RIGHT WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
CALL THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
TOGETHER HERE ON MARCH 6 2024
WELCOME TO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE
HERE IN ROOM 2200 TO THOSE WHO
ARE WATCHING ONLINE. WE ARE
GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE
PARTICIPATING HERE TODAY. WE'RE
GOING TO BEGIN TODAY'S AGENDA
WITH SOME ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO, WE'D LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. MAGUIRE MAGUIRE GROVE
GROVE HERE, MON MON HERE. JONES
JONES HERE, LAIRD LAIRD HERE.
QUORUM THANK YOU. SO MUCH. MADAM
SECRETARY. QUORUM HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED TO THE
REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE
UNDER GOVERNOR APPOINTEES. WE
ARE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE, UH, ON TIME AND
PREPARED IF IT'S OK WITH THE
THREE OF YOU TO THIS COMMITTEE.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
DO IS TAKE UP SOME
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS. FIRST, IT
WILL BE RATHER QUICK, EFFICIENT.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
ADVANCE WITH OUR APPOINTMENT
PRESENTATIONS. SO LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, THE COMMITTEE WE
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
UP. ITEMS GOVERNOR APPOINTEES
NOT REQUIRED TO APPEAR WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE UP
SEPARATE VOTES IF IT WORKS FOR
THE COMMITTEE. WE WOULD LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO FIRST TAKE UP ITEM
Dð. THEN. BE INDEPENDENT. THEN
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
UP ITEMS TO E THROUGH HÌ. WE
WOULD THEN LIKE TO TAKE A
SEPARATE VOTE ON ITEM. I ALL
RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A
MOTION ON THE FLOOR. UM SO IS
THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON EACH OF
ANY OF THESE ITEMS AND WE WILL
TAKE ITEM Dð AT FIRST? ANY
CONVERSATION ON ITEM Dð. NÓ
UNDER GOVERNOR APPOINTEES NOT
REQUIRED TO APPEAR UNDER MS
BEAZLEY FOR THE HOUSING
PARTNERSHIP CORPORATION BOARD OF
DIRECTORS. MADAM SECRETARY, CAN
YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON ITEM
TWO Dð MAGUIRE I GROVE GROWTH.
I'M AN I YES, GROVE. I MON MON,
I, JONES JONES, I LAIRD LAIRD, I
5 TO 0. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THAT IS A 50 VOTE ON THOSE
APPOINTEES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
COMMITTEE, WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO
TAKE UP ITEMS TO E THROUGH HÌ.
EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE
FOR MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION OF
THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS
ITEM? WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE
VICE CHAIR. ANY ADDITIONAL
DISCUSSION HEARING? SEE NONE.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL AND ITEMS TWO E
THROUGH HØI? I GROVE GROVE, NOT
VOTING EG EG I JONES JONES NOT
VOTING. LAIRD LAIRD. I 3 TO 0.
THAT IS A THREE TO ZERO VOTE
THAT MOTION PASSES MEMBERS OF
COMMITTEE. WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO TAKE UP OUR FINAL
ITEM UNDER THOSE WHO ARE NOT
REQUIRED TO HERE. THIS IS ITEM
TWO I MR WILLIAMS, MEMBER OF THE
STATE PARK AND RECREATION
COMMISSION. IS THERE A MOTION ON
THE FLOOR? SOMEONE WE HAVE A
MOTION BY SENATOR EKMAN. ANY
DISCUSSION? HERE IN SEEING NONE.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL? MAGUIRE. I GROVE.
NÓ MON MON, I JONES JONES, NÓ
LAIRD LAIRD, A THREE TO TWO THAT
IS A THREE TWO VOTE THAT MOTION
ON ITEM TWO. I IS APPROVED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MEMBERS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN COMMITTEE
WE NOW LIKE TO TAKE UP ITEM
THREE, WHICH IS REFERENCE OF
BILLS TO COMMITTEE. IS THERE A
MOTION TO APPROVE AND VICE CHAIR
ADVANCES? A MOTION ANY
DISCUSSION BY COMMITTEE? SEE
NONE. MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAGUIRE?
AYE MCGUIRE I GROVE GROVE EYE.
MON MON, I, JONES JONES, I LAIRD
LAD. I 5 TO 0 THAT IS A 5 TO 0
VOTE UNDER BILL REFERRALS,
LADIES AND GENT. WE'RE NOW GOING
TO BE MOVING ON TO FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. THIS IS OUR
FINAL ITEM BEFORE WE RETURN TO
GOVERNOR APPOINTEES ITEMS FOUR
THROUGH EIGHT ITEMS. FOUR
THROUGH EIGHT UNDER FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. IS THERE A
MOTION TO APPROVE? QUICK
QUESTION, PLEASE. UH, WE HAVE A
MOTION BY THE VICE CHAIR. WE DO
HAVE A QUESTION IN MEMBERS IN
MADAM VICE CHAIR. YOU CAN AFFIRM
THIS ITEM IS NODE. WE'LL GO TO A
QUESTION FOR SENATOR JONES. JUST
A QUICK QUOTE. CLARIFICATION ON
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN SENIOR LAIRD'S
REQUEST FOR A GALLERY
INTRODUCTIONS. MY UNDERSTANDING
IS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A LIST
OF NAMES WHEN WE APPROVE THE
MOTION, BUT I ALSO HEARD THAT
YOU MIGHT BE WORKING ON THE
NAMES. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
PLEASE, SENATOR. YES UH, THIS IS
ALL I DO THIS EVERY YEAR, AND
IT'S JUST THE ANNUAL LEADERSHIP
CLASS FOR MORGAN HILL SO I CAN
GET A LIST OF THE NAMES OF THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE CLASS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE
HAVE A MOTION. I JUST WANT TO
CLARIFY THAT NÓ THANK YOU SO
MUCH. SENATOR JONES. WE HAVE A
MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY THE VICE
CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
CALL THE ROLL ON FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ITEMS. FOUR
THROUGH EIGHT. MADAM SECRETARY,
CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
MCGUIRE I, GROVE GROVE. I EG EG
I JONES JONES, I LAIRD LAIRD, I
5 TO 0. IT IS A 50 VOTE. THAT
MOTION IS APPROVED. THANK YOU SO
MUCH MEMBERS. VERY GRATEFUL. WE
ARE UP A GOVERNOR APPOINTEES
REQUIRED TO APPEAR. WE ARE SO
INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL UNDER ITEM
ONE A. AND ONE B THAT WE HAVE DR
MAHMOUD HERE TODAY. IF YOU COULD
PLEASE COME FORWARD ALONG WITH
DR THORPE. THEY ARE COMING
FORWARD AS MEMBERS OF THE
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA TO
EACH OF THE GENTLEMEN WHO ARE
ADVANCING HERE TO THE DÍAS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE 1 TO 2 MINUTES FOR
OPENING TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE. WE THEN OPEN IT UP TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASK ANY
QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE. ANY
COMMENTS IN YOUR OPENING? WE
WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD
INTRODUCE THE GUESTS WHO ARE
WITH YOU HERE TODAY OR THOSE WHO
MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE. WE'RE
GOING TO BE KEEPING TIME OF YOUR
OPENING. AND I AM NOT AT ALL
TRYING TO BE RUDE. I WILL GIVE
YOU A PROMPT WHEN YOU GET CLOSE
TO THAT TIME. WE'RE GONNA FIRST
START WITH DR MAHMOUD. WE ARE
GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE AND I
ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. DOCTOR
THE FLOOR IS YOURS. TWO MINUTES,
SIR. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, UH,
PROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME
A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON
THE BOARD. I DO WANT TO START
WITH THANKING MY WIFE AT HOME
AND MY CHILDREN AT HOME AND I
HAVE MY BROTHER KHALID MAHMOOD
HERE AND MY ALMOST 35 YEAR OLD
FRIEND 35 FOR 35 YEARS, FRIEND
JEFF ALBY. UM UH, THE I AM
REALLY THANKFUL TO THEM TO BE
HERE JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT ME. I
COME FROM A VERY HUMBLING
BACKGROUND FROM RURAL PAKISTAN
SMALL VILLAGE AND, UM, I WAS THE
FIRST KID FROM MY FAMILY AND
FROM MY VILLAGE ACTUALLY
SURROUNDING THAT AREA TO GO TO
MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND I AM SO
HUMBLED AND SO PROUD THAT I WAS
ABLE TO MAKE THE CAREER AND COME
TO CALIFORNIA ALL MY LIFE. I
HAVE HELPED PEOPLE AND THAT IS
WHAT I HAVE DONE ALL MY LIFE
WITHOUT ANY VESTED INTEREST, AND
I WAS REALLY THRILLED. AND FOUR
YEARS AGO, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TAKE MY HEALTH TO A BIGGER
LEVEL TO HELP MY PATIENTS. MY
PATIENTS ARE ABOUT 80% MINORITY.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES
AND I THINK THE LAST FOUR YEARS
THE BOARD HAS GIVEN ME A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY. I THINK A LOT MORE
WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE
SURE THAT CALIFORNIANS ARE SAFE,
SECURE, HEALTHY AND THE BEST
POSSIBLE WAY AND I AM HERE
SEEKING YOUR ENDORSEMENT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE REALLY
GRATEFUL TO YOUR FAMILY. PLEASE
THANK THEM FOR THIS. WONDERFUL
TO HAVE YOUR BROTHER HERE AS
WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE OPENING
THE TESTIMONY UP TO DR THORPE
AGAIN. DR. THORPE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR SERVICE. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE ADVANCE. UH, THANK YOU,
UH, SENATOR PRO TEM. I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND, UH,
AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO
PRESENT MYSELF AS A CANDIDATE
FOR THE MEDICAL BOARD. UM, I
WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR
REAPPOINTING ME FOR THE MEDICAL
BOARD. AND I WANT TO THANK MY
FAMILY AND MY WIFE, VICKY AT
HOME AND MY FOUR SONS, ZACK AND
AARON THORPE, AND SHANE AND
GRIFFIN ROGERS. UM, FOR THEIR
LOVE AND SUPPORT. UM OH, AS
ALWAYS, UM, I AM A RURAL
PHYSICIAN. I PRACTICE IN
PARADISE, CALIFORNIA FOR 40
YEARS AND CURRENTLY, UM, UH,
LIVE IN CHICO, CALIFORNIA AFTER
THE CAMPFIRE. WE WERE RELOCATED
TO CHICO. UM, I, UM I, I I'VE I
DECIDED TO BE A PHYSICIAN WHEN I
WAS 12 YEARS OLD, AND, UM, I WAS
I WAS I I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE
PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS A
PHYSICIAN THROUGH THOSE YEARS.
