BILL NUMBER: AB 1104	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Levine

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2005

   An act to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 8290) to Chapter
7 of Division 4 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to utility
charges.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1104, as introduced, Levine.   Utility charges: utility and
cable billing practices.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations,
gas corporations, telephone corporations, and water corporations.
Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges
for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges
be just and reasonable. Existing law authorizes the commission, after
a hearing, to require every public utility to construct, maintain,
and operate utility facilities in a manner so as to promote and
safeguard the health and safety of its employees, customers, and the
public. Existing law additionally authorizes the commission, after a
hearing, to require every cable television corporation to construct,
maintain, and operate utility facilities in a manner so as to promote
and safeguard the health and safety of its employees, customers, and
the public.
   This bill would require that every utility, including electrical
corporations, gas corporations, telephone corporations,
telecommunications carriers as defined under federal law, water
corporations, cable television corporations, and cable operators as
defined under federal law, cease billing a customer for additional
services within 24 hours of receiving a request to immediately
discontinue service. The bill would require that where the customer
requests that service be discontinued at a date specified in the
future, the utility cease billing the customer for additional
services as of midnight of the last day of service.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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


  SECTION 1.  Article 6 (commencing with Section 8290) is added to
Chapter 7 of Division 4 of the  Public Utilities Code , to read:

      Article 6.  Utility and Cable Billing Practices.

   8290.  For purposes of this article, a utility shall mean all of
the following:(a) An electric corporation, as defined in Section 218.

   (b) A water corporation, as defined in Section 241.
   (c) A telephone corporation, as defined in Section 234.
   (d) A telecommunications carrier, as defined in Section 153 of
Title 47 of the United States Code.
   (e) A gas corporation, as defined in Section 222.
   (f) A cable television corporation, as defined in Section 215.5.
   (g) A cable operator, as defined in Section 522 of Title 47 of the
United States Code.
   8291.  A utility shall cease billing a customer for additional
services within 24 hours of receiving a request to immediately
discontinue service. Where the customer requests that service be
discontinued at a date specified in the future, the utility shall
cease billing the customer for additional services as of midnight of
the last day of service.