California Senate Bill SB1049 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1049AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 1, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 15, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 27, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senator Hill FEBRUARY 12, 2016 An act to add Section 326 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to the Public Utilities Commission. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1049, as amended, Hill. Public Utilities Commission:  electrical and gas corporations:  close call reporting program. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public  utilities.   utilities, including electrical and gas corporations.  The California Constitution authorizes the commission to establish rules for  all public utilities,  electrical and gas corporations,  subject to control by the Legislature. This bill would require the commission to establish procedures and processes to implement a confidential, nonpunitive, and independent close call reporting program for purposes of facilitating the identification of accident precursors by persons familiar with  public utility   the  operations  of electrical or gas corporations  and of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating unbiased safety information. The bill would authorize any person to voluntarily submit through the program a confidential close call report that both involves  a public utility   an electric   al or gas corporation  and relates to public, employee, or contractor safety. 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 326 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read: 326. (a) The commission shall establish procedures and processes to implement a confidential, nonpunitive, and independent close call reporting program for purposes of facilitating the identification of accident precursors by persons familiar with  public utility operations,   the operations of electrical or gas corporations,  including, but not limited to,  public utility  employees and  contractors,   contractors of   electrical or gas corporations  ,  and of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating unbiased safety information. Through the program, any person, including, but not limited to,  a public utility   an  employee or contractor  of an electrical or gas corporation  or a member of the public, may voluntarily submit a confidential close call report that both involves  a public utility   an electrical or gas corporation  and relates to public, employee, or contractor safety. (b) The commission shall not use a report  submitted  pursuant to subdivision (a) or information derived therefrom, except for information concerning an accident or criminal offense, in an enforcement action.  The commission may establish additional exceptions to this subdivision.  (c) The commission may contract with a third party to administer the program. (d)  A public utility   An  employee  of,  or the employee of a contractor performing work  for a public utility   for, an electrical or gas corporation  shall not be subject to demotion, discharge, or any other form of retaliation or discrimination for participating in the close call reporting program established pursuant to this section.