Broadband projects: electric power design approval.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Under existing law, the Legislature finds and declares that given the importance of broadband for public safety, public health, economic growth, education, and job creation, it is in California's best interest for public and private broadband project permits to be processed as quickly and efficiently as possible. This bill would require an electric utility, defined as an electrical corporation or a local publicly owned electric utility, to adopt, publish, and make easily accessible to the public rules, requirements, and standards applicable to its applications for approval of an electric power design related to the construction and operation of a broadband project, as defined. The bill would require an electric utility to approve or deny a complete application within 60 or 90 days, and, if the application is incomplete, would require the electric utility to provide written notice to the applicant that the application is incomplete and would establish a timeline and process by which the application could be made complete, as specified. If an application is approved, the bill would require the electric utility, within 30 days, to provide the applicant with a cost estimate, if applicable, for any necessary work required to accommodate the electric power design described in the application. If the applicant accepts the cost estimate within 30 days, the bill would require the electric utility to complete energization to the broadband project location within a commission-determined time period, as specified. The bill would prohibit an application from being subject to any rule, requirement, or standard that has not been published and made easily accessible to the public before the date of the application's submittal to an electric utility for review. Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bill's requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Additionally, by imposing new duties on local publicly owned electric utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 specified reasons.