,i #aah? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #beif ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,april #ac1 #bjbc,mr4 ,h>d] ( ,cali=nia introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit natural gas price g\g+ aft] a disa/]1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,/op ,,pg,e ,price ,g\g+ ,dur+ ,em]g5cies ,act4 #b4 ,prohibition on unconscionable pric+ ( natural gas dur+ a major disa/] decl>ation ,= ! duration ( a major disa/] decl>$ "u section #dja ( ! ,rob]t ,t4 ,/af=d ,disa/] ,relief & ,em]g5cy ,assi/ance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj71 & = #a ye> aft] ! end ( su* major disa/]1 x %all be unlawful = any utility company to *>ge a rate = ! sale ( natural gas1 at :olesale or at retail1 9 any c\nty to :i* ! decl>ation applies t1 z det]m9$ by ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission1 9 collaboration ) ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission-- 7#a7 is unconscionably excessive2 & 7#b7 indicates t ! utility company is tak+ unfair advantage ( ! circum/ances relat$ to ! decl>ation ( a major disa/] to increase prices unreasonably4 #c4 ,en=cem5t by ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission 7a7 ,en=cem5t by ,,ftc ,a violation ( section #b %all be treat$ z a violation ( a rule def9+ an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescrib$ "u section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b774 ,! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission %all en=ce a violation ( section #b 9 ! same mann]1 by ! same means1 & ) ! same jurisdiction z ?\gh all applicable t]ms & provisions ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7 incorporat$ into & made a "p ( ?is ,act4 ,9 en=c+ section #b ( ?is ,act1 ! ,commission %all give priority to en=cem5t actions conc]n+ utility companies ) total ,unit$ ,/ates :olesale or retail sales ( natural gas 9 excess ( #b1jjj1jjj1jjj p] ye>4 7b7 ,civil p5alties 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ ! p5alties set =? "u ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act1 any utility company t kn[+ly violates section #b %all be subject to-- 7,a7 a civil p5alty ( n m ?an #c times ! am\nt ( pr(its ga9$ by su* utility company ?r\gh su* violation2 or 7,b7 a civil p5alty ( n m ?an #ajj1jjj1jjj total4 7#b7 ,me?od ,! p5alties "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all be obta9$ 9 ! same mann] z civil p5alties obta9$ "u section #e ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #de74 7#c7 ,multiple (f5ses2 mitigat+ factors ,9 assess+ ! p5alty provid$ by p>agraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 ea* day ( a cont9u+ violation %all be consid]$ a sep>ate violation2 & 7,b7 ! c\rt %all take into consid]ation1 among o!r factors1 ! s]i\sness ( ! violation & ! ef=ts ( ! utility company committ+ ! violation to rem$y ! h>m caus$ by ! violation 9 a timely mann]4 #d4 ,crim9al p5alties 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 addition to any p5alty applicable "u section #c1 any utility company t violates section #b %all be f9$ "u title #ah1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 9 an am\nt n to exce$ #ejj1jjj1jjj4 7b7 ,en=cem5t ,! crim9al p5alty provid$ by subsection 7a7 may be impos$ only pursuant to a crim9al action br\ght by ! ,attorney ,g5]al4 #e4 ,en=cem5t at retail level by ,/ate attorneys g5]al 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,an attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate1 z p>5s patriae1 may br+ a civil action on behalf ( its resid5ts 9 an appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to en=ce ! provisions ( section #b ( ?is ,act1 or to impose ! civil p5alties au?oriz$ by section #c7;b77#a77;,b71 :5ev] ! attorney g5]al ( ! ,/ate has reason to believe t ! int]e/s ( ! resid5ts ( ! ,/ate h be5 or are be+ ?reat5$ or adv]sely affect$ by a violation ( ?is ,act1 involv+ a retail sale4 7b7 ,notice ,! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate %all s]ve writt5 notice to ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ( any civil action "u subsection 7a7 prior to initiat+ su* civil action4 ,! notice %all include a copy ( ! compla9t to be fil$ to initiate su* civil action1 except t if x is n feasible = ! ,/ate to provide su* prior notice1 ! ,/ate %all provide su* notice imm$iately ^u in/itut+ su* civil action4 7c7 ,limitation on ,/ate action :ile ,f$]al action is p5d+ ,if ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission or ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission has initiat$ a civil action or an adm9i/rative action = violation ( ?is ,act1 no ,/ate attorney g5]al1 or (ficial or ag5cy ( a ,/ate1 may br+ an action "u ?is section dur+ ! p5d5cy ( t action aga9/ any def5dant nam$ 9 ! compla9t ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission or ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission = any violation ( ?is ,act alleg$ 9 ! compla9t4 7d7 ,rules ( con/ruction 7#a7 ,civil action ,= purposes ( br++ any civil action "u subsection 7a71 no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to prev5t ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate f ex]cis+ ! p[]s conf]r$ on ! attorney g5]al by ! laws ( su* ,/ate to conduct inve/igations1 adm9i/] oa?s or affirmations1 or compel ! att5dance ( witnesses or ! production ( docum5t>y & o!r evid5ce4 7#b7 ,en=cem5t ( ,/ate law ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to prohibit an au?oriz$ ,/ate (ficial f proce$+ 9 ,/ate c\rt to en=ce a civil or crim9al /atute ( su* ,/ate4 #f4 ,effect on o!r laws 7a7 ,o!r au?ority ( ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to limit or affect 9 any way ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission's au?ority to br+ en=cem5t actions or take any o!r measure "u ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq47 or any o!r provision ( law4 7b7 ,/ate law ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act preempts any ,/ate law4 #g4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,natural gas ,! t]m natural gas has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #b ( ! ,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag;a74 7#b7 ,utility company ,! t]m utility company means a gas utility company or a public-utility company1 z su* t]ms are def9$ 9 section #abfb7g7 ( ! ,public ,utility ,hold+ ,company ,act ( #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #afdea74