Existing law relative to private energy producers requires every electric utility, as defined, to make available to an eligible customer‑generator, as defined, a standard contract or tariff for net energy metering on a first-come-first-served basis until the time that the total rated generating capacity used by eligible customer‑generators exceeds 5% of the electric utility's aggregate customer peak demand. Existing law requires the electric utility, upon an affirmative election by the eligible customer-generator to receive service pursuant to this contract or tariff, to either: (1) provide net surplus electricity compensation for any net surplus electricity generated in the 12-month period, or (2) allow the eligible customer-generator to apply the net surplus electricity as a credit for kilowatthours subsequently supplied by the electric utility to the surplus customer-generator. This bill would authorize an eligible customer-generator with multiple meters to elect to aggregate the electrical load of the meters located on the property where the generation facility is located and on all property adjacent or contiguous to the property on which the generation facility is located, if those properties are solely owned, leased, or rented by the eligible customer-generator, as provided. For an electric utility that is an electrical corporation, the bill would condition this authorization upon the commission making a determination that permitting eligible customer-generators to aggregate their load from multiple meters will not result in an increase in the expected revenue obligations of customers who are not eligible customer-generators. For an electric utility that is a local publicly owned electric utility or electrical cooperative, the bill would condition this authorization upon the utility's ratemaking authority, as defined, making a determination that permitting aggregation will not result in an increase in the expected revenue obligations of customers who are not eligible customer-generators. The bill would prohibit an eligible customer-generator that chooses to aggregate from receiving net surplus electricity compensation and require the electric utility to retain kilowatthours, as prescribed. Existing law establishes a net energy metering program that is available to an eligible fuel cell customer-generator, as defined. Existing law requires that the net metering calculation be made by measuring the difference between the electricity supplied to the eligible fuel cell customer-generator and the electricity generated by the eligible fuel cell customer-generator and fed back to the electrical grid over a 12-month period. Existing law requires that an electrical corporation determine if the eligible fuel cell customer-generator was a net consumer or producer of electricity during the 12-month period. For purposes of making this determination, existing law requires that the electrical corporation aggregate the electrical load of the eligible fuel cell customer-generator under the same ownership. This bill would require that in making the determination whether the eligible fuel cell customer-generator is a net consumer or producer of electricity during the 12-month period, the electrical corporation is to aggregate the electrical load of the meters located on the property where the eligible fuel cell electrical generation facility is located and on all property adjacent or contiguous to the property on which the facility is located, if those properties are solely owned, leased, or rented by the eligible fuel cell customer-generator. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the bill would require an expansion of the above-described net energy metering programs and would require an order or decision of the commission to implement, a violation of these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 2827.10 of the Public Utilities Code, proposed by AB 2165, to be operative only if AB 2165 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last.
Sponsored bills
(1) Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board (state board) and the California regional water quality control boards prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of stormwater in accordance with the national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Under existing law, the state board administers a water rights program pursuant to which the state board grants permits and licenses to appropriate water, upon an application to appropriate water. This bill would enact the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012, which would provide that use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit from the state board. (2) Existing law, the Contractors' State License Law, creates the Contractors' State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs and provides for the licensing and regulation of contractors. Existing law authorizes a landscape contractor working within the classification of his or her license to enter into a prime contract for the construction of a swimming pool, spa, or hot tub, an outdoor cooking center, or an outdoor fireplace, if certain conditions are met. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions and related provisions of existing law is grounds for disciplinary action. This bill would additionally authorize a landscape contractor working within the classification of his or her license to enter into a prime contract for the construction of a rainwater capture system, as defined, if the system is used exclusively for landscape irrigation or as a water supply for a fountain, pond, or similar decorative water feature in a landscaping project. The bill would authorize a landscape contractor holding a specified classification to design and install all exterior components of a rainwater capture system that are not a part of, or attached to, a structure.
