California Assembly Bill AB2902 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2902AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Committee on Utilities and Commerce MARCH 3, 2016 An act to amend Section 306 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to the Public Utilities Commission. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2902, as amended, Committee on Utilities and Commerce. Public Utilities Commission: staff offices. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities. Existing law requires the office of the commission to be in the City and County of San Francisco. This bill would require the  commission to have  offices  of the commission's staff to be   outside of San Francisco, including  in Los  Angeles, Sacramento, or San Francisco, if the location   Angeles and Sacramento. The bill would require the staff of the commission to be allocated among those locations in a way that  meets the economic and efficiency requirements of the state, as determined by the Department of Finance. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 306 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 306. (a) (1) The office of the commission shall be in the City and County of San Francisco. The office shall always be open, legal holidays and nonjudicial days excepted. The commission shall hold its sessions at least once in each calendar month in the City and County of San Francisco. The commission may also meet at such other times and in such other places as may be expedient and necessary for the proper performance of its duties, and for that purpose may rent quarters or offices.  (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the staff of the commission. The offices of the staff of the commission shall be in Los Angeles, Sacramento, or San Francisco, if the location   (2)    The commission shall have offices outside of San Francisco, including in Los Angeles and Sacramento. The staff of the commission shall be allocated among those locations in a way that  meets the economic and efficiency requirements of the state, as determined by the Department of Finance. (b) The meetings of the commission shall be open and public in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. In addition to the requirements of Section 11125 of the Government Code, the commission shall include in its notice of meetings the agenda of business to be transacted, and no item of business shall be added to the agenda subsequent to the notice in the absence of an unforeseen emergency situation. A rate increase shall not constitute an unforeseen emergency situation. As used in this subdivision, "meeting" shall include all investigations, proceedings, and showings required by law to be open and public. (c) The commission shall have a seal, bearing the inscription "Public Utilities Commission State of California." The seal shall be affixed to all writs and authentications of copies of records and to such other instruments as the commission shall direct. (d) The commission may procure all necessary books, maps, charts, stationery, instruments, office furniture, apparatus, and appliances.