on utility bills to fund
programs to promote, develop and operate renewable energy
resources.
2)Requires CEC to grant specified percentages of these funds to
these programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Negligible fiscal impact to CEC.
COMMENTS : AB 1890 (Brulte), Chapter 854, Statutes of 1996,
requires ratepayers to fund a variety of system reliability and
low-income customer programs at specified levels from 1998
through 2001. This funding was intended to ensure that programs
administered by the investor owned utilities would continue in
the restructured electric industry.
Among these programs are grants to promote operation and
development of existing, new, and emerging renewable energy
sources. The programs were original codified by SB 90 (Sher),
Chapter 905, Statutes of 1997, and were extended by SB 1194
(Sher), Chapter 1050, Statutes of 2000, and SB 1038 (Sher),
Chapter 515, Statutes of 2002. Under the programs CEC
distributes grant and rebate money to develop renewable energy.
The code section that creates these programs is unwieldy and
difficult to follow. SB 183 recasts this section as a series of
short sections that are easier to apply.
The requirement in this bill that CEC publish the balance of the
funds available to use for consumer incentive programs is
intended to ensure that companies that provide renewable
technologies can keep tabs on the availability of funding.
Analysis Prepared by : Edward Randolph / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083
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FN: 0002887