BILL NUMBER: SB 1488	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 27, 2004
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 27, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 9, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 25, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 26, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 30, 2004

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Bowen

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2004

   An act relating to the Public Utilities Commission.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1488, Bowen.  Public Utilities Commission: public information.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities.  Existing provisions of the Public
Utilities Act require every public utility to furnish reports as the
commission may require.  Existing law, with certain exceptions,
requires each electrical corporation subject to regulation by the
commission to submit prescribed procurement plans for review and
approval by the commission.  Existing law requires the commission to
adopt procedures to ensure confidentiality of market sensitive
information in proposed procurement plans or resulting from, or
related to, procurement plans approved by the commission, including
procedures for access by the Office of Ratepayer Advocates and
consumer groups that are nonmarket participants.  No information
furnished to the commission by a public utility, except those matters
specifically required to be open to public inspection, are open to
public inspection or made public except by order of the commission or
a commissioner in the course of a hearing or proceeding.
   This bill would require the commission to initiate proceedings to
examine its practices with respect to these confidentiality
requirements and the California Public Records Act to ensure that
these practices provide for meaningful public participation and open
decisionmaking.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Public Utilities Commission shall initiate a
proceeding to examine its practices under Sections 454.5 and 583 of
the Public Utilities Code and the California Public Records Act
(Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1
of the Government Code) to ensure that the commission's practices
under these laws provide for meaningful public participation and open
decisionmaking.