2. Background

The Commission has jurisdiction over all private electric, water, natural gas, and communications utilities in the State of California. As such, the Commission adopts policy in the areas of water, communications, electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, transportation and sewage that affects most Californians. The positions and interests of utilities, residential ratepayers, large commercial and industrial customers, non-CPUC-regulated companies, and non-governmental organizations are often well-represented in proceedings before the Commission and these groups all have helped shaped Commission policy. As a general matter, however, small businesses and their advocates have not participated in most Commission proceedings. This lack of participation is certainly not due to small businesses' lack of interest in or relevance of Commission proceedings. Rather, small businesses do not, by and large, have the financial wherewithal or time to participate in Commission proceedings. As a result, Commission decisions often do not take into account the impact of Commission policies on small businesses. Of course, the converse is also true - because small businesses and their advocates often do not participate in Commission proceedings, the Commission does not benefit from the small business perspective.

During the last five-and-a-half years, this Commission, led by the efforts of Commissioner Bohn, has worked tirelessly to elevate the involvement of small businesses in the Commission's processes. Commissioner Bohn created the Commission's Small Business Expo program, which puts small business owners in touch with utility procurement representatives and also provides educational workshops to help small businesses become more successful. Commissioner Bohn also worked with President Peevey and Executive Director Clanon to create a new Small Business Group (now renamed the Business & Community Outreach Group) within the Commission.

The Business & Community Outreach Group has accomplished much in the few years since its formation. It runs the Commission's Small Business Expo program, it educates small businesses about Commission proceedings and decisions, and it educates the Commission about problems the small business community is facing. Recently, Commissioner Bohn and the Business & Community Outreach Group spearheaded the Rulemaking to Consider Revising Energy Utility Tariff Rules Related to Deposits and Adjusting Bills as They Affect Small Business Customers, R.10-05-005. This proceeding resulted in Decision 10-07-048 which adopted changes to the energy utilities' backbilling and deposit rules for small business customers.