Today's Law As Amended


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AB-2911 Public Utilities Commission: public advisor: Independent System Operator.(2021-2022)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 321 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

321.
 (a) The commission shall appoint a public advisor and establish an office of the public advisor, including a separate office in the Los Angeles office of the commission. The commission may employ staff as necessary to carry out the duties of the office of the public advisor. The office of the public advisor shall assist members of the public and ratepayers who desire to testify before or present information to the commission in any hearing or proceeding of the commission. The public advisor shall advise the commission on procedural matters relating to public participation in proceedings of the commission.
(b) The public advisor and executive director shall publicize the commission’s programs for encouraging and supporting participation in the commission’s proceedings.
(c) The public advisor shall receive complaints and comments from members of the public concerning how the commission is carrying out its functions. The public advisor shall maintain the confidentiality of the identity of a member of the public who makes a complaint or comment unless the member of the public expressly indicates a desire to communicate his or her  that  identity to the commission. The public advisor shall assess the nature of substantive complaints and comments from members of the public and take them into consideration when analyzing and recommending options for resolution of the matters underlying those complaints and comments.
(d) The public advisor shall work with all of the divisions of the commission to ensure that the commission’s internet website provides adequate transparency in the information provided to the public.
(e) The public advisor shall have the responsibility for ensuring that the activities of the commission are as transparent to the public as reasonably possible and consistent with applicable law.

SEC. 2.

 Section 322.6 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

322.6.
 Notwithstanding any prior regulation, practice, procedure, or guideline adopted by the commission, upon a request by the public for any public records, the commission shall follow the procedures and requirements of the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), including the time limit prescribed in Section 7922.535 of the Government Code for providing the agency’s final determination.

SEC. 3.

 Section 345.9 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

345.9.
 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that greater transparency in the operation of the facilities subject to the control of the Independent System Operator and in the markets administered by the Independent System Operator is in the public interest.
(b) Notwithstanding Sections 352.7 and 583, the following information in the possession of the Independent System Operator and the commission shall be published in a timely manner in addition to information currently published as an element of the Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS):
(1) The identities of scheduling coordinators and their clients authorized to participate in Independent System Operator markets.
(2) The records for planned and forced outages for every five minutes by resource or generator within three days of the outage event.

SEC. 6.SEC. 4.

 Section 1759 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

1759.
 (a) No court of this state, except the Supreme Court and the court of appeal, to the extent specified in this article, shall have jurisdiction to review, reverse, correct, or annul any order or decision of the commission or to suspend or delay the execution or operation thereof, or to enjoin, restrain, or interfere with the commission in the performance of its official duties, as provided by law and the rules of court.
(b) The writ of mandamus shall lie from the Supreme Court and from the court of appeal to the commission in all proper cases as prescribed in Section 1085 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(c) This section shall not apply to the following actions, which may be brought in superior court:
(1) An action brought against the commission to enforce the requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(2) An action arising from the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), or an action to review a determination made under Section 7922.535 of the Government Code.