BILL NUMBER: SB 531 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 19, 1999
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 15, 1999
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 17, 1999
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 10, 1999
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 20, 1999
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 7, 1999
INTRODUCED BY Senator Baca
FEBRUARY 19, 1999
An act to add Section 311.4 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to public utilities.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 531, as amended, Baca. Public Utilities Commission:
complaints.
The Public Utilities Act requires the Public Utilities Commission,
on and after July 1, 1999, to publish specified information on its
Internet site, including, but not limited to, decisions and
resolutions, general orders, the Rules of Practice and Procedure of
the commission, rulings in proceedings, and a docket card for each
proceeding listing documents in the case.
This bill would require the commission, on or before
January after July 1, 2001, to establish
procedures to permit the submission of informal complaints through
electronic means, as defined, in accordance with prescribed
provisions. The bill would require the commission, on or before
July 1, 2001 January 1, 2002 , to
provide on its Internet website the means by which consumers may
submit informal complaints through electronic means. The bill
would provide that its provisions may not be implemented, and no
information technology-related preparatory work may be undertaken
prior to July 1, 2001, without the concurrence of the commission and
the authorization of the Department of Information Technology. The
bill would make related legislative findings and declarations
and a statement of legislative intent.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) The Legislature has encouraged state agencies to make
information available to the public through various means, including
the Internet.
(2) The Internet has permitted increased communication between the
people of this state and state agencies, educating the people of
this state on the role and function of each agency.
(3) The Internet web site maintained by the Public Utilities
Commission provides the people of this state with information
regarding the commission and the markets and services that the
commission regulates. The web site also provides a way for members
of the public to communicate with the commission.
(4) Currently, the Public Utilities Commission web site accepts
informal complaints.
(5) Customers for services regulated by the Public Utilities
Commission and the companies offering those services are entitled to
an efficient dispute resolution process.
(6) The Internet is an ideal means for resolving disputes between
customers and service providers in an efficient manner, regardless of
the geographic location of the customer.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enhance the role of the
Public Utilities Commission by allowing customers and service
providers the option to resolve disputes through electronic
communications to provide a greater level of efficiency for the
parties involved and to make the Public Utilities Commission dispute
resolution process accessible to all people of this state.
SEC. 2. Section 311.4 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
311.4. (a) On or before January after
July 1, 2001, the commission shall establish procedures to
permit the submission of informal complaints through electronic means
in accordance with this section.
(b) On or before July 1, 2001 January 1,
2002 , the commission shall provide on its Internet web site
the means by which consumers may submit informal complaints through
electronic means.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that, commencing one year
from the date that the procedures described in subdivision (a) are
implemented, the commission annually review the procedures and the
technology involved to ensure the continued effectiveness of the
program, and report any findings to the Legislature.
(d) For the purpose of this section, "electronic means" includes,
but shall not be limited to, e-mail or the Internet, or both.
(e) Upon the receipt of an informal complaint submitted by
electronic means, the commission shall immediately forward the
complaint to the entity named in the complaint.
(f) The commission shall permit the submission of informal
complaints through electronic means, if, as determined by the
commission, both of the following conditions are met:
(1) The dollar amount in the complaint does not exceed the
jurisdictional limit of a small claims court specified in subdivision
(a) of Section 116.220 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(2) The commission has addressed any impediments in the electronic
systems employed by the commission that would prevent or
substantially adversely affect the ability of the commission to
receive informal complaints by electronic means.
(g) The commission shall include a notice on its Internet web site
of the availability of the procedures described in subdivision (a).
(h) For the purposes of implementing this section, the commission
shall make available to the public an industry specific online
complaint form that allows a customer to specify information that the
commission determines to be relevant for purposes of resolving a
dispute, including the account number, the type of dispute, and the
opportunity to make general comments.
(i) This act may not be implemented, and no information
technology-related preparatory work may be undertaken in connection
with this act prior to July 1, 2001, without the concurrence of the
commission and the authorization of the Department of Information
Technology pursuant to Executive Order D-3-99.