BILL NUMBER: AB 175	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Mathis

                        JANUARY 26, 2015

   An act to amend Sections 25500.5, 25514, 25514.5, and 25516 of the
Public Resources Code, and to amend Section 740.3 of the Public
Utilities Code, relating to electricity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 175, as introduced, Mathis. Electricity.
   The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Act establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission and requires it to certify sufficient
sites and related facilities that are required to provide a supply of
electricity sufficient to accommodate projected demand for
electricity in that commission's most recent forecast of statewide
and service area electricity demand.
   This bill would make nonsubstantive revisions to the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission's certification
requirements.
   Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission, in
cooperation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission, the State Air Resources 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 electricity and
natural gas to fuel low-emission vehicles.
   This bill would make nonsubstantive revisions to these
requirements of the Public Utilities Commission.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 25500.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended
to read:
   25500.5.  The commission shall certify sufficient sites and
related facilities  which   that  are
required to provide a supply of  electric power 
 electricity  sufficient to  accomodate 
 accommodate  the demand projected in the most recent
forecast of statewide and service area  electric power
  electricity  demands adopted pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 25309.
  SEC. 2.  Section 25514 of the Public Resources Code is amended to
read:
   25514.  After conclusion of the hearings held pursuant to Section
25513 and no later than 300 days after the filing of the notice, a
final report shall be prepared and distributed. The final report
shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (a) The findings and conclusions of the commission regarding the
conformity of alternative sites and related facilities designated in
the notice or considered in the notice of intention proceeding with
both of the following:
   (1) The 12-year forecast of statewide and service area 
electric power   electricity  demands adopted
pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 25305, except as provided in
Section 25514.5.
   (2) Applicable local, regional, state, and federal standards,
ordinances, and laws, including any long-range land use plans or
guidelines adopted by the state or by any local or regional planning
agency, which would be applicable but for the exclusive authority of
the commission to certify sites and related facilities; and the
standards adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 25216.3.
   (b) Any findings and comments submitted by the California Coastal
Commission pursuant to Section 25507 and subdivision (d) of Section
30413.
   (c) Any findings and comments submitted by the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission pursuant to Section 25507 of
this code and subdivision (d) of Section 66645 of the Government
Code.
   (d) The commission's findings on the acceptability and relative
merit of each alternative siting proposal designated in the notice or
presented at the hearings and reviewed by the commission. The
specific findings of relative merit shall be made pursuant to
Sections 25502 to 25516, inclusive. In its findings on any
alternative siting proposal, the commission may specify modification
in the design, construction, location, or other conditions which will
meet the standards, policies, and guidelines established by the
commission.
   (e) Findings and conclusions with respect to the safety and
reliability of the facility or facilities at each of the sites
designated in the notice, as determined by the commission pursuant to
Section 25511, and any conditions, modifications, or criteria
proposed for any site and related facility proposal resulting from
the findings and conclusions.
   (f) Findings and conclusions as to whether increased property
taxes due to the construction of the project are sufficient to
support needed local improvements and public services required to
serve the project.
  SEC. 3.  Section 25514.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to
read:
   25514.5.  In considering the acceptability of a site proposed to
accommodate ultimately additional  power-generating 
 electrical generating  capacity, the commission, in
determining, pursuant to Sections 25514 and 25512, the conformity of
the facilities proposed in the notice with the 12-year forecast of
statewide and service area  electric power  
electricity  demands adopted pursuant to subdivision (e) of
Section 25305, shall base its determination only on such initial
facilities as are proposed for operation within the forthcoming
12-year period. Additional facilities projected to be operating at
the site at a time beyond the forthcoming 12-year period shall not be
considered in the determination of conformity with the 
electric power   electricity  demand forecast.
  SEC. 4.  Section 25516 of the Public Resources Code is amended to
read:
   25516.   (a)    The approval of the notice by
the commission shall be based upon findings pursuant to Section
25514. The notice shall not be approved unless the commission finds
at least two alternative site and related facility proposals
considered in the commission's final report as acceptable. If the
commission does not find at least two sites and related facilities
acceptable, additional sites and related facilities may be proposed
by the applicant which shall be considered in the same manner as
those proposed in the original notice.
    (b)    If the commission finds that a good
faith effort has been made by the person submitting the notice to
find an acceptable alternative site and related facility and that
there is only one acceptable site and related facility among those
submitted, the commission may approve the notice based on the one
site and related facility. If a notice is approved based on one site
and related facility, the commission may require a new notice to be
filed to identify acceptable alternative sites and related facilities
for the one site and related facility approved unless suitable
alternative sites and related facilities have been approved by the
commission in previous notice of intention proceedings.
    (c)    If the commission finds that additional
 electric   electrical  generating capacity
is needed to accommodate the  electric power  
electricity  demand forecast pursuant to subdivision (e) of
Section 25305 and, after the commission finds that a good faith
effort was made by the person submitting the notice to propose an
acceptable site and related facility, it fails to find any proposed
site and related facility to be acceptable, the commission shall
designate, at the request of and at the expense of the person
submitting the notice, a feasible site and related facility for
providing the needed  electric   electrical
 generating capacity.
  SEC. 5.  Section 740.3 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to
read:
   740.3.  (a) The commission, in cooperation with the  State
Energy Conservation and Development   Energy 
Commission, the State Air Resources Board, air quality management
districts and air pollution control districts, regulated electrical
and gas corporations, and the motor vehicle industry, shall evaluate
and implement policies to promote the development of equipment and
infrastructure needed to facilitate the use of  electric
power   electricity  and natural gas to fuel
low-emission vehicles. Policies to be considered shall include both
of the following:
   (1) The sale-for-resale and the rate-basing of low-emission
vehicles and supporting equipment such as batteries for electric
vehicles and compressor stations for natural gas fueled vehicles.
   (2) The development of statewide standards for electric vehicle
charger connections and compressed natural gas vehicle fueling
connections, including installation procedures and technical
assistance to installers.
   (b) The commission shall hold public hearings as part of its
effort to evaluate and implement the new policies considered in
subdivision (a), and shall provide a progress report to the
Legislature by January 30, 1993, and every two years thereafter,
concerning policies on rates, equipment, and infrastructure
implemented by the commission and other state agencies, federal and
local governmental agencies, and private industry to facilitate the
use of  electric power   electricity  and
natural gas to fuel low-emission vehicles.
   (c) The commission's policies authorizing utilities to develop
equipment or infrastructure needed for electric-powered and natural
gas-fueled low-emission vehicles shall ensure that the costs and
expenses of those programs are not passed through to electric or gas
ratepayers unless the commission finds and determines that those
programs are in the ratepayers' interest. The commission's policies
shall also ensure that utilities do not unfairly compete with
nonutility enterprises.