Bill Text: CA AB1650 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Public utilities: emergency and disaster preparedness.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-09-23 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 472, Statutes of 2012. [AB1650 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB1650-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1650	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Portantino

                        FEBRUARY 13, 2012

   An act to add Section 769 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to public utilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1650, as introduced, Portantino. Public utilities: emergency
and disaster preparedness.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations
and gas corporations.
   Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, permits local
governments to create disaster councils by ordinance, and to develop
plans for meeting any condition constituting a local emergency or
state of emergency, as specified.
   This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to
establish standards for disaster and emergency preparedness plans, as
specified. The bill would require an electrical corporation, as
defined, and a gas corporation, as defined, to develop, adopt, and
update an emergency and disaster preparedness plan, as specified. The
bill would require an electrical corporation or gas corporation, in
developing, adopting, and updating its emergency and disaster
preparedness plan, to meet with, and consult, cities and counties
within that corporation's service area, as specified.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 769 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   769.  (a) The Public Utilities Commission shall establish
standards for disaster and emergency preparedness plans, including,
but not limited to, use of weather reports to preposition manpower
and equipment before anticipated severe weather, methods of improving
communications between government agencies and the public, and
methods of working to control and mitigate an emergency or disaster
and its aftereffects.
   (b) An electrical corporation or a gas corporation providing
service in California shall develop, adopt, and update an emergency
and disaster preparedness plan in compliance with the standards
established by the Public Utilities Commission in subdivision (a).
   (1) In developing and adopting an emergency and disaster
preparedness plan, an electrical corporation or a gas corporation
providing service in California shall meet with, and consult,
appropriate representatives of every county and city within that
corporation's service area in California.
   (2) For the purposes of best preparing an electrical or gas
corporation for future emergencies or disasters, an emergency and
disaster preparedness plan shall address recent emergencies and
disasters associated with the electrical or gas corporation or
similarly situated corporations, and shall address remedial actions
for possible emergencies or disasters that may involve that
corporation's provision of service.
   (3) Every two years, in order to update and improve that
corporation's emergency and disaster preparedness plan, an electrical
corporation or a gas corporation providing service in California
shall meet with, and consult, appropriate representatives of every
county and city within that corporation's service area.
   (4) For the purposes of best preparing an electrical or gas
corporation for future emergencies or disasters, a corporation
updating its emergency and disaster preparedness plan shall review
the disasters and emergencies that have affected similarly situated
electrical or gas corporations since the adoption of the plan,
remedial actions taken during those emergencies or disasters, and
proposed changes to the plan. The corporation shall adopt in its plan
the changes that will best ensure the corporation is reasonably
prepared to deal with a disaster or emergency.
   (c) A meeting pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be noticed and
shall be conducted in a public meeting that allows for the
participation of appropriate representatives of counties and cities
within the electrical or gas corporation's service area.
   (1) A county participating in a meeting pursuant to subdivision
(b) shall inform each city within the county of the time and place of
the meeting.
   (2) An electrical or gas corporation holding a meeting pursuant to
subdivision (b) shall provide participating counties and cities with
the opportunity to provide written and verbal input into the
corporation's emergency and disaster preparedness plan.
   (3) A gas corporation or electrical corporation shall notify the
Public Utilities Commission of the date, time, and location of a
meeting pursuant subdivision (b).
   (d) A gas corporation or electrical corporation shall conduct a
meeting pursuant to subdivision (b) within three months of the of
this section, and every two years thereafter.
   (e) A gas corporation or electrical corporation shall memorialize
a meeting pursuant to subdivision (b), and shall submit its records
of the meeting to the Public Utilities Commission.
  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.