California Code
Public Utilities Code - PUC
DIVISION 7 - PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT ACT

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

ARTICLE 1 - Definitions

Section 15501. - 15501. This division may be cited as “The Public Utility...

Section 15502. - 15502. Unless the context otherwise requires, the provisions of this...

Section 15503. - 15503. “District” means a public utility district formed pursuant to...

Section 15504. - 15504. “Board” means the board of directors of a district....

Section 15505. - 15505. “Elector,” “voter,” or “qualified elector,” means a voter whose...

Section 15506. - 15506. “Original and primary proposition” means the proposition to incorporate...

Section 15507. - 15507. “Person” means an individual, a firm or a copartnership....

ARTICLE 2 - General Provisions

Section 15531. - 15531. The great register or supplement thereto, and certificates in...

Section 15532. - 15532. Nothing in this division shall be construed as repealing...

Section 15533. - 15533. Whenever all the territory comprising a district becomes part...

CHAPTER 2 - Formation of Districts

ARTICLE 1 - Petition for Formation

Section 15701. - 15701. A district may be incorporated and managed in unincorporated...

Section 15702. - 15702. Whenever the people of unincorporated territory desire to organize...

Section 15703. - 15703. The petition may consist of any number of separate...

Section 15704. - 15704. Each petition shall name or describe the territory within...

Section 15705. - 15705. The county elections official shall within 30 days examine...

Section 15706. - 15706. If the county elections official, by his or her...

Section 15707. - 15707. If a supplemental petition is filed, all signatures appended...

Section 15708. - 15708. After the election for the incorporation of the proposed...

Section 15709. - 15709. Notwithstanding any provision of law, for purposes of this...

ARTICLE 2 - Hearing

Section 15731. - 15731. By resolution each board of supervisors to which a...

Section 15732. - 15732. Within 10 days after a petition is presented to...

Section 15733. - 15733. The hearing may be adjourned from time to time...

Section 15734. - 15734. If the signatures attached to the petition are sufficient,...

Section 15735. - 15735. The publication of notice shall be pursuant to Section...

Section 15736. - 15736. At the hearing or at any time prior thereto,...

Section 15737. - 15737. Any person owning land adjoining any land described in...

Section 15738. - 15738. At the hearing the board shall determine whether or...

ARTICLE 3 - Election

Section 15761. - 15761. The special election shall be called by ordinance by...

Section 15762. - 15762. The ordinance calling the election shall be published in...

Section 15762.1. - 15762.1. Within five days after the district formation election has...

Section 15762.2. - 15762.2. The board of supervisors or any member or members...

Section 15762.3. - 15762.3. If more than one argument for or more than...

Section 15762.4. - 15762.4. The officials in charge of conducting the election shall...

Section 15763. - 15763. The election shall be held and conducted, the returns...

Section 15764. - 15764. The proposition submitted at the election shall be stated...

Section 15765. - 15765. Within five days after the result of the election...

ARTICLE 4 - Establishment of the District

Section 15791. - 15791. The board of supervisors receiving the certificates delivered pursuant...

Section 15792. - 15792. If it appears from the certificates that a majority...

Section 15793. - 15793. When the board of supervisors has completed its examination...

Section 15794. - 15794. The board of supervisors shall immediately deposit one roll...

Section 15795. - 15795. Upon the receipt of the duplicate roll the Secretary...

Section 15796. - 15796. No charge shall be made by either the Secretary...

Section 15797. - 15797. From and after the date the duplicate roll is...

Section 15798. - 15798. The board may change the name of the district...

ARTICLE 5 - Contest of Incorporation

Section 15821. - 15821. No informality in any proceeding or in the conduct...

Section 15822. - 15822. Any such contest shall be brought in the superior...

ARTICLE 6 - Verification Deputies

Section 15841. - 15841. Verification deputies shall be qualified electors residing within the...

Section 15842. - 15842. Verification deputies required to verify signatures to petitions for...

Section 15843. - 15843. Appointments of verification deputies shall be made upon written...

