SB 927 passes out of Assembly committees

Senate Bill 927, which would allow the Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) to change its method of electing directors from at-large seats to by territorial unit, was referred to both the State Assembly's Committee on Local Government and the Assembly's Committee on Elections and Redistricting after passing out of the State Senate. The bill passed the Local Government committee on a 9-0 vote June 15 and the Elections and Redistricting committee on a 7-0 vote June 29.

"We continue to be pleased with the full support in the Assembly on this bill," said FPUD general manager Brian Brady.

Section 15972 of the California Public Utilities Code stipulates that if the entirety of a public utility district is in the same county the board shall have five directors elected at large.

A previous exemption gave public utility districts within Placer County the option of electing its directors at large or by wards. State Senator Joel Anderson has introduced Senate Bill 927, which would allow public utility districts within San Diego County to elect its board members at large or by subdistrict. FPUD is the only public utility district in San Diego County.

SB 927 passed out of the State Senate's Governance and Finance Committee and the Senate's Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee without any opposing votes. The bill was approved by the State Senate on a 38-0 vote April 25.

Brady expects the full State Assembly to consider the bill in early August. If it is approved without any changes it will be sent to Governor Brown for his signature. Because SB 927 has been introduced as urgency legislation the elections change would take effect immediately rather than on January 1 of the following year so FPUD could begin elections by division with the three seats up for election in November 2016.