PATIENT CARE AND PATIENT. UM
SOLVING PATIENT PROBLEMS HAS
BEEN THE CORE OF MY, UM,
PRACTICE FOR 40 YEARS. AND UM, I
AM GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN THAT
ROLE OF PUBLIC PROTECTION. UH
FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AS AN
APPOINTEE OF THE GOVERNOR AND
FOR HOPEFULLY FOR THE NEXT FOUR
YEARS. THANK YOU. THORPE THANK
YOU SO MUCH, VERY GRATEFUL FOR
BOTH OF YOU WHO ARE HERE? LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN, WE WILL OPEN IT
UP FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
AND WE WILL BE TAKING TWO
SEPARATE VOTES ON THIS AT THE
APPROPRIATE TIME. FIRST WE WILL
START WITH DR MAHMOOD AND THEN
GO TO DR THORPE AT THE
APPROPRIATE TIME. BUT BEFORE WE
DO, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH MADAM
VICE CHAIR, MADAM VICE CHAIR.
THE FLOOR RESOURCE. THANK YOU,
MR POEM. THANK YOU BOTH FOR
BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT. I
KNOW IT'S A NOT A TEDIOUS THING,
BUT IT'S AN HONOR TO BE
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND TO
COME UP HERE AND TAKE OUR
QUESTIONS. UH, SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT I WANT TO ASK BOTH
OF YOU ARE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS
HAVE BEEN RAISED FROM
STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING TO THE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT THE MEDICAL
BOARD'S COMPLAINT. UM, TRACKING
SYSTEM. UM CAN YOU UPDATE US ON
THE STATUS OF THE BOARD'S
PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR COMPLAINT?
TRACKING? UM, THESE ARE
COMPLAINTS ALLEGED AGAINST METAL
PROVIDERS. MISTER MAUD MAHMUD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK THIS
IS ONE OF THE CORE AMBITIONS OF
MEDICAL BOARD AND SHOULD BE THAT
OUR PRIME GOAL IS TO HAVE SAFETY
AND SECURITY AND WELL BEING OF
CALIFORNIANS AND NOTHING CAN
IMPROVE UNLESS WE HEAR
COMPLAINTS AND JUST LISTEN TO
COMPLAIN AND NOT FOLLOWING UP ON
THEM AND NOT RESPONDING TO THEM
AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE
AGGRIEVED IF THEY ARE NOT
REASSURED. WHAT IS BEING DONE.
IT IS JUST NOT A REAL PROCESS. I
HAVE BEEN ON MEDICAL BOARD FOR
FOUR YEARS, AND I TALKED TO MANY
STAKEHOLDERS. I TALKED TO
CONSUMERS AND THERE IS A CONCERN
AND BOARD HAS COME UP WITH A
COMPLAINT TRACKING SYSTEM, WHICH
IS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS. NOW
WE HAVE TO TAKE A APPROVAL FROM
TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES. AND THEN
AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO KIND
OF STAFF IS GOING TO ADOPT IN A
PROGRAM AND PROGRAM. AFTER MY
DISCUSSION WITH THE STAFF
PROGRAM IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE
FUNCTIONAL SOMETIME BY END OF
NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOCTOR THORPE, UNLESS YOU HAD
SOMETHING DIFFERENT, UM, A
SECOND QUESTION I HAD ON THAT IS
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S TAKEN SO
LONG TO HAVE THIS TRACKING
SYSTEM? UM, IMPLEMENTED? UH,
JUST TO BE CLEAR. I MEAN, YOU
MEAN WHY IS IT TAKEN UNTIL 2024
TO DEVELOP A COMPLAINT TRACKING
SYSTEM OR OR WHY IS IT TAKING SO
LONG FOR THE COMPLAINT TRACKING
SYSTEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED THAT
WAS AUTHORIZED IN DECEMBER OF
2020 THREE, SO 2024 THAT SO THE
FIRST COMMENT THAT YOU MADE
THERE'S A THERE'S A LOT OF
COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR
THE YEARS AND NOW WE HAVE AN
OVER A LARGE NUMBER OF
COMPLAINTS AND THE RESPONSE TIME
HAS BEEN BASED ON THE
INFORMATION THAT I HAVE BY
STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHERS THAT
IT'S THAT IT'S A VERY LONG
DELAYED RESPONSE TIME. CORRECT,
SO I THINK THERE'S TO TWO ISSUES
HERE. ONE OF THEM IS THE LENGTH
OF THE TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR A
COMPLAINT TO GO THROUGH THE
SYSTEM. THE OTHER IS THE ACTUAL
ABILITY OF THE, UM COMPLAINANT
TO TRACK THEIR COMPLAINT THROUGH
THE SYSTEM. AND THERE ARE THEY
ARE INTERRELATED, BUT THEY I
THINK THEY'RE THEY'RE TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS. UM IT WAS JUST
THE BOARD ACTUALLY APPROVED THE
COMPLAINT TRACKING SYSTEM IN
DECEMBER OF 2023 AS THE RESULT
OF PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS
THAT WERE HELD IN 2022 2020
THREE TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD AND
THE BOARD WAS UH, UNANIMOUSLY
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT ABOUT
THAT PROCESS. UM IT'S IN THE
PROCESS NOW, AND IT'S, UH AS DR
MAHMOUD MENTIONED, IT'S GOING TO
TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO
GET IT ACTUALLY UP AND RUNNING
BECAUSE IT HAS VARIOUS
AUTHORITIES TO GET AUTHORIZED
THROUGH, BUT IT SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE AND READY FOR PRIME
TIME. MID TO LATE NEXT YEAR.
GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THE LAST
QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU, DOCTOR
THORPE WAS, UM I UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU TOOK PART IN THE TASK FORCE
TO REVISE THE BOARD'S GUIDELINES
AND PRESCRIBING CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES. AND I GUESS IN YOUR
OPINION, UM UM HOW DO THESE 2020
THREE GUIDELINES THAT YOU
PARTICIPATED IN? BRING BALANCE
FROM, YOU KNOW, OVERPRESCRIBING
OPIOIDS, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF
AND YOU KNOW WORKERS,
COMPENSATION SITUATIONS AND
THINGS LIKE OVERPRESCRIBING
OPIOID OPIOIDS, UM, WITH THE
NEEDS THE PATIENT NEED FOR PAIN
REDUCTION. PREVIOUSLY THE, UM
THE GUIDELINES THAT HAD BEEN, UH
AVAILABLE THE 2014 GUIDELINES
FROM THE MEDICAL BOARD AND ALSO,
UM THE GUIDELINES FROM THE F Dð.
A UM AS WELL WERE ALTHOUGH THEY
WERE GUIDELINES THAT WERE USED
AS RESTRICTIVE. UM UM AND
PRESCRIPTIVE WAYS OF
PRESCRIBING. THE TASK FORCE TOOK
ON THE WORK OF TRYING TO LOOK AT
THIS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF
PATIENTS WHO ACTUALLY DO NEED
OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS IN THE
CHRONIC PAIN. POPULATION AND TO
TRY TO GIVE IT TRY TO GIVE THE
AUTHORITY MORE BACK TO THE TO
THE TO THE PHYSICIAN AND THE
RELATIONSHIP OF THE PHYSICIAN
AND THE PATIENT. UM, THE, UM THE
LANGUAGE IS MUCH MORE. UH, UH,
HOW SHOULD I SAY IT? IT'S NOT AS
PRESCRIPTIVE. UH AND IT'S MUCH
MORE IN THE IN THE IN THE IN THE
IDEA OF TRYING TO ENCOURAGE
WELL, NOT ENCOURAGE PRESCRIBING,
BUT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK
AT THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE
MEDICATION, CAREFULLY LAYING OUT
ALL OF THE PARAMETERS THAT NEED
TO BE FULFILLED FOR THEM TO DO
SO AND THEN TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESCRIBE WITHOUT
HAVING WITHOUT FEARING THE BOARD
. UM DISCIPLINING THEM, UM
INAPPROPRIATELY, NOT
INAPPROPRIATELY. BUT YOU KNOW,
BUT BEING ABLE TO PRESCRIBE
WITHOUT THE FEAR OF THE BOARD
DISCIPLINE, OK, THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, DOCTOR THORPE. DR MOOD. DID
YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT?
YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, THE
MAJOR COMPONENT ON THIS WAS
SAFETY SAFETY WAS NOT CONSIDERED
AS A PRIME THING BEFORE, AND WE
THE NEW GUIDELINES GO A LOT ON
SAFETY SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER
SAFETY OF THE PATIENTS TO KEEP
IN TRACK ON THAT. SO SAFETY WAS
THE MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS
ONE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR. THANK
YOU, MISTER PRO TIM. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, MADAM VICE CHAIR,
PLEASE, SIR AMAN UM THANK YOU
GENTLEMEN FOR BEING HERE TODAY
AND THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH
ME EARLIER. I THINK, UH, FOR
BOTH OF YOU, DOCTOR THORPE AND
DR MODE, UM AND YOU MENTIONED
THIS RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST GOING
BACK TO THE ISSUE OF OPIOIDS.
OPIOIDS, UH, BECAUSE WE TALKED
ABOUT RIGHT WHEN YOU FIRST
STARTED PRACTICE VERY RARE, DID
YOU SUBSCRIBE OR PRESCRIBE
SOMETHING AND THEN NOW THE
NUMBER HAS DRASTICALLY. SO WHAT
DO WE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO DO? WE
ATTRIBUTE IT TO. I MEAN THE
ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICINE AND
PEOPLE JUST LIVING LONGER WITH
MORE PAIN OR WHAT? WHAT DO WE
ATTRIBUTE THAT? WELL IN ALL IN
ALL HONESTY, SENATOR, WE CAN
ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE
LEGISLATURE. UM A NUMBER OF
YEARS AGO, THE LEGISLATURE
PASSED A DOCUMENT A BILL CALLED
THE PATIENT PAYING BILL OF
RIGHTS AND LEGITIMATELY, SO
THERE WAS PROBABLY PRESCRIBING
OF PAIN MEDICATION IN CERTAIN
SITUATIONS THAT THAT BILL
ACTUALLY MANDATED THAT
POSITIONS. ADDRESS CHRONIC PAIN.
ADDRESS PAIN IN ANY FORM. AND AT
THAT TIME PAIN PAIN AS A, UM, AS
A DISCIPLINE WAS NOT NEARLY AS
WELL UNDERSTOOD. AS IT IS. TODAY
IT WAS MUCH MORE RUDIMENTARY,
AND WHAT WE REALLY KNEW WAS YOU
TREAT PAIN WITH PAIN MEDICATION,
RIGHT? WELL, PATIENTS WOULD COME
IN AND ASK FOR PAIN MEDICATION.
IT'S VERY HARD TO TELL IF
SOMEBODY'S IN PAIN. YOU CAN'T I
CAN'T TELL IF YOU'RE IN PAIN.
YOU CAN'T TELL IF I'M IN PAIN BY
JUST LOOKING AT YOU. SOMETIMES
YOU CAN BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S
ADDING AGONY, BUT MUCH OF THE
TIME IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO
THAT. AS A RESULT, THE DEMAND
FOR PAIN MEDICATION SKYROCKETED.
AND DOCTORS WERE FRANKLY
OVERWHELMED WITH THAT DEMAND AND
DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO
EXCEPT TO, UM EITHER RESIST IT
AND FACE YOU KNOW, FACE LEGAL
ACTION OR TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A
WAY TO COMPLY, AND THAT'S REALLY
THE SOURCE OF THAT DRAMATIC
INCREASE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THAT TODAY, WE'RE SEEING A
DRAMATIC DESERT IN OPIOID
PRESCRIBING BECAUSE OF THE
MEDICAL BOARD ACTIONS BECAUSE OF
ACTIONS OF THE Dð E A BECAUSE OF
PHARMACY ACTIVITY AS WELL. SO
NOW IF YOU'RE A CHRONIC PAIN
PATIENT, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO FIND A DOCTOR WHO WILL
PRESCRIBE PAIN MEDICATION FOR
YOU OPIOID PAIN MEDICATION. AND
SO THESE GUIDELINES WERE BUILT
WITH THE INPUT OF PUBLIC OF, UM
UH UM UM SPECIAL EXPERT UM
PEOPLE WHO DO CHRONIC PAIN.
THESE WERE BUILT WITH THOSE
PEOPLE'S INPUT TO HELP US
DEVELOP GUIDELINES THAT ARE
ACTUALLY FUNCTIONAL AND SAFE AND
ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE ABILITY FOR
DOCTORS TO PRESCRIBE CARE WITHIN
THE GUIDELINES AND NOT FEAR
DISCIPLINE. SO YOU FEEL LIKE
IT'S CORRECTING ITSELF NOW. IT'S
A VERY SLOW PROCESS. WE STILL
HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND I
WOULD SAY IT'S NOT CORRECTED YET
. SO DO WE ERR ON THE SIDE OF
OVER PRESCRIPTION OR UNDER AT
THIS TIME, I WOULD SAY WE ERR ON
THE SIDE OF UNDER PRESCRIBING
THE PROBLEM IS THAT EVEN THOUGH
WE'RE NOT PRESCRIBING AS MUCH,
THERE ARE STILL MANY DEATHS
RELATED TO OVERDOSE, BUT THOSE
DEATHS ARE REALLY PRIMARILY
RELATED TO FENTANYL IN THE, UM
IN THE IN THE DRUG TRADE THAT
OCCURS ON THE STREET, NOT FROM
PHYSICIANS OVERPRESCRIBING.
OPIOIDS AS AS THERE WAS AN ISSUE
, AND NOW NOW THERE'S A, UH, A
BIGGER PROTOCOL AROUND DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO JUST
BESIDES PRESCRIBING MEDICATIONS.
