(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for the transformation of the Independent System Operator into a regional organization to promote the development of regional electricity transmission markets in the western states and to improve the access of consumers served by the Independent System Operator to those markets, and that the transformation should only occur where it is in the best interests of California and its ratepayers.

(b) The transformation of the Independent System Operator into a regional organization shall not alter its obligations to the state or to electricity consumers within the state or its obligations to comply with state laws. The Independent System Operator shall retain its obligations set forth in Section 345.5, shall maintain the standards for open meetings and public access to corporate records as set forth in Section 345.5, and shall facilitate effective tracking and reporting mechanisms in support of state enforcement of Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code.

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(c) The voluntary transformation described in subdivision (a) shall occur through additional transmission owners joining the Independent System Operator with approval from their own state or local regulatory authorities, as applicable.

(d) Modifications to the Independent System Operator governance structure, through changes to its bylaws or other corporate governance documents, would be needed to allow this transformation.

(e) The Independent System Operator shall prepare the governance modifications needed as described in subdivision (d), but they shall not become effective until all of the following occur:

(1) The Independent System Operator conducts one or more studies of the impacts of a regional market enabled by the proposed governance modifications, including overall benefits to ratepayers, including the creation or retention of jobs and other benefits to the California economy, environmental impacts in California and elsewhere, impacts in disadvantaged communities, emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, and reliability and integration of renewable energy resources. The modeling, including all assumptions underlying the modeling, shall be made available for public review.

(2) The commission, Energy Commission, and State Air Resources Board jointly hold at least one public workshop where the Independent System Operator presents the proposed governance modifications and the results of the studies described in paragraph (1). The related Independent System Operator documents shall be made public before the workshop.

(3) The Independent System Operator submits to the Governor the studies described in paragraph (1) and revised bylaws or other corporate governance documents setting forth the proposed modifications to its governance structure.

(4) The Governor transmits to the Legislature the studies described in paragraph (1) and revised bylaws or other corporate governance documents setting forth the proposed modifications to its governance structure, no later than December 31, 2017.

(5) The Legislature enacts a statute implementing the revised governance changes.

(f) The Independent System Operator shall expeditiously adopt the modifications to its governance structure enacted by the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (e) so that the modifications become effective before new transmission owners from outside California complete the process of joining the Independent System Operator.

(g) The revised governance structure shall not alter or abridge the contractual rights of a transmission owner to withdraw from participation in the Independent System Operator.

(h) One year after the seating of the new, revised governing board of the Independent System Operator pursuant to the modifications of its governance structure, and every two years thereafter, the Independent System Operator shall prepare a report to the states within the areas it serves documenting its furtherance of applicable state and federal laws and regulations affecting the electric industry.

(i) This article is repealed on January 1, 2019, if a statute implementing the governance modifications has not become effective on or before January 1, 2019.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 547, Sec. 13. (SB 350) Effective January 1, 2016. Repealed conditionally on January 1, 2019, by its own provisions. Note: If this section is terminated, Section 359 resumes operation.)