(1) The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission, with jurisdiction over all public utilities. The California Constitution grants the commission certain general powers over all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. Existing law requires the commission, upon initiating a hearing, to assign one or more commissioners to oversee the case and an administrative law judge, when appropriate. Existing law requires the commission to adopt procedures on the disqualification of administrative law judges due to bias or prejudice similar to those of other state agencies and superior courts.
California SB 215 (20152016) — Public Utilities Commission.
(1) The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission, with jurisdiction over all public utilities. The California Constitution grants the commission certain general powers over all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. Existing law requires the commission, upon initiating a hearing, to assign one or more commissioners to oversee the case and an administrative law judge, when appropriate. Existing law requires the commission to adopt procedures on the disqualification of administrative law judges due to bias or prejudice similar to those of other state agencies and superior courts.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 10–0 (pass) · upper
Unfinished Business SB215 Leno Concurrence — 36–0 (pass) · upper
SB 215 Leno Senate Third Reading By GATTO — 79–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 14–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass — 7–0 (pass) · upper
Do pass. — 15–0 (pass) · lower
3rd Reading — 37–0 (pass) · upper
Placed on suspense file — 7–0 (pass) · upper
Sponsors
Leno — primary (person)
Hueso — author (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2015-02-12 Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. introduction, reading-1
2015-02-13 From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 15.
2015-02-26 Referred to Com. on E., U., & C. referral-committee
2015-03-24 Set for hearing April 21.
2015-04-15 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U., & C. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1
2015-04-21 April 21 hearing postponed by committee.
2015-04-22 Set for hearing April 27.
2015-04-27 April 27 hearing postponed by committee.
2016-01-04 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U., & C. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1
2016-01-05 Set for hearing January 13.
2016-01-13 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 2895.) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. referral-committee, committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage
2016-01-14 Set for hearing January 19.
2016-01-19 January 19 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2016-01-20 Set for hearing January 21.
2016-01-21 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 2934.) (January 21). committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage
2016-01-25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2016-01-26 Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2952.) Ordered to the Assembly. reading-3, passage, reading-1
2016-01-26 In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. reading-1
2016-04-28 Referred to Com. on U. & C. referral-committee
2016-05-23 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & C. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1
2016-06-20 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & C. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1
2016-06-30 From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 29). committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage, amendment-passage
2016-08-01 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, reading-1
2016-08-03 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. referral-committee, reading-2, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1
2016-08-10 August 10 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2016-08-11 Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
2016-08-12 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 11). committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage
2016-08-15 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2016-08-18 Read third time and amended. reading-3, amendment-passage, reading-1
2016-08-18 Ordered to third reading.
2016-08-22 Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6055.) Ordered to the Senate. reading-3, passage, reading-1
2016-08-22 In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2016-08-25 Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 5422.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. committee-passage-favorable, amendment-passage
2016-08-30 Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.
2016-09-29 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2016-09-29 Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 807, Statutes of 2016.
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/6134b4ca-75e2-49bb-bd6f-88db446abc1e. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).