BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 183|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 183
Author: Sher (D)
Amended: 7/16/03
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U.&C. COMMITTEE : 7-0, 4/22/03
AYES: Bowen, Morrow, Alarcon, Battin, Dunn, Murray, Sher
NO VOTE RECORDED: McClintock, Vasconcellos
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 10-0, 5/19/03
AYES: Alpert, Battin, Aanestad, Bowen, Escutia, Karnette,
Machado, Murray, Poochigian, Speier
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ashburn, Burton, Johnson
SENATE FLOOR : 35-1, 5/22/03
AYES: Aanestad, Ackerman, Alarcon, Alpert, Ashburn, Battin,
Bowen, Burton, Cedillo, Chesbro, Denham, Ducheny, Dunn,
Figueroa, Florez, Hollingsworth, Johnson, Karnette,
Knight, Kuehl, Machado, Margett, McPherson, Morrow,
Murray, Oller, Ortiz, Perata, Poochigian, Scott, Sher,
Soto, Torlakson, Vasconcellos, Vincent
NOES: McClintock
NO VOTE RECORDED: Brulte, Escutia, Romero, Speier
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 49-28, 8/28/03 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Energy: renewable technologies
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes substantive and non-substantive
CONTINUED
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changes to the provisions governing renewable energy
programs (REP).
Assembly amendments (a) provide that out-of-state renewable
energy facilities may participate in the REP if they meet
specified criteria; and (b) make further technical,
clarifying changes.
ANALYSIS : AB 1890 (Brulte), Chapter 854, Statutes of
1996, required ratepayers to fund a variety of system
reliability, in-state benefit and low-income customer
programs at specified levels from 1998 through 2001. This
funding was intended to ensure that these "public goods"
programs continued (at least in the short term) in the
restructured electric industry.
Among the public goods programs are in-state operation and
development of existing, new, and emerging renewable energy
sources. Prior to awarding any of the money collected from
ratepayers, the California Energy Commission (CEC) was
required to submit a report to the Legislature describing
the programs it would support and the levels of support
those programs would receive. This original CEC investment
plan was codified by SB 90 (Sher), Chapter 905, Statutes of
1997.
SB 1194 (Sher), Chapter 1050, Statutes of 2000, extended
the collection of a public goods charge from ratepayers
until 2012 and again required the CEC to develop investment
plans for renewable energy and public interest research,
development, and demonstration. The second CEC investment
plan, covering 2002-2007, was codified by SB 1038 (Sher),
Chapter 515, Statutes of 2002. Utility ratepayers
contribute $135 million annually to the renewable energy
program.
This bill:
1. Repeals two code sections in the Public Utilities Code
relating to the funding and administration of renewable
energy programs at the CEC and recast the same language
in multiple code sections in the Public Resources Code.
Corrects related cross-references in other code
sections.
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2. Requires CEC to annually publish the balance of consumer
incentive program funds available to emerging renewable
energy resources.
3. Allows out-of-state renewable energy facilities to
participate in the REP if they meet specified criteria.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
The Emerging Renewable Resources Account (ERRA) presently
has a balance of $105 million. As this information is
currently available on the CEC's website, there are no
increased costs associated with the publication
requirement.
ERRA revenues are derived from the public goods surcharge
imposed on all utility bills; the surcharge sunsets in
2012. Approximately $135 million is collected each year
and used for various programs.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/25/03)
AMECO
EcoEnergies
Light Energy Systems
Performance Solar Inc.
POCO Solar Energy
Shell Solar
Six Rivers Solar, Inc.
SoCal Solar Energy
Southern California Edison
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Berg, Bermudez, Calderon, Canciamilla, Chan, Chavez,
Chu, Cohn, Corbett, Correa, Diaz, Dutra, Dymally,
Frommer, Goldberg, Hancock, Harman, Jerome Horton,
Jackson, Kehoe, Koretz, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber, Liu,
Longville, Lowenthal, Matthews, Montanez, Mullin, Nakano,
Nation, Negrete McLeod, Nunez, Oropeza, Parra, Pavley,
Reyes, Richman, Ridley-Thomas, Salinas, Simitian,
Steinberg, Vargas, Wiggins, Wolk, Yee, Wesson
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NOES: Aghazarian, Bates, Benoit, Bogh, Campbell, Cogdill,
Cox, Daucher, Dutton, Garcia, Haynes, Houston, Keene, La
Malfa, La Suer, Leslie, Maddox, Maldonado, Maze,
McCarthy, Mountjoy, Nakanishi, Pacheco, Runner,
Samuelian, Spitzer, Strickland, Wyland
NC:sl 8/29/03 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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