Section 15844. - 15844. Verification deputies need not use a seal, and shall...

Section 15845. - 15845. Verification deputies shall not be paid, in whole or...

Section 15846. - 15846. Before appointment a verification deputy shall make and file...

CHAPTER 3 - Internal Organization of Districts

ARTICLE 1 - Election of Directors

Section 15951. - 15951. At an election held in the district on the...

Section 15952. - 15952. A director at large shall be a resident and...

Section 15953. - 15953. All unincorporated territories situated in the same county and...

Section 15954. - 15954. Candidates for the office of director to be elected...

Section 15955. - 15955. Each directorship is a separate office for the purpose...

Section 15956. - 15956. (a) Candidates for directors at large shall be designated...

Section 15957. - 15957. Candidates for director from the several territorial units entitled...

Section 15958. - 15958. If only one unit of unincorporated territory is contained...

Section 15959. - 15959. If two or more units of unincorporated territory are...

Section 15960. - 15960. The board of supervisors shall number, name, and designate...

Section 15961. - 15961. Designations of directors by name or number have no...

Section 15961.5. - 15961.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the division, the...

Section 15961.6. - 15961.6. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, the...

Section 15962. - 15962. The population of each unit of unincorporated territory within...

Section 15963. - 15963. The board of directors shall determine the boundaries of...

Section 15965. - 15965. The election of directors shall be held in the...

Section 15966. - 15966. (a) Not less than 30 days prior to the...

Section 15967. - 15967. A certificate of election shall be issued by the...

Section 15968. - 15968. Immediately after receiving his or her certificate of election...

Section 15969. - 15969. All official oaths shall be in the form provided...

Section 15970. - 15970. If a person elected fails to qualify, the office...

Section 15971. - 15971. Elections of directors after election of the first board...

Section 15972. - 15972. The board of directors of a district which lies...

Section 15973. - 15973. Within 30 days after an increase in the number...

Section 15973.1. - 15973.1. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 15951, 15972, and 15973, the local...

Section 15974. - 15974. Notwithstanding Section 15952 or any other provision of this...

Section 15975. - 15975. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, candidates...

Section 15976. - 15976. Notwithstanding any provision of law, the Board of Directors...

ARTICLE 2 - Terms and Compensation of Directors

Section 16001. - 16001. On the first Tuesday after their election and qualification,...

Section 16002. - 16002. (a) Each member of the board may receive the...

Section 16003. - 16003. A vacancy in the office of director shall be...

ARTICLE 3 - Powers and Duties of Directors

Section 16031. - 16031. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the powers...

Section 16032. - 16032. The board of directors shall choose one of its...

Section 16033. - 16033. The president shall sign all contracts on behalf of...

Section 16034. - 16034. The board may from time to time contract for...

Section 16035. - 16035. At the first meeting of the board, after the...

Section 16036. - 16036. In lieu of appointing a treasurer, the board may...

Section 16037. - 16037. The board may consolidate two or more offices in...

Section 16038. - 16038. The board may provide for an assistant to any...

Section 16039. - 16039. At the first meeting after the end of each...

Section 16040. - 16040. The financial statement shall show particularly the receipts and...

Section 16041. - 16041. Publication of the financial statement shall be made pursuant...

Section 16042. - 16042. A neglect or refusal of the board to comply...

Section 16043. - 16043. No director or other officer of the district shall...

Section 16044. - 16044. A district may destroy a record pursuant to Chapter...

ARTICLE 4 - Meetings and Legislation

Section 16071. - 16071. The board shall establish rules for its proceedings and...

Section 16072. - 16072. The board shall act only by ordinance, resolution, or...

Section 16073. - 16073. The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be: “Be...

Section 16074. - 16074. All resolutions and ordinances shall be signed by the...

Section 16075. - 16075. No ordinance passed by the board takes effect less...

Section 16076. - 16076. An order entered in the minutes of the board...

Section 16077. - 16077. All tax levies for a purpose other than interest...

