California Assembly Bill AB2541 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2541INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Dahle FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to amend Section 770 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2541, as introduced, Dahle. Public utilities. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities. The Public Utilities Act authorizes the commission to ascertain and fix just and reasonable standards, classifications, regulations, practices, measurements, or service to be furnished, imposed, observed, and followed by specified public utilities, including all electrical, gas, and water corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to establish reasonable rules, specifications, and standards to secure the accuracy of all meters and appliances for measurements and requires a public utility that estimates meter readings to so indicate on its billings and to correct any incorrect estimate by the next billing period, except as specified. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the above-described provisions. 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 770 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 770. The commission  may   may,  after  a  hearing: (a) Ascertain and fix just and reasonable standards, classifications, regulations, practices, measurements, or service to be furnished, imposed, observed, and followed by all electrical, gas, water, and heat corporations. (b) Ascertain and fix adequate and serviceable standards for the measurement of quantity, quality, pressure, or other condition pertaining to the supply of the product, commodity, or service furnished or rendered by any  such public utility.   electrical, gas, water, or heat corporation.  No standard of the commission applicable to any water corporation shall be inconsistent with the regulations and standards of the State Department of Health pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section  116275)   116270)  of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) Prescribe reasonable regulations for the examination and testing of the product, commodity, or service and for the measurement thereof. (d) Establish reasonable rules, specifications, and standards to secure the accuracy of all meters and appliances for measurements. The commission shall require a public utility that estimates meter readings to so indicate on its billings, and shall require any estimate that is incorrect to be corrected by the next billing period, except that for reasons beyond its control due to  weather,   weather  or in cases of unusual conditions, corrections for any overestimate or underestimate shall be reflected on the first regularly scheduled bill and based on an actual reading following the period of inaccessibility. (e) Provide for the examination and testing of any and all appliances used for the measurement of any product, commodity, or service of any  such public utility.   electrical, gas, water,   or heat corporation.