BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 531
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   July 7, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

           SB 531 (Baca) - As Amended: June 17, 1999 

Policy Committee:                              Utilities and  
Commerce     Vote:                             11-0 (Consent)

Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local  
Program:NoReimbursable:            

  SUMMARY  :

This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to  
provide consumers a means of electronically submitting informal  
complaints, using e-mail or the Internet, by January 1, 2001.

  FISCAL EFFECT  :

Minor absorbable costs to the PUC to establish the procedures  
and capability for electronic submission of informal complaints.

  COMMENTS  :

  Purpose  .  The author has introduced this bill to streamline and  
simplify the informal complaint process for small business and  
residential customers when the monetary value at issue does not  
exceed $5,000. This bill applies only to informal complaints,  
which are currently handled by a PUC staffperson serving as an  
intermediary.  The author believes this bill will enable  
consumers to use the Internet to save time and resources in  
submitting complaints since there are only two locations in  
California to submit a complaint in person.    

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