Section 16078. - 16078. During the 30 days following passage of an ordinance...

Section 16079. - 16079. Immediately upon receipt of a petition submitted pursuant to...

Section 16080. - 16080. Within 10 days after the filing of a supplemental...

Section 16081. - 16081. An ordinance is suspended from going into operation until...

Section 16082. - 16082. If a petition, or petition as amended, is certified...

Section 16083. - 16083. If the board does not entirely repeal the ordinance...

Section 16084. - 16084. Unless otherwise provided in this division, petitions made pursuant...

ARTICLE 5 - Other Officers

Section 16111. - 16111. The officers of the district, other than the board...

Section 16112. - 16112. The officers, other than the board of directors, shall...

Section 16113. - 16113. When the district acquires, constructs, owns, or operates two...

Section 16114. - 16114. Subject to such restrictions as the board may impose,...

Section 16115. - 16115. The clerk shall countersign all contracts on behalf of...

Section 16116. - 16116. The accountant shall install and maintain a system of...

ARTICLE 6 - District Elections

Section 16151. - 16151. The biennial election for the election of directors shall...

Section 16152. - 16152. Except as otherwise provided in this division, districts governed...

Section 16153. - 16153. No person may vote at any district election unless...

Section 16160. - 16160. If land is annexed to a district, the board...

Section 16162. - 16162. Whenever a special election is called pursuant to Articles...

Section 16163. - 16163. At the special election all propositions formulated pursuant to...

Section 16164. - 16164. The ordinance calling the election shall set forth the...

Section 16165. - 16165. The election shall be held as provided for holding...

ARTICLE 7 - Employees

Section 16191. - 16191. The maximum time of labor or service required of...

Section 16192. - 16192. The board shall fix the hours of labor or...

Section 16193. - 16193. The board shall classify all places of employment under...

Section 16194. - 16194. The board shall make rules to effect a civil...

Section 16195. - 16195. Examinations shall be practical, and shall relate to those...

Section 16196. - 16196. The manager, engineer, clerk, accountant, and treasurer shall not...

CHAPTER 4 - Powers and Functions of Districts

ARTICLE 1 - Corporate Powers

Section 16401. - 16401. A district has perpetual succession. (Added by Stats. 1953,...

Section 16402. - 16402. Except as otherwise provided, a district may sue and...

Section 16402.5. - 16402.5. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), any judicial...

Section 16403. - 16403. A district may adopt a seal and alter it...

Section 16404. - 16404. A district may exercise the right of eminent domain...

Section 16407. - 16407. A district has the same powers with reference to...

Section 16408. - 16408. Improvement districts also may be formed of land proposed...

Section 16409. - 16409. For the purpose of obtaining and supplying water for...

ARTICLE 2 - Property

Section 16431. - 16431. A district may take by grant, purchase, gift, devise,...

Section 16432. - 16432. The legal title to all property acquired under this...

ARTICLE 3 - Utility Works and Services

Section 16461. - 16461. A district may acquire, construct, own, operate, control, or...

Section 16461.5. - 16461.5. (a) The Shasta Dam Area Public Utility District may...

Section 16461.10. - 16461.10. A district that provides broadband Internet access services shall...

Section 16462. - 16462. A district may also purchase any of such commodities...

Section 16463. - 16463. A district may acquire, construct, own, complete, use, and...

Section 16463.5. - 16463.5. (a) A district may exercise any of the powers,...

Section 16464. - 16464. A district may construct works across or along any...

Section 16465. - 16465. A district may construct its works across any stream...

Section 16466. - 16466. A district using a street or highway shall restore...

Section 16467. - 16467. Only revenue producing utilities shall be acquired, owned, or...

Section 16467.1. - 16467.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16467 of this code,...

Section 16468. - 16468. Charges fixed by the board for commodities or services...

Section 16469. - 16469. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), charges unpaid...

Section 16470. - 16470. Charges added to an assessment are a lien on...

