Electricity: plug-in electric vehicles: charging.

(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, as defined. The existing Public Utilities Act requires every public utility to furnish and maintain adequate, efficient, just, and reasonable service, instrumentalities, equipment, and facilities as are necessary to promote the safety, health, comfort, and convenience of its patrons, employees, and the public. This bill would provide that the ownership, control, operation, or management of a facility that supplies electricity only for use to charge light-duty plug-in electric vehicles, as defined, does not make the corporation or person a public utility for purposes of the act. (2) Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the State Air Resources Board, electrical corporations, and the motor vehicle industry, to evaluate policies to develop infrastructure sufficient to overcome any barriers to the widespread deployment and use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and, by July 1, 2011, to adopt rules that address specified matters. This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to adopt rules that it determines are necessary for the charging of plug-in electric vehicles within the service territory of an electrical corporation, to achieve certain results.