THAT'S TRUE. YOU FEEL LIKE
PEOPLE HAVE INTEGRATED THAT INTO
THEIR PRACTICE, AND YOU'RE ABLE
TO SEE THAT IN IN COMPLAINTS
THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
WE'VE SEEN A DECREASE IN
COMPLAINTS. UH, FOR
OVERPRESCRIBING, UM, IN MY
EXPERIENCE, UH, IN MY PANEL. I
DON'T SEE THEM NEARLY AS OFTEN
AS I DID BEFORE. THAT ONE. OK
AND YOUR FIRST PART OF QUESTION
WHY THERE HAS BEEN MORE NEED FOR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. SO MANY
THINGS. NOT ONLY THAT BIGGEST
PART OF THAT IS ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
IN THE LAST 2530 YEARS, HAS èC
CUT IT UP. SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE
OF THAT SECOND THING IS, PEOPLE
ARE MORE AWARE THAT THERE'S A
MEDICATION OUT THERE, WHICH ARE
HELPFUL THAT LED TO MORE
ADDICTION AND THAT LED TO THOSE
PEOPLE WHO ARE PLAYING ON THESE
PEOPLE GETTING MORE AND MORE
MEDICATION AND GETTING THEM TO
THE STREET AND I THINK AT ONE
POINT IT WAS REALLY ACCELERATING
AND, UM STAY AND MEDICAL BOARD
WORKED ON THAT AND WE FIND
PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESCRIBING
MILLIONS OF PILLS IN A YEAR AND
THE OTHER END. WE FIND PEOPLE
WHO JUST GIVE FEW. THAT MEANS
SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST OVER USING
OR ABUSING OR DOING A BUSINESS
AND OTHERS ARE SO SCARED TO GIVE
BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THEIR
LICENSE SHOULD BE BUT FOR THE
WORK FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS
DEFINITELY IMPROVED AND THAT'S
FROM PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. HAVE
TRENDED DOWN NORTH LAST SEVERAL
YEARS, WHEREAS THAT FROM THE
STREET DRUGS HAS GONE UP. UH, WE
ARE VERY WELL AWARE WE HAVE
INVITED THE NATIONAL EXPERTS ON
PAINT TO COME AND TEACH THE
BOARD AND I THINK THERE IS STILL
MORE MORE NEED TO GO TO THE
COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY
PHYSICIAN COMMUNITY TO TEACH
THEM. AND BRING AWARENESS.
NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN A PAIN,
BUT YOU JUST WANT TO BE
SENSITIVE THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO
MAKE THEM ADDICTED. YOUR LIFE. I
HAVE SEEN SO MANY MISERABLE
CASES, PEOPLE WHO GOT ADDICTED.
IF I MAY, MR CHAIR, SO YOU FEEL
LIKE THE MEDICAL BOARD PROCESS
AT THIS POINT HAS A GOOD PROCESS
TO BE ABLE TO. DEAL WITH IT
ADEQUATELY. THE NÓ THE DEATH
CERTIFICATE OF THE DOCTOR CATE
FOLLOW UP IS REALLY HELPING. AND
ACTUALLY, WE ARE TRENDING AND
FOLLOWING THAT, HOW MANY DEATHS
ARE SECONDARY TO DRUGS? AND HOW
MANY ARE THOSE PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS? AND HOW MANY ARE THOSE
SECONDARY TO STREET DRUGS, AND
WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION ON THAT. ARE WE CLOSE
TO WHERE WE HAVE TO BE. I DON'T
THINK WE ARE THERE. BUT I THINK
WE ARE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AT LEAST. MR
CHAIR IF I MET WYMORE JUST AS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
LEGISLATURE ENTERING INTO THE
MEDICAL FIELD. THERE ARE SOME
BILLS BEFORE US THIS YEAR, AND
I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT YOUR
FEELINGS AROUND THE NEW DRUGS
AROUND OBESITY. RIGHT WHICH, OF
COURSE, HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE
WITH LENDING TO A LOT OF HEALTH
CARE ISSUES. ON THE OTHER SIDE,
THE THAT NEW HORIZON THAT WE'RE
COMING ON TO. POTENTIALLY
HONESTLY, YOU BROUGHT UP SUCH AN
SUCH AN INTERESTING TOPIC, AND I
WAS THINKING LAST WEEK WHEN I
WAS THINKING ABOUT HEARING THAT
I HOPE THIS THING COMES UP
BECAUSE IT'S SKYROCKETING RIGHT
NOW, AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE GETTING HELP AND
PEOPLE. IT'S JUST NATURAL HUMAN
DESIRE TO LOOK I'M NOT GOING TO
SAY LIKE ANYONE IN A NORMAL WAY.
PEOPLE HAVE NOT THE CAPACITY TO
LOSE IT OTHER WAY. BUT WHAT
WE'VE SEEN IN OUR TREND THERE IS
IN A COMPETITION GOING ON
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY THAT IS
JUST NOT TO HELP PEOPLE LOSE
WEIGHT OR SOMETHING, BUT JUST
KEEP MORE AND MORE MONEY. UM WE
AT SOME POINT HAVE TO SET UP A
GUIDELINE HOW AND WHO CAN GET IT
OR HAVE PEOPLE DONE OTHER ALL
MEASURES AND THEY CAN LOSE
WEIGHT AND THEY SHOULD DO THAT.
THIS IS I AM VERY, VERY SURE. IF
SOMEBODY DOESN'T BRING IT UP.
I'M GOING TO BRING UP AGENDA TO
DISCUSSION. THE MEDICAL BOARD
AND THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND HONESTLY, YOU HAVE BROUGHT
UP A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE,
WHICH COMING YEARS WILL BE CAN
BE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR
BEING DR THORPE. UM YOU KNOW, I
THINK THAT THE MAIN ISSUE WITH
ANY TREATMENT IS OR NOT THE MAIN
DANTE ONLY ISSUE BUT CERTAINLY
PATIENT SAFETY IS CLEARLY UH UH,
A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. IN ALL
THESE SITUATIONS. THESE
MEDICATIONS ARE ARE EFFECTIVE.
THEY CERTAINLY WORK VERY WELL
FOR, UM PATIENTS WHO HAVE
SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT TO LOSE AND
THEY ARE IN IN MY EXPERIENCE,
THEY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THEM
SUCCESSFULLY. UM, HOWEVER, UM,
THEY CAN'T BE GIVEN WITHOUT
MONITORING. THEY CAN'T BE GIVEN
WITHOUT APPROPRIATE OVERSIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THERE
WOULD BE A PROBLEM IF THESE
MEDICATIONS WERE NOT GIVEN
PROPERLY OR WITH INAPPROPRIATE
OVERSIGHT. OK MR CHAIR IF I
MIGHT, UM, WE TALKED IN IN MY
OFFICE JUST ABOUT SOME OF THE
ISSUES WITH OR THE ISSUE I GUESS
OF THE VERY HIGH PROFILE
PHYSICIAN WHO HAD BEEN CHARGED
MULTIPLE TIMES WITH ASSAULT, WHO
IS STILL ABLE TO PRACTICE
WITHOUT THE PUBLIC BEING
INFORMED OF THAT AND JUST KIND
OF THE CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY
AROUND THAT IF YOU SHOULD COULD
ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT YOU
KNOW? WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT
THAT QUESTION AGAIN A CHANCE TO
MAYBE INTENSIFY MY COMMENT. YOUR
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IS TOTALLY
INAPPROPRIATE IN ANY SITUATION.
AND, UM THE MEDICAL BOARD. TAKES
THAT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. WE
ALSO HAVE TO LIVE UNDER THE LAW
THAT WE ARE MANDATED IN, AND
THAT'S UM, THE MAIN CONCERN THAT
WE HAVE IS NOT. WE'RE NOT THE
MAIN CONCERN, BUT THE MAIN
LIMITATION THAT WE HAVE IS THAT
WE HAVE TO DISCIPLINE BASED ON
WHAT IS EVIDENCE THAT'S
PRESENTED TO US SO IT'S NOT
APPROPRIATE FOR IN ANY
CIRCUMSTANCE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT
THE CIRCUMSTANCE IS, UH AND I
CERTAINLY PERSONALLY FEEL THAT
IN THE MEDICAL BOARD FEELS THAT
CERTAINLY IS, UH, IN AGREEMENT
WITH THAT, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE
TO DISCIPLINE BASED ON WHAT WE
ARE ABLE TO DO LEGALLY BASED ON
THE EVIDENCE. THANK YOU. MÀ
THERE IS NÓ EXCUSE FOR SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT IN THE SOCIETY PERIOD
. BUT IN A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
PHYSICIAN AND A PATIENT, OUR
PHYSICIAN AND STAFF IS MUCH MORE
GRIEVOUS THAN THAT, EVEN BECAUSE
THE RELATIONSHIP OF PATIENT AND
PHYSICIAN IS AS SACRED AS PARENT
AND CHILD. AND IN ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, WE SHOULD HAVE A
VERY LOW THRESHOLD TO STOP THAT.