(1) Existing law vests with the Department of Parks and Recreation control of the state park system. Existing law requires the department to achieve any required budget reductions, as defined, by closing, partially closing, and reducing services at selected units of the state park system, based on specified factors. This bill would enact the California State Park Stewardship Act of 2012, which would require the department to develop a prioritized action plan to increase revenues and the collection of user fees at state parks. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature and the Governor on the prioritized action plan by July 1, 2013. (2) Existing law authorizes the department to enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system, as identified by the Director of Parks and Recreation, as provided. Existing property tax law requires that all property subject to tax be assessed at its full value, and includes certain possessory interests among those property interests subject to tax. The California Constitution exempts certain property from property taxation, including property owned by the state. This bill would provide that a qualified nonprofit corporation that has entered into an agreement with the Department of Parks and Recreation is deemed to be an agent of the state for purposes of property taxation, and that any state-owned property, including possessory interests in that property, used or possessed by the qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system would be exempt from taxation under the exemption for property owned by the state. (3) Provisions relating to the administration of personal income taxes allow individual taxpayers to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of specified funds to be used for specified purposes. This bill would, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2012, require the Franchise Tax Board to revise the individual taxpayer return form, as specified, to allow a taxpayer to designate an otherwise refundable amount in excess of tax liability to be deposited to the State Parks Protection Fund, which the bill would create. This bill would entitle a taxpayer making a contribution to receive a single state parks day use annual pass from the Department of Parks and Recreation if the price of the pass, as determined by the department, is less than or equal to the amount of the taxpayer's contribution. This bill would require moneys transferred to the State Parks Protection Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be allocated to the Franchise Tax Board and Controller, as provided, and to the Department of Parks and Recreation to cover the costs of the issuance of the passes to taxpayers, and for purposes related to the protection and preservation of state parks. This bill would also allow a deduction under the Personal Income Tax Law for any contribution amount in excess of the price of the pass received, if any. This bill would repeal these voluntary contribution provisions if contributions made on returns would be less than a specified amount, as provided. (4) Existing law provides that it is a misdemeanor for any officer or employee of the state to disclose certain tax information. This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to provide necessary information, as provided, to the Department of Parks and Recreation so that individuals who deposited amounts equal to or in excess of the price of a state parks day use annual pass can be contacted. By changing the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) 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.
Existing law prohibits a food from being sold as organic unless it meets certain criteria, and accurate and specific records are kept detailing its production, handling, and sale. This bill would enact the California Transition to Organics Act of 2012. The bill would establish the Transition to Organics Fund in the State Treasury, which would consist of moneys from industry and citizen sources. The bill would limit the expenditure of moneys from the fund to providing financial assistance to persons who transition their conventional farms to certified organic farms, and to covering administrative and operational expenses incurred in administering the act, as specified. The fund would be administered by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, as provided, and the secretary would be authorized to adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of the act. The bill would also authorize the secretary to levy a civil penalty, as provided, upon a person who renders or furnishes false information to the secretary under the act.
Existing law requires specified information to be provided to patients regarding their health care. Existing federal law requires a written report of the results of each mammography examination and requires a summary of that report to be sent to the patient within a specified time period. This bill, from April 1, 2013, until January 1, 2019, would require, under specified circumstances, a health facility at which a mammography examination is performed to include in the summary of the written report that is sent to the patient a prescribed notice on breast density.
Existing law refers to mental retardation or a mentally retarded person in provisions relating to, among other things, educational and social services, commitment to state facilities, and criminal punishment. This bill would revise these provisions to refer instead to intellectual disability or a person with an intellectual disability. This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature that the bill not be construed to change the coverage, eligibility, rights, responsibilities, or substantive definitions referred to in the amended provisions of the bill. This bill would make related and technical changes.
Existing federal Medicaid provisions require a state to describe its Medicaid program in its state plan, which is required by federal law to provide for, among other things, a public process for determination of rates of payment under the plan for hospital services, nursing facility services, and services of intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded. Under existing law, various state statutes refer to mentally retarded persons in provisions relating to, among other things, services, commitment to state facilities, and criminal punishment. This bill, which would be known as the Shriver "R-Word" Act, would revise various statutes to, instead, refer to a person with an intellectual disability. The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature that the bill not be construed to change the coverage, eligibility, rights, responsibilities, or substantive definitions referred to in the amended provisions of the bill.
Under existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues environmental and other specialized license plates, including veterans' organizations license plates. Veterans' organizations license plates are required to have a distinctive design or decal. The Department of Veterans Affairs may modify the plate design or decals, but is prohibited from issuing those plates or decals, as modified, until all existing plates or decals have been issued. This bill would authorize prescribed persons to apply for a special interest license plate that honors all veterans or veterans who served in a particular war or armed conflict. This bill would require the department to issue by July 1, 2013, decals for plates issued under this program that honor all veterans or veterans who served in a particular war or armed conflict to an applicant, to make available to an applicant, upon request, in lieu of this decal, a "yellow ribbons/support our troops" decal, and to eliminate from inventory any decals for which the department determines that demand is insufficient to maintain that inventory in a cost-effective manner. These special interest license plates are subject to fees for issuance, renewal, or personalization that are additional to those required for nonspecialized license plates. Existing law requires that the revenue from those additional fees, less the DMV's costs, be deposited in the Veterans Service Office Fund. Existing law requires money in the Veterans Service Office Fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation and disbursement to counties for the operation of county veterans service offices. This bill would increase the amount of those additional fees.
This measure would memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation that would add comprehensive, preventative dental care coverage to Medicare benefits.
This measure would recognize September 2012 as Recovery Month in California, in order to raise awareness of the importance of substance use disorders treatment and to help people living with substance use disorders and their families to receive treatment.