Section 16471. - 16471. If the assessment is divided and made payable in...

Section 16472. - 16472. When the board declares that charges are to be...

Section 16472.1. - 16472.1. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 16469 to 16472, inclusive, and as...

Section 16472.5. - 16472.5. (a) In order to enforce the provisions of any...

Section 16473. - 16473. Whenever there is a surplus of available water, light,...

Section 16474. - 16474. Whenever any of the facilities, works, or utilities of...

Section 16475. - 16475. (a) A public utility district which acquires, constructs, owns,...

Section 16476.1. - 16476.1. (a) The Tahoe City Public Utility District may acquire,...

Section 16477. - 16477. Notwithstanding Section 16475, the Board of Directors of the...

Section 16478. - 16478. The Board of Directors of the Tahoe City Public...

Section 16479. - 16479. If the Board of Directors of the Tahoe City...

Section 16480. - 16480. (a) Every district furnishing light, heat, or power shall...

Section 16480.5. - 16480.5. Whenever a business transaction of a public utility district...

Section 16481. - 16481. (a) This section applies if there is a landlord-tenant...

Section 16481.1. - 16481.1. (a) If a district furnishes residential light, heat, water,...

Section 16481.6. - 16481.6. The decision of a district to require a new...

Section 16482. - 16482. (a) No district furnishing its inhabitants with light, water,...

Section 16482.1. - 16482.1. (a) A district furnishing light, heat, water, or power,...

Section 16483. - 16483. No electrical, gas, heat, or water public utility district...

Section 16485. - 16485. (a) A public utility district which acquires, constructs, owns,...

Section 16486. - 16486. (a) In addition to all other powers, excepting telephone...

Section 16487. - 16487. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Kirkwood Meadows...

Section 16488. - 16488. Every district shall comply with Section 8029.5. (Added by...

Section 16489. - 16489. The June Lake Public Utility District may exercise all...

ARTICLE 5 - Purchase of Supplies and Advertising

Section 16531. - 16531. Except as otherwise provided, the board shall determine annually...

ARTICLE 6 - Indebtedness and Financing

Section 16571. - 16571. A district may borrow money and incur or assume...

Section 16572. - 16572. A district may refund or retire any of its...

Section 16573. - 16573. No district shall incur any funded indebtedness which in...

Section 16574. - 16574. The board of directors or other officers of the...

Section 16575. - 16575. A district may issue bonds for the purpose of...

Section 16576. - 16576. Notwithstanding any provision of this division limiting the amount...

Section 16577. - 16577. A district may refinance any indebtedness incurred pursuant to...

Section 16578. - 16578. A district may accept, without limitation by any other...

Section 16580. - 16580. A district may contract with any state agency to...

ARTICLE 7 - Receipts, Accounts, and Audits

Section 16601. - 16601. Receipts from the operation of a public utility shall...

Section 16602. - 16602. The board may from time to time make appropriations...

Section 16603. - 16603. Whenever a reserve fund exceeds one-half of the payment...

Section 16604. - 16604. The books of account of the district shall show...

Section 16605. - 16605. The accounts of the district shall be examined at...

Section 16606. - 16606. Every two years the board may, and upon petition...

Section 16607. - 16607. The expense of employing an expert shall not exceed...

Section 16608. - 16608. Experts shall be selected by the Public Utilities Commission,...

Section 16609. - 16609. Whenever an expert is to be employed pursuant to...

Section 16610. - 16610. Within 10 days after receipt of a certification the...

Section 16611. - 16611. In his report the expert shall make such recommendations...

Section 16612. - 16612. In his report the expert shall make such recommendations...

Section 16613. - 16613. The expert shall enter upon his duties at least...

Section 16614. - 16614. The expert’s report shall be made in duplicate to...

ARTICLE 8 - Taxation

Section 16641. - 16641. A district may levy and collect, or cause to...

Section 16641.5. - 16641.5. A district may impose a special tax pursuant to...

Section 16642. - 16642. Farm products and crops which are stored within the...