ABANDON THAT AT THE EARLIEST
POSSIBLE. I KNOW THERE ARE
CHALLENGES THAT WE CANNOT ACT
WITHOUT A LOT OF INFORMATION,
BUT WE HAVE THE POWER TO
RESTRICT THEM, AND WE SHOULD USE
THAT POWER TO RESTRICT THEM
BEFORE ANY FURTHER DAMAGE
HAPPENS BECAUSE, AS I SAID
EARLIER, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR
HARASSMENT IS NOT ONLY A BODILY
INJURY, IT IS A HUGE SCAR ON THE
BRAIN, WHICH MIGHT NOT HEAL REST
OF THE LIFE AFTER VICTIM AND WE
NEED TO STOP. OF IT, AND WE
SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY EXCUSE. AND
IN MY REVIEW OF CASES, I AM
EXTREMELY EXTREMELY SENSITIVE ON
THAT, AND I HAVE EXPRESSED THAT
IN OUR MEETINGS. AND JUST AND I
AND I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE, UM
THE SYNC OF, UH A PHYSICIAN
PATIENT. BUT EVEN IF IT'S NOT
YOUR OWN CHILD YOU'RE ABUSING.
IF IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S CHILD
THAT IS STILL RIGHT. SOMETHING
THAT FEELS LIKE THE PUBLIC
SHOULD BE WARNED ABOUT. YES YES,
YES, ANY DECIDED TO START ANY
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IS NOT
ACCEPTED BECAUSE WE KNOW
ABUSING. ONE JUST IS INDICATOR
FOR ABUSING ANOTHER VERY TRUE
VERY TRUE. THANK YOU. CHAIR.
VERY GRATEFUL, SIR. THANK YOU
FOR THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND
THANKS FOR THE THAT THE TIME WAS
SPENT AS SHORT AS IT WAS, AND I
THINK THIS IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS TRUE FOR
SENATOR GROVE. THIS IS OUR
SECOND TIME WITH HIM, AND WE, UH
HOW DO I SAY IT? HOW DO RATHER
SPIRITED UH UH, HEARING THE
FIRST TIME YOU WERE HERE AND, UM
AND I DID HAVE TWO TAKEAWAYS
ABOUT EACH OF YOU PERSONALLY
ABOUT. UH UH, DOCTOR MAHMOUD,
YOUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS BUT ALSO
DOCTOR THORPE ABOUT YOUR ENTIRE
PRACTICE BEING BURNED OUT BY THE
PARADISE FIRE AND HOW YOU
MANAGED TO REOPEN WITHIN A
MATTER OF DAYS IN ANOTHER
LOCATION AND CONTINUE TO SERVE
PEOPLE, AND I REMEMBER BOTH OF
THOSE FROM THE, UH, OUR FIRST
HEARING. I ALSO SAW THAT YOU HAD
YOUR QUARTERLY MEETING TO
STRENGTHEN YOUR OUTREACH IN
BAKERSFIELD LAST SUMMER, AND I
HOPE YOU APPRECIATED EVERYTHING
THAT BAKERSFIELD HAS TO OFFER
WHILE YOU WERE THERE. UM THE
THING I WANTED TO ASK TO FOLLOW
UP ON OUR, UH UH, THE QUESTIONS
HERE IS THAT THAT ANIMATED
HEARING BEFORE CAME AFTER THE L
A TIMES A STORY AND A PHYSICIANS
THAT DID RATHER EGREGIOUS THINGS
IN SOME OF THEM WERE RETURNED.
UH, UH TO SERVICE AFTER THAT,
AND A FEW OF THEM, ACCORDING TO
THE L A TIMES CONTINUED TO DO IT
OR DID IT AGAIN AND SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE COMPLAINT
TRACKING THE OUTREACH, THE
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPLEMENTED. HOW DO YOU IN
LOOKING AT THAT? SORT OF
CONVINCED THE PUBLIC THAT THOSE
AREN'T JUST PROCESSES. THEY ARE
ACTUALLY GOING TO LEAD TO.
ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS THAT THE
PUBLIC HAS OR WERE RAISED IN IN
THAT ARTICLE. I DO NOT KNOW
WHICH ORDER WE ARE GOING IN.
JUST START WITH DR THORNTON. UM,
THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU,
SENATOR LAIRD. AND IT WAS A
PLEASURE TO MEET WITH YOU AGAIN
TODAY, TOO. UM SO I THINK THAT'S
ALWAYS THE CHALLENGE. RIGHT IS
WHEN WE DO CHANGE PROCESSES THAT
IT'S NOT JUST PERFUNCTORY, BUT
THAT IT ACTUALLY HAS MEANING.
AND THAT ACTUALLY CHANGES. UM
ANY IMPROVES PATIENT PROTECTION.
AND I THINK THE PROOF IS IN THE
PUDDING. BASICALLY I MEAN, I
THINK THE ONLY WAY THAT TO US
FOR US TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IS
THROUGH THAT ONGOING
COMMUNICATION THAT WE GET ON
EVERY EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WE GET PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT ALSO
I THINK THE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER
MEETINGS ARE VERY HELPFUL THAT
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PUBLIC
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WHEN WE
REVISE THE OPIOID GUIDELINES,
AND THOSE WERE VERY, I THINK
THOSE FOCUSED, UH, PUBLIC
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ARE VERY
HELPFUL. LIKE UH, UM, LIKE THAT
OPIOID TASK FORCE BECAUSE WE GET
PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE AND
WE GET VERY CONSTRUCTIVE
COMMENTS. UM AND IT DID RESULT
IN A PRODUCT THAT THEY COULD SEE
AND THAT ACTUALLY DID CHANGE THE
WAY WE DO THINGS. SO, I. I THINK
THAT, UM OUR GOAL. I KNOW. I
KNOW MY ROLE HAS I HAVE BEEN
EDUCATED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS
, UH, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE PUBLIC INPUT AND THE
PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER INPUT INTO
EACH OF THOSE PROCESSES AND HOW
IMPORTANT THESE THINGS LIKE THE
COMPLAINT TRACKING UNIT. THE
COMPLAINANT LIAISON UNIT. THE,
UM THE PUBLIC. UH OR THE
COMPLAINANT BEING ABLE TO MAKE A
COMMENT BEFORE THEIR CASE IS
CLOSED. ALL OF THOSE ARE, UM
VERY THEY HOPE TO BUILD TRUST IN
IN THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING
ATTENTION TO WHAT THE PUBLIC
SAYS SO I THINK THAT'S THE WAY
WE MAKE IT WORK. I APPRECIATE
THAT VERY MUCH, DOCTOR MAUD. YOU
THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE?
