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9 .A,lo Legislative Bill Action ............................................................... The following are summaries of just a few of the legislative bills that are currently being acted upon by the League of California Cities. For more information about these and other bills, please visit the League website's to access information about legislation, policy issues and related develop- ments. You can track information on bills (www.cacities.orgßegtracking), locate legislators and legislative committees, send letters to legislators or the media through the online Advocacy Center (www.cacities.org/advocacycenter), research league policy positions, access useful related links, and much more. TRANSPORTATION AND PUBUC WORKS AB 2006 would establish the .Reliable Electric Service Ad of 2004". It would put in place a number AS 2690 (Hancock). Public Works. Funds. AS of important procedures that would facilitate and 2690 passed out of Senate Labor and Indusbial encourage investment in California's energy infra- Relations Committee on 6/23/04 by a vote of 7-0. The structure - induding generation and transmission bill was amended in committee to include an urgency facilities - in order to promote stable and reliable clause in the legislation. AB 2690 will row move to electric service in the future. The bill also would Senate Appropriations. establish a procedure for very large electricity users to purchase power from a third party through direct AB 2690 provides that the provisions of existing law access. This core/non-core approach, however, dealing with the payment of prevailing wages on public would be permitted only if the transaction does not works projects do not apply to work peñormed by a result in stranded costs or cost shifting. The League volunteer or a volunteer coordinator. In addition, the does have a position on what the threshold should bill provides that the provisions of existing law dealing be for a non-core customer to purchase power from with the payment of prevailing wages on public works a third party. projects do not apply to work peñormed by members of AB 2006 would establish requirements of the the California Conservations Corps or a certified Community Services Corps. investor owned utilities to plan for the future, while at the same time requiring them to invest in renewable, As amended AB 2690 provides cities and counties sustainable and diversified power. It would establish the option to use volunteers as a creative option to criteria for re-powering existing plants and maintain provide public services with limited funding. AB 2690 is the requirements in existing law for renewable a valuable resource to circumvent onerous administra- energy. Importantly, the bill does not impinge upon tive regulations requiring prevailing wage rates be paid the ability of municipal electric utilities to provide to volunteer and other workers on projects benefiting service to their customers. the public. Staff: Amy Brown; Status: SenApps, The League supports AB 2006 because we Pending; Position: Support. understand that California's economy and the ENVIRONMENTAL welfare of our communities depend upon a reliable and stable energy supply. Clearly, California does not want to repeat the crisis situation that occurred AS 2006 (Nunez). Elecbicity Restructuring. In in 2001 as a result of a failed restructuring system. a previous issue of Priority Focus, we reported that the AB 2006 would establish a framework to encourage League had adopted a .support in concepr position investment in efficient and cost-effective energy on AB 2006. After a lengthy discussion at the League's infrastructure and the needed financing for that recent Environmental Quality Policy Committee meet- infrastructure. AB 2006 is pending in the Senate ing, the League has preliminarily moved to a full Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee "support" position on the bill, pending action by the where a hearing is likely soon. Staff: Yvonne League's board of directors. PAGE 6/PRIORITY FOCUS June 25, 2004 . www.cacities.org -