Section 16643. - 16643. The board shall annually levy and collect a tax...

Section 16644. - 16644. If from any cause the revenues of a district...

Section 16645. - 16645. The board shall state the purposes for which taxes...

Section 16646. - 16646. By ordinance, the provisions of which conform to general...

Section 16647. - 16647. The board may provide for the collection of delinquent...

Section 16648. - 16648. The board may elect to avail itself of the...

Section 16649. - 16649. An election pursuant to Section 16648 is effective with...

Section 16650. - 16650. Upon receipt of the certified copy filed pursuant to...

Section 16651. - 16651. If the board elects to avail itself of county...

Section 16652. - 16652. Immediately after fixing the rate of taxes the board...

Section 16653. - 16653. The county auditors shall compute and enter in the...

Section 16654. - 16654. Taxes levied pursuant to Sections 16648 to 16653, inclusive,...

Section 16655. - 16655. Each county auditor and tax collector shall annually file...

Section 16656. - 16656. The boards of supervisors may provide extra help for...

Section 16657. - 16657. Whenever any real property situate in any district which...

Section 16658. - 16658. District taxes are a lien on the property on...

Section 16659. - 16659. Where a district has not availed itself of county...

Section 16660. - 16660. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary,...

ARTICLE 9 - Payment of Claims Against Districts

Section 16681. - 16681. No claims shall be paid until allowed by the...

Section 16682. - 16682. All claims for money or damages against the district...

CHAPTER 5 - Acquisition of Works

ARTICLE 1 - Petition to Acquire Works

Section 16801. - 16801. As used in this chapter “acquisition of public utility...

Section 16802. - 16802. Whenever any petition signed by electors of the district...

Section 16803. - 16803. Upon receiving a petition certified to contain the required...

Section 16804. - 16804. In the formulation of a proposition the board shall...

Section 16805. - 16805. In securing estimates of the cost of original construction...

Section 16806. - 16806. Before submitting propositions to the electors for the acquisition...

Section 16807. - 16807. The board may apply to the Public Utilities Commission...

Section 16808. - 16808. Upon application by the board the commission without delay...

Section 16809. - 16809. When the commission has made and filed its findings...

Section 16810. - 16810. Upon the filing of plans and estimates the board...

Section 16811. - 16811. When the cost of any public utility works named...

Section 16812. - 16812. If the cost of any public utility works named...

Section 16813. - 16813. At the next regular meeting after formulation of a...

Section 16814. - 16814. All propositions formulated pursuant to Section 16803 shall be...

Section 16815. - 16815. The affirmative vote of a majority of the electors...

Section 16816. - 16816. The affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the...

Section 16817. - 16817. At as early a date after determination of the...

ARTICLE 2 - Resolution to Acquire Works

Section 16841. - 16841. Whenever the board determines that the public interest or...

Section 16842. - 16842. The board shall procure plans and estimates and negotiate...

Section 16843. - 16843. When the cost of the public utility works can...

Section 16844. - 16844. The ordinance shall be published pursuant to Section 6066...

Section 16845. - 16845. If the cost of the public utility works so...

Section 16846. - 16846. Propositions submitted pursuant to Section 16845 shall specify the...

ARTICLE 3 - Joint Acquisition and Use of Sewage Facilities and Water Works

Section 16871. - 16871. As used in this article, “public agency” includes the...

Section 16872. - 16872. As used in this article, “sewage disposal facilities” includes...

Section 16873. - 16873. A district may contract with any public agency or...

Section 16874. - 16874. A contract may provide for the construction and maintenance...

Section 16875. - 16875. A contract may provide for the joint use of...

Section 16876. - 16876. A district which has acquired or constructed or which...

Section 16878. - 16878. Sections 16873 to 16876, inclusive, shall be liberally construed...

Section 16879. - 16879. Any contract or agreement made under Sections 16873 to...

Section 16880. - 16880. A district may contract with any public agency or...

Section 16881. - 16881. A contract may provide for the construction and maintenance...