ACTUALLY AS I TOLD YOU EARLIER,
I AM FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE NOT
ONLY BROUGHT UP A VERY IMPORTANT
ISSUE, BUT IT REALLY INCREASED
THE VACUUM GAP BETWEEN PUBLIC
AND MEDICAL BOARD BECAUSE THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE MEDICAL BOARD
RIGHT NOW HAS IS TRUST A PUBLIC
AND CONFIDENCE OF PUBLIC. UM IT
IS, UH, NOT EXACTLY BECAUSE
MEDICAL BOARD IS NOT DOING ITS
JOB. IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE NOT
BEING SEEN AS DOING THE JOB THAT
WHOLE THING WAS HAPPENING HAD
HAPPENED BEFORE. I WAS EVEN ON
THE MEDICAL BOARD. BUT WE ARE
VERY VIGILANT. WE ARE NOT ONLY
WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO REPORT
IT JUST LIKE COMPLAINANT OR SOME
HOSPITAL. ANY OTHER MEDICAL
BOARD. I THINK WE ARE GOING
FARTHER. NOW IF SOMETHING COMES
IN A MEDIA REPORT, A BIG NEWS
CREDIBLE NEWS. SHOULD ACT ON
THAT WE SHOULD REALLY AND
WHENEVER I GO ON, UM,
DELIBERATION IN THE PANEL
MEETING, I'M VERY, VERY
RELUCTANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A UH,
LEVERAGE IF THERE IS SOME
CHARACTER OR BEHAVIOR LIKE THAT,
UH, WE DO BELIEVE IN
REHABILITATION, BUT CERTAINLY
REHABILITATION AND GIVEN THE
CHANCE CAN HURT MORE PEOPLE. WE
HAVE TO HAVE A VERY STINGY
SUPERVISION AND CHAN AND THOSE
THINGS AND WE HAVE BEEN AND UH
UH, I'M CONFIDENT NOTHING ELSE
HAS RISEN SINCE THEN, AND WE
HAVE BEEN REALLY ON AT LEAST THE
PANEL I WORKING. IS AN UP TO THE
THING WHERE WE WOULD LOSE ANY
LOOPHOLE. I CANNOT GUARANTEE
THAT THERE IS NOTHING NOTHING
WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT WE ARE
VERY SENSITIVE AND I ASSURE YOU
THAT WE WILL BE VERY CAREFUL AND
WE ALSO NEED TO INTERACT WITH
WATCHDOGS. WE NEED TO INTERACT
WITH THE CONSUMER ORD AND ALL
THOSE PEOPLE WHO HELP PATIENTS
ARE COMPLAINANTS ARE VICTIMS
THAT GET THEIR INPUT AND
ENCOURAGE THEM TO LET US KNOW.
HAS INSTITUTION ARE WITHOUT ANY
RELUCTANCE THAT THIS IS WHAT IS
HAPPENING SO WE CAN HAVE A PRE
EMPTIVE ACTION BEFORE ANYTHING
BAD HAPPEN AGAIN. SO WE WILL. WE
ARE SENSITIVE AND WE ARE GOING
TO WORK ON THIS ON. MY LAST
QUESTION IS A FOLLOW UP AND THE
FOLLOW UP IS DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
THE PERCEPTION OF THE MEDICAL
BOARD IS CHANGING BECAUSE OF
THESE ACTIVITIES IN THE OUTREACH
, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT
ARTICLE IS NOW THREE YEARS AGO,
AND I THINK THE LIVELY HEARING
WE HAD IS SOME MORE TIME. DO YOU
FEEL THAT THERE IS CHANGE BEING
FELT BY THE PUBLIC OR
STAKEHOLDERS? SO THERE ARE
SEVERAL THINGS ONE. THE BURNING
ISSUE IS THIS LEGITIMACY OF
PROCESS OF COMPLAINT PROCESS
THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGER THINGS
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT. NOT THAT
WE ARE NOT BOARD IS NOT
FOLLOWING AND HONESTLY, I TALKED
TO MANY STAFF MEMBERS WERE
INVOLVED AND I WOULD ADMIT HERE
THERE ARE OVERWORKED, BUT THEY
ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY. BUT
THERE IS ALWAYS A NEED FOR NEWER
THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE EVOLVING
AND NEED TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO
BRING AND MEDIA REPORTS. THE
COMPLAINT PROCESS AND SOME
PEOPLE NOT GETTING ACCORDING TO
THE PUBLIC THING AS MUCH
DISCIPLINE AS THEY THINK. AND
THEY DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE THING.
AND SOMETIMES WE ARE TIRED
BECAUSE WHAT COMES TO US IS A
LOT DIFFERENT, BUT IN SPITE OF
ALL THOSE THINGS, I THINK WE
NEED TO WORK MORE ON CREATING
MORE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
BETWEEN MEDICAL BOARD AND PUBLIC
THAT IS REALLY VERY IMPORTANT.
THEY CAN ONLY HAPPEN WITH THE
TRANSPARENT AND JUST PROCESS NOT
JUST DO DR THORPE. ANYTHING TO
ADD ON THAT UM, I'M NOT SURE
I'VE HAD ANYTHING MORE TO ADD,
EXCEPT TO SAY THAT TRUST IS
SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE EARNED.
AND WE HAVE PUT THESE PROCESSES
OR OR EVEN THE PROCESSES ARE
TAKING LONGER THAN WE WOULD LIKE
THEM TO TAKE TO GET IMPLEMENTED.
AND, UM ONCE THEY GET
IMPLEMENTED, IT'S GOING TO TAKE
SOME TIME BEFORE PEOPLE SAY, OH,
THAT ACTUALLY IS BETTER. THAT'S
ACTUALLY WORKING BETTER. SO TO
SAY THAT THE TRUST IS RESTORED
IN THE MEDICAL BOARD TODAY, I. I
DON'T THINK SO. I THINK WE HAVE
WORK TO DO STILL AND GETTING
THESE PROCESSES WORKING,
FUNCTIONAL, OPERATIONALLY
SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S GONNA BE PART
OF OUR ROLE IN REBUILDING TRUST.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE BOTH
YOUR RESPONSES. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. SARAH LAIRD. BEFORE WE
TURN IT OVER FOR THOSE IN
SUPPORT IN OPPOSITION. WE WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF
THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
FROM THE RULES COMMITTEE AT THIS
TIME. HEARING èC NINE. WE NOW
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE
APPOINTMENT OF BOTH DR MAHMOUD
AND THORPE. WE WELCOME ANY
INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABLE TO STEP
FORWARD. IF YOU COULD PLEASE
STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME
ALONG WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SUPPORT. WE'RE
LOOKING AT SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S GOOD TO SEE
YOU. HOW ARE YOU, UH, GEORGE SO
WITH THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT BOTH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE. WE'RE REALLY
GRATEFUL. THOSE WHO ARE HERE IN
ROOM 2200. WE INVITE YOU TO BE
ABLE TO COME FORWARD TO THE
PODIUM. ANY INDIVIDUAL WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT OF THE DOCTORS PLEASE
ADVANCE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS
GOING TO BE LAST CALL. LAST CALL
HEARING SEEN NÓ ONE STAND. WE'RE
NOT GONNA BE GOING TO
OPPOSITION. ANYONE WISHING TO
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION MAY NOW
COME FORWARD AND SPEAK. WE
WELCOME YOU TO THE PODIUM. LAST
CALL. NONE WERE NOW GOING TO BE
BRINGING IT BACK TO COMMITTEE
BEFORE WE LOOK FOR TWO SEPARATE
MOTIONS ON THIS ISSUE. WE ON
THESE APPOINTEES WE LIKE TO SEE
IF THERE IS ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. HERE IN SEE NONE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE
TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO
THE PATIENTS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, OF COURSE TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE GOLDEN STATE. WE
ARE GRATEFUL THAT BOTH OF YOU
ARE HERE TODAY AND DO ALL THOSE
WHO HAVE TURNED OUT IN SUPPORT
OF THE DOCTORS. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN COMMITTEE, WE NOW
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE UP
ITEM ONE A ONE. A WE HAVE A
MOTION VICE CHAIR GROVE. A
MOTION BY VICE CHAIR GROVE ON
ITEM ONE, A DR MAD FOR THE
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
MADAM SECRETARY. IF YOU CAN
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MAGUIRE I,
GROVE GROVE. I EGM EGM. I JONES
JONES. I LAIRD I 5 TO 0. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN COMMITTEE THAT IS A 50
VOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOCTOR
WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE MOVING
FORWARD WITH A MOTION TO APPROVE
DR THORPE. ITEM ONE B. IS THERE
A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WE HAVE A
MOTION BY MADAM MADAM VICE CHAIR
ANY LAST MINUTE? HEARING NÓ.
MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU CAN
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MAGUIRE
MAGUIRE I, GROVE GROVE. I EG EG
I JONES JONES I 5 TO 0. 50
CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR THORPE
AS WELL. WE ARE GRATEFUL,
GENTLEMEN, THAT BOTH OF YOU ARE
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE
IT JUST A MOMENT. UH, FOLKS.
