BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          AB 1149
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   May 19, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

         AB 1149 (Aroner) - As Amended: April 26, 1999 

Policy Committee:                              Utilities and  
Commerce     Vote:                             12-0

Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local  
Program:NoReimbursable:            

  SUMMARY  :

This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to report to  
the Legislature by January 2001 on ways to improve tariffs  
concerning the replacement of overhead electrical and  
communications facilities with underground facilities.

  FISCAL EFFECT  :

Minor costs to the PUC for the study and report.

  COMMENTS  :

  Purpose .  The author has introduced this bill to address a  
district issue. The PUC ordered the institution of overhead to  
underground conversion programs, and associated tariffs, for  
electric utilities in 1967 for aesthetic and safety purposes.   
According to City of Oakland officials, recent undergrounding  
projects within the city have failed to meet any of the three  
PUC criteria for such projects, thus the public utility cannot  
utilize existing funds set aside for the undergrounding costs.   
As a result, the costs must be paid by the property owners and  
are often prohibitive.  According to the author, the purpose of  
this bill is reexamine existing PUC undergrounding rules and  
procedures.

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