Utilities.

(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including water corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix just and reasonable rates and charges. The existing Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Law establishes the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District and provides for its powers and purposes. This bill would authorize the commission to issue financing orders to facilitate the recovery, financing, or refinancing of water supply costs, defined to mean reasonable and necessary costs incurred or expected to be incurred by a qualifying water utility, as defined, undertaking water supply activities, as specified. The bill would authorize the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to issue water rate relief bonds if the commission finds that the bonds will provide savings to water customers on the Monterey Peninsula, as specified. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Monterey Peninsula, the California American Water, and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. (3) Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to issue a decision and order or rehearing regarding the implementation of certain provisions of law related to the Department of Water Resources within 20 days after the filing of an application. This bill would allow the commission 210 days to issue the decision and order. (4) Existing law requires that certain transfers be deemed perfected against 3rd persons upon the execution and delivery to the transferee an assignment of the transfer in writing, excluding transfers or assignments of transition property or recovery property. Existing law provides generally that a transfer of personal property not accompanied by delivery and change of possession of the property is void against the transferor's creditors, except for certain specified transfers or types of property, including transition property or recovery property. This bill would remove the exceptions for transition property from these provisions. The bill would remove the exception for recovery property described in the latter provision above. (5) Existing law makes any public utility, as defined, and any corporation other than a public utility that violates the Public Utilities Act guilty of a crime. Because a violation of certain provisions of the bill would be a violation of the act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.