BILL NUMBER: SB 1455 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Kehoe FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to add Section 740.12 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electric vehicles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1455, as introduced, Kehoe. Electric vehicles: electric vehicle owner education handbook. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires the PUC, in cooperation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), the State Air Resources Board (state board), air quality management districts and air pollution control districts, electrical and gas corporations, and the motor vehicle industry, to evaluate and implement policies to promote the development of equipment and infrastructure needed to facilitate the use of electric power and natural gas to fuel low-emission vehicles. Existing law requires the PUC, in consultation with the Energy Commission, the state board, electrical corporations, and the motor vehicle industry, to evaluate policies to develop infrastructure sufficient to overcome any barriers to the widespread deployment and use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and, by July 1, 2011, to adopt rules that address related matters. This bill would require, by January 1, 2013, the PUC, in consultation with the Energy Commission, electrical corporations, the motor vehicle industry, and the California Electric Transportation Coalition, to develop an electric vehicle owner handbook containing specified information. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill are within the act and require action by the commission to implement its requirements, a violation of these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 740.12 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read: 740.12. (a) By January 1, 2013, the commission, in consultation with the State Energy Conservation and Development Commission, electrical corporations, the motor vehicle industry, and the California Electric Transportation Coalition, shall develop an electric vehicle owner education handbook. (b) The handbook shall contain information that does all of the following: (1) Notifies an owner of an electric vehicle about the necessary energy requirements for safely using an electric vehicle charging device from a garage or an in-home outlet, by means of an attached or detached dwelling unit that provides electricity. (2) Notifies an owner of an electric vehicle who should be contacted to ensure that electrical features at the charging location conform to any applicable code. (3) Provides examples of hazards to avoid when charging an electric vehicle and examples of a safe charging environment. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.