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AB-2271 Electricity: research programs: peer review.(2015-2016)

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AB2271:v96#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  August 02, 2016
Amended  IN  Senate  June 13, 2016
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 17, 2016

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2015–2016 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2271

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

February 18, 2016

An act to add Section 713 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2271, as amended, Quirk. Electricity: research programs: peer review.
Existing law provides the Public Utilities Commission with broad authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to convene, or continue, until August 26, 2025, an independent peer review panel to conduct an independent review of enhanced seismic studies and surveys of a certain nuclear powerplant.
This bill would require the commission to establish a procedure for an independent peer review of certain research programs proposed by an electrical corporation for approval by the commission. The bill would require the independent peer review of a proposed research program to be conducted upon the commission’s receipt of the proposed program. The bill would require the commission to make available to the public on its Internet Web site the results of the review upon approval of the program.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 713 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

713.
 (a) For purposes of this section, “research programs” means programs for the development of novel and innovative processes that are proposed by electrical corporations for approval by the commission and that would be funded through the rates of ratepayers of the electrical corporations. Research programs do not include programs that are funded pursuant to the Public Interest Energy Research, Demonstration, and Development Program (Chapter 7.1 (commencing with Section 25620) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code) or the Electric Program Investment Charge program developed pursuant to Section 25711.5 of the Public Resources Code.
(b) The commission shall establish a procedure for the independent peer review of a research program proposed by an electrical corporation, to be followed if the research program will cost fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) one million dollars ($1,000,000) or more. The independent peer review shall be conducted in accordance with the procedure upon the commission’s receipt of the proposed research program.
(c) This section does not apply to a research program that is directly reviewed and approved by the commission.

(c)

(d) The commission shall make available to the public on its Internet Web site the results of the review upon the approval of the research program.