(a) The registration shall be deemed approved and a registration number issued no later than 45 days after the required information has been submitted, unless the commission’s executive director finds, upon review of the information submitted by the core transport agent or available to the commission, that there is evidence to support a finding that the core transport agent has committed an act constituting grounds for denial of registration as specifically set forth in the operative provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, subdivision (c).
(b) Upon a finding by the commission’s executive director that there is evidence to support a finding that the core transport agent has committed an act constituting grounds for denial of registration as set forth in this section, the commission shall notify the core transport agent in writing, cause the documents submitted by the core transport agent to be filed as a formal application for registration, and notice an expedited hearing on the registration of the core transport agent to be held within 30 days of the notification to the core transport agent of the executive director’s finding of evidence to support denial of registration. The commission shall, within 45 days after holding the hearing, issue a decision on the registration request which shall be based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law based on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision shall include the findings of fact and the conclusions of law relied upon.
(c) (1) The commission may deny an application for registration in accordance with subdivision (b) on the grounds that the core transport agent or any officer or director of the core transport agent has one or more of the following:
(A) Been convicted of a crime as described in paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) of Section 981.
(B) Failure to make a sufficient showing with respect to paragraphs (1) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 981.
(C) Knowingly made a false statement of fact in the application for registration.
(2) The commission may deny registration pursuant to this subdivision only if the crime or act is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties required to provide gas service to end use customers of gas or the false statement is material to the registration application. For purposes of this subdivision, conviction of a crime shall be established in the same manner as that set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 480 of the Business and Professions Code.
(d) The commission shall require core transport agents registered under this section to update their registration information set forth in paragraphs (1) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 981 within 60 days of any material change in the information provided. Material changes to any other information required pursuant to this article shall be updated annually.
(Added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 604, Sec. 4. (SB 656) Effective January 1, 2014.)