CLEAR OUT OF OUR FIRST
APPOINTEES. AS THAT IS HAPPENING
. WE ARE NOW GOING TO BE TAKING
UP ITEM ONE èC. THE POTENTIAL
APPOINTMENT OF JOSEPH WAS A
MEMBER OF THE INDEPENDENT SYSTEM
OPERATOR GOVERNING BOARD. GOOD
AFTERNOON. BOARD MEMBER. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PATIENCE. UH, AS WE ARE HAVING A
DISCUSSION HERE ON OUR PREVIOUS
PANEL. FIRST AND FOREMOST MR
BOARD MEMBER. WE ARE GOING TO
PROVIDE 1 TO 2 MINUTES FOR YOUR
OPENING TESTIMONY. WE APPRECIATE
YOUR SERVICE, SIR. WE OPEN UP TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO
ASK QUESTIONS. AND, OF COURSE,
ANY COMMENTS THAT THEY MAY HAVE
IN YOUR OPENING. WE WELCOME YOU
THINKING OR ACKNOWLEDGING ANY
GUESTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE HERE IN
THE COMMITTEE ROOM OR ONLINE?
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
DO IS OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS. AND OF COURSE, I
WILL GIVE YOU A 32ND WARNING
WHEN YOU HIT TWO MINUTES, MR.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE
TIME TO BE HERE. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS, SIR. THANK YOU, MR PRO
TEM, VICE CHAIR GROVE, SENATOR
SEMON, JONES AND LAIRD. I'M
HONORED TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF TO YOU ALL AND TALK ABOUT
THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE
ISO. I DO NOT HAVE ANY GUESTS
WITH ME HERE IN PERSON. BUT I
WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY
WIFE, LIZA AND MY SON BEN AND MY
SON AND MY DAUGHTER, GEORGIA.
THEY ARE THE REASON I AM ABLE TO
DO THE THINGS THAT I DO, AND I
AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN
THOSE ENDEAVORS. I'M A THIRD
GENERATION CALIFORNIAN. I WAS,
UH, BORN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
RAISED IN IN THE SANTA CLARA
VALLEY BEFORE IT BECAME KNOWN AS
THE SILICON VALLEY. I WENT TO
BERKELEY TO GO TO COLLEGE AND
EFFECTIVELY NEVER LEFT. I WENT
DIRECTLY FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL TO
WORK AT THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY
NATIONAL LABORATORY, WHICH IS
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
FACILITY THAT'S LOCATED ON THE
HILL ABOVE THE CAMPUS, RIGHT A
40 YEAR CAREER WORKING ON PUBLIC
INTEREST ISSUES SURROUNDING
ELECTRICITY, RELIABILITY, ENERGY
CONSERVATION. INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLANNING MANY AND
SPECIFICALLY INTEGRATION OF
VARIABLE RENEWABLE GENERATION. I
HAVE, UM, PUBLISHED EXTENSIVELY
IN THESE AREAS. ME AND I DRAW ON
THOSE EXPERIENCES IN MY WORK FOR
THE I Ó I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A
BIT ABOUT, UM MY PRIORITIES VERY
BRIEFLY FOR MY TENURE AS A AS A
AS A GOV. SHOULD YOU APPROVE ME?
AS A GOVERNOR OF THE BOARD THE
BOARD OF THE ISO. MY FIRST
PRIORITY. AND MY HIGHEST
PRIORITY. IS KEEPING THE LIGHTS
ON. IT REALLY IS JOB NUMBER ONE
OF OUR ORGANIZATION, ITS
FOUNDATIONAL TO THE WELL BEING
OF OUR POPULATION AND THE
VIBRANCY OF OUR ECONOMY WITHOUT
A RELIABLE POWER SYSTEM. ALL OF
THE POLICIES THAT WE'RE
INTERESTED IN PURSUING REALLY
ARE GOING TO BE MUCH, MUCH MORE
DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH. I'M
JUST REAL QUICK WE HAVE ABOUT 30
SECONDS. WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT
WITH THE COMMITTEE? IF WE
EXTEND, UH, MR ETO'S TIME BY TWO
MINUTES. WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT
WITH THE COMMITTEE? JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE
COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. PLEASE I
DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT, SIR,
THE FLOOR IS YOURS FOR
ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES. THANK
YOU, MR EXTRA TIME. I DO REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. UM I WILL DRAW
MY ENGINEERING EXPERTISE. MY
WORK ON BLACKOUTS. MY WORK ON
ADVANCED WITH TECHNOLOGIES TO
IMPROVE RELIABILITY MAIN THAT I
DEMONSTRATED AT THE CALIFORNIA I
S¼ Ó, MANY OF WHICH ARE
EMPLOYED BY THE I S¼ Ó TO THIS
DAY. TO VIEW ALL OF MY DECISIONS
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE FIRST AND
FOREMOST, IS THIS GOING TO HURT
OR IS THIS GOING TO HELP
RELIABILITY? I THINK EVERYTHING
NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THAT. FROM
THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT WE DO
HERE AT THE I S¼ Ó. MY SECOND
PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE THAT WE
PLAY THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT WE
HAVE TO PLAY IN ACHIEVING OUR
STATE'S CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.
THESE ARE GOALS THAT I SUPPORT
WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THEY'VE BEEN
REALLY BEEN AT THE CORE OF THE
PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH AND
ANALYSIS THAT I'VE CONDUCTED
THROUGHOUT MY CAREER AT THE
LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL
LABORATORY, AND AGAIN, I AM
HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TRY TO PUT THOSE LESSONS TO
WORK IN SUPPORTING THE
OBJECTIVES OF OUR STATE. OUR
ROLE AT THE I Ó IN THAT REGARD
IS TWOFOLD. ONE WE MUST PLAN THE
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM THAT IS
GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO BRING
THAT CLEAN ENERGY TO OUR
CUSTOMERS. THE POPULATION. AND
SECOND, WE MUST INTERCONNECT THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE THE SOURCES
OF THAT CLEAN ENERGY. THOSE ARE
TWO PRINCIPAL JOBS AT THE I S¼
Ó WITH RESPECT TO THE PURSUIT
OF THOSE POLICY GOALS. WE HAVE
TO DO THAT, OF COURSE, IN
CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER AGENCIES,
PARTICULARLY THE CALIFORNIA
ENERGY COMMISSION AND THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION. WE HAVE RECENTLY
SIGNED AN MOU WITH THEM THAT
GREATLY IMPROVES OUR ABILITY TO
DELIVER ON THAT ROLE, AND I'LL
BE HAPPY TO IF THROUGH THE
QUESTION ANSWER TALK. SOME OF
THOSE ACTIVITIES. MY FINAL
PRIORITY IS TO PURSUE THE ABOVE
IN A WAY THAT WE CAN AFFORD. AND
SPECIFICALLY TO ENSURE THAT WE
PAY NÓ MORE THAN WE NEED TO PAY
TO ACHIEVE. THESE ENDS A KEY WE
WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE IN TWO
WAYS. ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE THE RIGHT SIZING AND
BUILDING ONLY THE MOST COST
EFFECTIVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
THAT WE NEED TO MEET OUR
OBJECTIVES. THE TRANSMISSION
SYSTEM AS A MEANS TO END NOT THE
END. THE END IS CLEAN ENERGY.
THE END IS RELIABLY DELIVERED TO
THE ELECTRICITY USERS OF OUR
STATE. THE SECOND WAY WE PURSUE
THAT IS THROUGH THE THROUGH THE
OPERATION OF REGIONAL WHOLESALE
MARKETS FOR ELECTRICITY. THAT
ALLOW US TO CO OPERATE WITH OUR
NEIGHBORS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN
BOTH BENEFIT BY ENSURING THE
CLEANEST ENERGY AT THE LOWEST
COST CAN BE USED AND APPLIED. IN
THE SAME TIME BENEFIT THE
RELIABILITY OF THE POWER SYSTEM.
THERE'S A LOT OF I'LL BE HAPPY
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF REGIONAL
COOPER OPERATION THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH 5 BILLION IN
THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, BUT I
BELIEVE THE RELIABILITY BENEFITS
WILL TRUMP ALL OF THOSE. AND
I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT
THOSE AS WELL. WITH THAT. LET ME
CONCLUDE MY OPENING REMARKS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE EXTRA
TIME. NÓ THANK YOU SO MUCH AS A
BOARD MEMBER. I KNOW WE'LL GET
INTO MORE DISCUSSION. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
SENATOR LAIRD. FIRST, SENATOR
LAIRD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
APPRECIATE THAT. UH THE CHANCE
TO MEET, HOWEVER ABBREVIATED IT
ENDED UP BEING I WANT TO PICK UP
ON, UM WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT
TRANSMISSION AND TO MAKE A SEMI
SNARKY COMMENT, YOU SAID. IT'S
MEAN IT'S NOT AN END, BUT IF
IT'S NOT THERE, IT'S AN END.
