California Assembly Bill AB2100 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2100AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Calderon FEBRUARY 17, 2016 An act  to add and repeal Section 718 to the Public Utilities Code,  relating to infrastructure. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2100, as amended, Calderon. The 21st Century Infrastructure Act of 2016. Existing law requires the Governor to submit to the Legislature, in conjunction with his or her annual budget proposal, a proposed 5-year infrastructure plan that identifies state infrastructure needs and sets out priorities for funding. Existing law requires the plan to be sufficiently detailed to provide a clear understanding of the type and amount of infrastructure to be funded and the programmatic objectives to be achieved by this funding approach.  This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources Board, until January 1, 2020, to review and evaluate their policies and plans for the expansion of 21st century infrastructure and to take other related actions. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact the 21st Century Infrastructure Act of 2016 to improve California's infrastructure in order to prepare the state for a 21st century economy.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 718 is added to the   Public Utilities Code  , to read:   718. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that as a result of increased investments from public utilities, including Southern California Edison Company's twelve billion dollar ($12,000,000,000) investment over three years to modernize the electric distribution grid, Pacific Gas and Electric Company's six hundred fifty-four million dollar ($654,000,000) proposal in 2015 to build 25,100 electric vehicle charging stations, and San Diego Gas and Electric Company's vehicle grid integration program, which will spend forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) to deploy 3,500 electric vehicle charging stations, there is significant public interest in ensuring that substantial utility investments made with ratepayer moneys are spent in a responsible manner and encourage the use of modern, low-cost renewable technologies while ensuring local safety and grid reliability. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the proliferation and adoption of 21st century infrastructure, including, but not limited to, electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation facilities, distributed energy resources, smart grid technologies and services, microgrids, and demand response programs. (c) In order to promote the proliferation and adoption of 21st century infrastructure, the commission, the Energy Commission, the Independent System Operator, and the State Air Resources Board shall review and evaluate their policies and plans for the expansion of 21st century infrastructure, and shall do all of the following: (1) Develop an interagency permitting committee to institute reforms and modernize infrastructure permitting and reviews. (2) Strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms to quickly resolve conflicts and ensure that interagency disputes do not delay projects that are consistent with existing state policy priorities. (3) Identify duplicative, burdensome, or unnecessary requirements, permits, or processes and evaluate whether they can be minimized or eliminated in a manner that would not jeopardize safety or grid reliability. (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact the 21st Century Infrastructure Act of 2016 to improve California's infrastructure in order to prepare the state for a 21st century economy. New energy, communications, and transportation technologies are essential to building the "smart cities" of the future and driving economic growth to keep California's economy strong. Massive improvements to the electrical grid, natural gas pipelines, roadways, bridges, transportation systems, and ports are necessary to keep California competitive in the world economy and should be considered a high priority for the state.