BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 62
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(Without Reference to File)
SENATE THIRD READING
SB
62 (Hill and Pavley)
As Amended August 30, 2016
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: vote not relevant
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
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|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Higher | | | |
|Education | | | |
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|(vote not | | | |
|relevant) | | | |
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|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations | | | |
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SB 62
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|(vote not | | | |
|relevant) | | | |
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|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Utilities |14-0 |Gatto, Patterson, | |
| | |Burke, Chávez, Dahle, | |
| | |Eggman, Cristina | |
| | |Garcia, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | |Hadley, Holden, | |
| | |Obernolte, Quirk, | |
| | |Santiago, Ting | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Codifies a Division of Safety Advocates within the
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) created in the
2016-17 State Budget and makes various changes. Specifically,
this bill:
1)Codifies a Division of Safety Advocates within the CPUC;
2)Renames the Division the Office of Safety Advocates;
3)Clarifies that advocacy prioritizes safety and takes costs
into consideration;
4)Clarifies that the CPUC is responsible for CPUC safety
management, rather than delegated to the Safety Advocate; and
5)Adds safety transparency to the newly created Office's
SB 62
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mission.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
COMMENTS:
1)Author's Statement: According to the author, "SB 62 fixes
problems with the PUC's proposal for an in-house advocate for
safety. As the funding for the proposal was approved in this
year's Budget, the Legislature must provide statutory policy
direction to a) ensure that the Commission cannot shift
responsibility for safety onto this advocate, as
responsibility lies ultimately with the Commission, b)
advocate for the transparency of safety-related performance,
and c) sunset the advocate, so that it can't limp on in
perpetuity without action by the Legislature."
2)Background: For the 2016-17 Fiscal Year, the CPUC requested
and the State Budget authorized 11 permanent positions and
$1.694 million in funding to create a Division of Safety
Advocates, an independent division within the CPUC. The CPUC
requested establishing a Division of Safety Advocates in
response to, according to the CPUC, "unprecedented failures of
utility infrastructure over the past five years that threaten
the safety of Californians." According to the CPUC, "Creation
of a Division of Safety Advocates would allow the CPUC to have
a division dedicated to establishing a safety focus,
testifying in hearings, and exclusively prioritizing and
advocating for the protection and safety of Californians as a
party to CPUC proceedings."
3)Codifying the Safety Division: According to the author, this
bill will codify this newly created Division, consistent with
the CPUC's approved funding request, with the following
changes:
SB 62
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a) Renames the Division the Office of Safety Advocates;
b) Clarifies that advocacy prioritizes safety and takes
costs into consideration;
c) Clarifies that the CPUC is responsible for CPUC safety
management, rather than delegated to the Safety Advocate;
and
d) Adds safety transparency to the newly created Office's
mission.
Prepared by: Sue Kateley / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0004999