California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

AB 491 — Energy: hydrogen.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law authorizes the PUC to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires the PUC to adopt policies and programs that promote the in-state production and distribution of biomethane. Existing law requires the PUC to adopt, by rule or order, standards for biomethane that specify the concentrations of constituents of concern that are reasonably necessary to protect public health and ensure pipeline integrity and safety, and that specify requirements for monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping. Existing law requires a gas corporation to comply with those standards and requirements and requires that gas corporation tariffs condition access to common carrier pipelines on the applicable customer meeting those standards and requirements. Existing law requests the California Council on Science and Technology to undertake and complete a study analyzing the regional and gas-corporation-specific issues relating to minimum heating value and maximum siloxane specifications adopted by the PUC for biomethane before it can be injected into common carrier gas pipelines. If the California Council on Science and Technology agrees to undertake and complete the study, existing law requires the PUC, within 6 months of its completion, to reevaluate requirements and standards adopted for injection of biomethane into common carrier pipelines and, if appropriate, change those requirements and standards or adopt new requirements and standards, giving due deference to the conclusions and recommendations made in the study. This bill would request the California Council on Science and Technology, in consultation with the PUC, the State Air Resources Board (state board) , and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , to undertake and, within 12 months of entering into the contract, to complete a study analyzing the potential impacts of increased hydrogen concentration in the natural gas supply on the California natural gas system, to include specified information. If the California Council on Science and Technology agrees to undertake and complete the study, the bill would require the council, upon completion of the study, to transmit it to the PUC, the state board, and the Energy Commission for their consideration. The bill would require each gas corporation operating common carrier pipelines to proportionately contribute to the expenses to undertake the study, with the cost recoverable in rates. 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 provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. In committee: Held under submission.

  4. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  5. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. Read second time and amended.

  7. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 3).

  8. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.

  9. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.

  10. Referred to Com. on U. & E.

  11. From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

  12. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 119 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

  • O'Donnell
  • Quirk

Not signed on (119)

119 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 119 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 14 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 8001
Democratic 4000
Republican 2000
Total 14001
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Burke — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Holden — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Ting — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 491 do?
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law authorizes the PUC to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires the PUC to adopt policies and programs that promote the in-state production and distribution of biomethane. Existing law requires the PUC to adopt, by rule or order, standards for biomethane that specify the concentrations of constituents of concern that are reasonably necessary to protect public health and ensure pipeline integrity and safety, and that specify requirements for monitoring, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping. Existing law requires a gas corporation to comply with those standards and requirements and requires that gas corporation tariffs condition access to common carrier pipelines on the applicable customer meeting those standards and requirements. Existing law requests the California Council on Science and Technology to undertake and complete a study analyzing the regional and gas-corporation-specific issues relating to minimum heating value and maximum siloxane specifications adopted by the PUC for biomethane before it can be injected into common carrier gas pipelines. If the California Council on Science and Technology agrees to undertake and complete the study, existing law requires the PUC, within 6 months of its completion, to reevaluate requirements and standards adopted for injection of biomethane into common carrier pipelines and, if appropriate, change those requirements and standards or adopt new requirements and standards, giving due deference to the conclusions and recommendations made in the study. This bill would request the California Council on Science and Technology, in consultation with the PUC, the State Air Resources Board (state board) , and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , to undertake and, within 12 months of entering into the contract, to complete a study analyzing the potential impacts of increased hydrogen concentration in the natural gas supply on the California natural gas system, to include specified information. If the California Council on Science and Technology agrees to undertake and complete the study, the bill would require the council, upon completion of the study, to transmit it to the PUC, the state board, and the Energy Commission for their consideration. The bill would require each gas corporation operating common carrier pipelines to proportionately contribute to the expenses to undertake the study, with the cost recoverable in rates. 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 provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new 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.
Who sponsors AB 491?
AB 491 is sponsored by O'Donnell, Quirk, and Rubio, Blanca E. (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 491?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 491?
Track AB 491 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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