California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: local publicly owned electric utilities: large hydroelectric generation.

The document was reformatted from the official chaptered legislative format (with page numbers, 'Ch. 67' headers, and formal layout) to a web page display that includes site navigation, search fields, version history links, and the same bill text in a different visual arrangement. No changes to the statutory content of Section 399.30 of the Public Utilities Code were made.

A new section amending Public Utilities Code Section 399.30 was added, extending the large hydroelectric generation exemption (for utilities receiving more than 40 percent of retail sales from large hydro under contracts in effect as of January 1, 2018) to all future multiyear compliance periods established by the Energy Commission beyond December 31, 2030.

In the air pollution provision (Health and Safety Code Section 39602.5(c)), the phrase 'pursuant to this section or Section 43013' was removed, broadening the restriction so that ARB cannot adopt any standard, regulation, or rule affecting the Low Carbon Fuel Standard or Cap-and-Trade Program (regardless of which statutory authority it is adopted under) until the Legislative Analyst completes a consumer cost analysis.

The new section defines 'large hydroelectric generation' as electricity from an existing in-state hydroelectric facility that does not qualify as an eligible renewable energy resource and was owned (as of January 1, 2018) by a local publicly owned electric utility, the federal government as part of the Central Valley Project, or a joint powers agency.

The new RPS section includes detailed enforcement provisions: the Energy Commission may issue notices of violation and refer noncompliance to ARB for penalties, with penalty funds deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund for use in the same geographic area as the noncompliant utility.

The entire amendment to Section 39602.5 of the Health and Safety Code was deleted. This provision would have required the Legislative Analyst to analyze the consumer cost impact (on fuel prices per gallon or electricity prices per kilowatthour) of any proposed CARB regulation affecting the Low Carbon Fuel Standard or Cap-and-Trade Program before CARB could adopt it, effectively creating a legislative review gate for major climate regulations.

The bill title was changed from amending both Section 39602.5 of the Health and Safety Code (air pollution) and Section 399.30 of the Public Utilities Code (energy) to amending only Section 399.30 of the Public Utilities Code.

The prohibition on CARB adopting standards was narrowed from applying to ALL standards, regulations, or rules under Section 39602.5 to only those that affect the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (Subarticle 7 of Article 4) or the California Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program (Article 5 of Subchapter 10).

The Legislative Analyst's cost analysis requirement was made more specific: it must now analyze 'the cost to the consumer from the impact on the price per gallon of fuel or price per kilowatthour of electricity' rather than a general 'cost to the consumer.'

The legislative digest now includes extensive background explaining the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the Cap-and-Trade Program structure, and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard regulations, providing context for why these two programs are singled out.