Legislation that requires a 33 percent renewable energy portfolio for utilities in 2020 stalled in Assembly Utilities & Commerce Committee June 25. It is expected to be brought back for a vote with new amendments, according to Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) office. “Diversify. Diversify. Diversify. We say that but do we mean it?” asked Simitian. He, as well as others on the committee, noted that the goal in 13 years would allow utilities to plan and finance alternative energy sources. Utilities opposed the legislation. “The committee ought to exercise extreme caution before jumping to 33 percent,” said Tim Schmelzer, Southern California Edison legislative policy manager. Also the committee this week addressed: -SB 332 authored by Senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) imposes energy efficiency standards for computers and televisions. It requires the California Energy Commission to investigate ways of lessening demand for those appliances. “The standards are considerably outdated,” said committee chair Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys). The bill passed 7-4. -SB 428 by Senator Joe Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga), which passed on a unanimous vote. The bill requires investor-owned utilities to expand demand-response programs, specifically those that allow utilities to interrupt a large consumer’s electricity use when supplies are short. While Assemblymember Levine was concerned that the language “micromanages” the California Public Utilities Commission’s demand-response policy, an amendment to sunset the legislation in 2015, won over committee members. The bill passed 11-0. -SB 1012 by Dutton appears to spell the demise of the Electricity Oversight Board by putting its duties under the state Resources Agency. The board was created during electricity deregulation. In the last few years its raison d'être has been to shepherd energy crisis-era settlements on behalf of the state through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Those settlements are almost all completed. It also deletes from state law any authority of the California Power Exchange--also a deregulation-era relic. The bill passed 11-1. -SB 1017, authored by Senate president pro tem Don Perata (D-Oakland), is a compromise between Pacific Gas & Electric and the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The legislation allows the muni to get the 20 MW of power that it generates in two dams on the Mokelumne River wheeled through PG&E’s transmission lines so it can use that power for its own. PG&E opposes the bill, calling it “direct access.” Lawmakers disagreed, however. “I’m just not seeing [direct access], said Levine. “You have a company selling its own power to itself.” The bill passed 11-1 and heads to the Natural Resources Committee.