BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1182
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 11, 2005

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                   Judy Chu, Chair

                  AB 1182 (Calderon) - As Amended:  April 12, 2005 

          Policy Committee:                               
          UtilitiesVote:11-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to  
          determine the feasibility of having  informal filings submitted  
          to the commission by electronic means and, if found feasible, to  
          develop an implementation plan within six months.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Estimated costs in the range of $350,000 to implement electronic  
          filing of informal filings, based on the similar costs for a  
          recently issued RFP for electronic filing of formal matters at  
          the PUC.

          (The PUC indicates that informal filing are more voluminous than  
          formal filings. In addition, informal filings are dispersed  
          throughout the organization rather than, with formal filings,  
          concentrated in one division.)

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  . The PUC engages in two types of matters, formal and  
          informal. Formal matters are those that require a proceeding and  
          involve agenda decisions and rulings. The PUC has issued a  
          Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids for a system that  
          would allow electronic filings for formal matters. 

          Informal matters involve filings such as advice letters.  
          Utilities are permitted to use informal filings, or advice  
          letters, to make certain changes to their tariffs. Currently,  
          the utilities submit advice letters to the PUC and to interested  
          parties by filing and transmitting paper copies. This bill  








                                                                  AB 1182
                                                                  Page  2

          requires the PUC to determine, as part of a proceeding, the  
          feasibility of submitting informal filings through electronic  
          means. If determined to be feasible, the bill requires the PUC  
          to develop an implementation plan within six months. Electronic  
          means includes electronic mail and electronic forms developed or  
          approved by the PUC and submitted through the PUC's Internet  
          website.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081