Violations: penalties and fines: wildfire incidents.

The Public Utilities Act provides for the assessment of criminal fines and civil penalties for violations of the act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission. Existing law requires that fines and penalties imposed by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to the act be paid to the General Fund. This bill would require 10% of any penalty or fine assessed by the commission related to wildfire incidents to be deposited into the Wildfire Incident Penalty and Fine Fund, which the bill would establish in the State Treasury. The bill would continuously appropriate those moneys to the commission for specified fire prevention purposes, including for equipment for regional fire and first responder agencies. The bill would require the commission to establish an application and approval process by which any person, private entity, or local agency from an area affected by a wildfire incident could apply to the commission for the money in the fund, as provided.