Section 16882. - 16882. A contract may provide for the joint use of...

Section 16883. - 16883. A district which has acquired or constructed or which...

Section 16884. - 16884. No agreement under Sections 16880 to 16883, inclusive, shall...

Section 16885. - 16885. Sections 16880 to 16884, inclusive, shall be liberally construed...

CHAPTER 6 - Bonds

Section 17001. - 17001. District bonds shall be of such form and shall...

Section 17002. - 17002. The bonds are payable, principal and interest, in lawful...

Section 17003. - 17003. The interest on the bonds, other than bonds for...

Section 17004. - 17004. The bonds shall be issued in such denomination or...

Section 17005. - 17005. District bonds have the same force, value, and use...

Section 17006. - 17006. The proceeds from the sale of bonds shall be...

Section 17007. - 17007. The bonds shall be signed by the president of...

Section 17008. - 17008. Notwithstanding the fact that an officer whose signature, countersignature,...

Section 17009. - 17009. In determining the amount of bonds to be issued,...

CHAPTER 6.5 - Adoption of Improvement Acts

Section 17010. - 17010. Whenever, in the opinion of the board, the public...

Section 17011. - 17011. In the application of said acts to proceedings under...

Section 17012. - 17012. The powers and duties conferred by said acts and...

Section 17013. - 17013. The improvements authorized to be constructed or acquired by...

CHAPTER 7 - Validating Proceedings

Section 17101. - 17101. An action to determine the validity of bonds or...

CHAPTER 8 - Annexation

ARTICLE 1 - Annexation of Unincorporated Territory

Section 17301. - 17301. Unincorporated territory contiguous or noncontiguous to a district may...

Section 17302. - 17302. Any district in the Lake Tahoe Basin which is...

ARTICLE 2 - Annexation of Noncontiguous Territory

Section 17360. - 17360. As used in this article, “petitioning district” means any...

Section 17361. - 17361. As used in this article, “annexing district” means any...

Section 17362. - 17362. Land not a part of and not contiguous to...

Section 17363. - 17363. The board of directors or other governing body of...

Section 17364. - 17364. The petition shall be addressed to the board of...

Section 17365. - 17365. The execution and filing of the petition by the...

Section 17366. - 17366. If the board of directors of the annexing district...

Section 17367. - 17367. In the terms and conditions, the board may provide...

Section 17368. - 17368. The terms and conditions may also provide for any...

Section 17369. - 17369. The terms and conditions shall become effective and binding...

Section 17370. - 17370. The resolution of the board of directors of the...

Section 17370.1. - 17370.1. After the board of directors of the annexing district...

Section 17370.2. - 17370.2. After said resolution has been filed with the executive...

Section 17371. - 17371. After receipt of the resolution of the local agency...

Section 17372. - 17372. The time fixed for hearing shall not be less...

Section 17373. - 17373. At the hearing or any continuance thereof, the board...

Section 17374. - 17374. At the hearing or any prior time, any person...

Section 17375. - 17375. If written protests are filed by the owners of...

Section 17376. - 17376. If the board of supervisors finds and determines at...

Section 17377. - 17377. Any person who is interested in any land located...

Section 17378. - 17378. After the hearing, the board of directors of the...

Section 17379. - 17379. The annexing board shall by resolution describe the territory...

Section 17380. - 17380. After adoption of the resolution ordering the annexation, the...

Section 17381. - 17381. The inclusion in, or annexation or addition to, a...

CHAPTER 9 - Exclusion of Territory

Section 17501. - 17501. Any territory within a district which is not benefited...

CHAPTER 11 - Zones in Districts in Lake Tahoe Basin

Section 18050. - 18050. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any public utility...

Section 18051. - 18051. (a) The zones authorized by this chapter shall be...

Section 18052. - 18052. Bonds of a zone formed pursuant to this chapter...

Section 18054. - 18054. The board shall annually, at the time of levying...

Section 18055. - 18055. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that special facts...