AB 384

Under current law, a municipal utility is generally prohibited from releasing

"customer information," which is defined as any information received from

customers which serves to identify customers individually by usage or account

status, without the customer's consent. The prohibition, however, has several

exceptions. The exceptions are releases of customer information: 1) to certain

persons who perform services or functions for municipal utilities, 2) to certain

transmission and distribution utilities and operators, 3) to the Public Service

Commission (PSC) or persons whom the PSC authorizes by order or rule to receive

the customer information, 4) to an owner of a rental dwelling unit to whom the

municipal utility provides certain past-due notices, and 5) to any other person

otherwise authorized by law to receive the customer information.

This bill creates an additional exception to the prohibition of a municipal utility

releasing customer information. In connection with an issue of municipal securities

and to the extent the municipal utility determines release is necessary to comply

with securities disclosure obligations, the municipal utility may release customer

information to a lender or a purchaser, or potential purchaser, of or investor, or

potential investor, in municipal securities.