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

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-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1650	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 9, 2012

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 amended, 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  
impose a state-mandated local program by requiring  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   An 
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   An 
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   An 
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.