26. AB 2857 (Lieber): California Alternative Rates for Energy

On September 28, 2008 the State Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2857 (Lieber) relating to the CARE program.  The bill amended Section 739.5 of the Public Utilities Code by adding an additional Section H to the code, which states:

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or decision of the commission, the commission shall not deny eligibility for the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program, created pursuant to Section 739.1, for a residential user of gas or electric service who is a submetered resident or tenant served by a master-meter customer on the basis that some residential units in the master-meter customer's mobilehome park, apartment building, or similar residential complex do not receive gas or electric service through a submetered system.

The Commission directs the IOUs to update their tariffs in order to comply with this addition to the Public Utilities Code and file them in an Advice Letter within 60 days of this decision.