IT'LL BE A DEAD END. YES SIR.
AND SO THE REAL QUESTION IS, IS
THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH STUFF THAT
CAN COME ONLINE IN SUCH LIMITED
TRANSMISSION. AND YET
TRANSMISSION IS WHAT IS GOING TO
MAKE THE GRID WORK. AND SO HOW
DO YOU ACT AS A TRADER IN HOW
THEY PRIORITIZE WHAT'S THERE
WHEN THERE APPEARS TO BE MUCH
MORE ENERGY COMING ONLINE THAN
THERE IS THE ABILITY TO
TRANSMISSION TO MOVE IT AROUND?
I THINK THAT IS A VERY, VERY
APPROPRIATE QUESTION. YOU KNOW?
TRANSMISSION IS A MEANS, BUT
WITHOUT THE MEANS, AS YOU SAY,
WE DON'T HAVE THE ENDS AND WE
HAVE TO BUILD A LOT OF
TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE A LOT OF
NEW GENERATIONS THAT NEEDS TO
COME ON. WE NEED TO ON BOARD ON
THE ORDER OF 7000 MEGAWATTS OF
NEW GENERATION EVERY YEAR IN
ORDER TO MEET OUR CLEAN ENERGY
TARGETS. IN ORDER FOR THAT.
THOSE 7000 MEGAWATTS TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE TO BUILD
DELIVER THAT ENERGY TO THE FOLKS
THAT USE ELECTRICITY, AND THAT'S
GONNA BE THROUGH THE EXPANSION
OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WITH
SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING
SEVERAL SPECIFIC THINGS THAT
WE'RE DOING TO THAT END
ENUMERATE THEM RIGHT NOW. FIRST
AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE STAFFED
UP. WE HAVE 116 STAFF IN OUR
PLANNING GROUP. WE HAVE A TOTAL
POPULATION AT THE AT THE AT THE
EYE OF 700, SO SEVENTH OF THEM
ARE WORKING ON THESE PLANNING
TOPICS. WE ARE NOW WE'VE KIND OF
COME OUT OF THE COVID ERA TO
HAVE A FULL COMPLIMENT STAFF TO
UNDERTAKE THE LARGE LIFT THAT WE
HAVE AHEAD OF US. SECOND I
MENTION THIS MOU THAT WAS
RECENTLY SIGNED BETWEEN THE PUC
AND ENERGY COMMISSION AND THE I
S¼ Ó. THIS ALLOWS US TO TIGHTLY
SYNCHRONIZE OUR PLANNING
PROCESSES, SO THEY DON'T WASTE
ANY TIME IN THIS PLANNING
PROCESS. WE DRAW ON THAT MEMO IN
SEVERAL WAYS. THE FIRST AND MOST
TANGIBLE WAY IS THAT WE ANNUALLY
PREPARE A 10 YEAR. LOOK AHEAD
TRANSMISSION PLAN AND WE'RE
UPDATING THIS EVERY YEAR.
LOOKING AHEAD THE PROJECTS THAT
WE IDENTIFY THAT IN THAT PLAN
ARE THOSE THAT WE VIEW AS THE
HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR BEING
THESE CLEAN ENERGY TARGETS. I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL.
THANK THE LEGISLATURE FOR AB
1370 1373, WHICH CONFERS ON THE
DETERMINING THE NEED ASSESSMENT
THAT WE CONDUCT. REBUTTAL OF AS
A REBUTTAL PRESUMPTION OF NEED
THAT REALLY GREATLY FACILITATES
THE èC P èC N PROCESS THAT IS
NECESSARY IN PREVIOUSLY WAS
AGAIN SORT OF A DRAG ON ON ON ON
GETTING PROJECTS APPROVED AND
BUILT. THERE ARE SOME OTHER
ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
IN TRANSMISSION, SUCH AS
PERMITTING IN SIGHT. THEY ARE
BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE DO
WITH THE I S¼ Ó. WE ARE KEENLY
INTERESTED IN SEEING THOSE
PROCESSES MOVE FORWARD. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORK OF THE
LEGISLATURE IN TRYING TO
STREAMLINE THE S¼ QL AND THE
PROCESS ALL THAT STUFF IS GOING
TO. WE DON'T HAVE A MOMENT TO
LOSE. AND SO ANY PLACE WHERE WE
CAN CUT OUT CUT DOWN THE
HISTORIC 8 TO 10 YEAR LAG IN
BUILDING TRANSMISSION TO CUT IT
IN HALF IF WE CAN OR EVEN
FURTHER IS ESSENTIAL FOR BEING
ABLE TO ON BOARD THIS NEW
GENERATION IN A TIMELY FASHION.
LET ME OFFER ONE FINAL AREA THAT
WE'RE THAT IS REALLY COMING
BEFORE THE BOARD IN ABOUT IN A
COUPLE OF MONTHS. MANY OF YOU
HEARD OF HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE
INTERCONNECTION Q PROCESS. THIS
IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THIS NEW
GENERATION APPLIES AND WE DO.
EXTENSIVE STUDIES TO ENSURE THAT
THEY CAN BE IN INTEGRATED
RELIABLY. WELL HISTORICALLY, WE
HAD ABOUT 150 PROJECTS COMING IN
A YEAR. A TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD
APPROXIMATELY I BELIEVE IT WAS
CLOSE TO THREE 100 PROJECTS COME
IN, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD 500
PROJECTS COME IN. WE NOW HAVE
MORE PROJECTS IN THE QUEUE. THEN
THEN WE CAN ACCOMMODATE, YOU
KNOW, BEYOND OUR TARGETS FOR
2045. SO OUR OUR IN ADDITION TO
THE WORKLOAD ISSUE, WE NEED TO
SORT OF FIGURE OUT HOW TO GO
THROUGH THAT IN A WAY THAT IS
FAIR AND EQUITABLE TO ALL
PARTICIPANTS, BUT THAT REALLY
PRIORITIZES THE STATE'S NEEDS
FIRST, SO THAT WE GET THE BEST
PROJECTS ONLINE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. THE MOU HAS BEEN
CRITICAL IN THIS PROCESS. WE NOW
LOOK TO THE èC èC PU èC TO
IDENTIFY THE AREAS OF THE STATE
WHERE THEY HAVE DESIGNATED
PREFERRED RESOURCES TO BE BUILT.
SO THIS WILL BE SOLAR IN THE
CENTRAL VALLEY OFFSHORE. AND IN
THE REGION, UH, OFFSHORE WIND IN
YOUR IN YOUR REGION DOWN BY
DIABLO CANYON OUT OF STATE OR
SOLAR AND WIND. LOTS OF SOLAR I
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR
DISTRICT. AND SO THESE ARE THE
RESOURCE RICH AREAS. THAT WE CAN
NOW TARGET INTERCONNECTION
PROCESSES. SO IF YOU WANT TO
SITE IN THAT AREA, YOU'RE GONNA
BE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE.
THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE
WANNA GO THROUGH FIRST AND LET
ME JUST DO EXACTLY WHAT I DID IN
OUR MEETING, WHICH IS YOU JUST
OUTLINED ALL THE PROCESSES AND
ALL THE GOALS AND EVERYTHING.
HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY MAKE SURE IT
HAPPENS? HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY
MAKE SURE THERE'S TRANSMISSION
THAT HAPPENS. AND HOW DO YOU
MAKE SURE IT IS FAIR TO THOSE
COMPETING INTERESTS? BECAUSE YOU
YOU SAID IN THE MEETING, AND
HERE WE HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES.
IT'S LIKE WHAT ARE THOSE CHOICES
WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES? HOW ARE
YOU GOING TO DO THAT? WHEN YOU
ACTUALLY APPLY EVERYTHING YOU
JUST SAID IN YOUR ANSWER? IT'S
GOING TO BE A LOT OF HARD WORK.
AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE THE
COOPER OPERATION SUPPORT OF OUR
MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND
STAKEHOLDERS AND THE WAY THAT WE
ARE PURSUING, THAT IS THROUGH A
VERY OPEN PROCESS TO IDENTIFY
SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT METRICS FOR
PROJECTS THAT ALL PARTIES CAN
AGREE TO ABOUT. THIS IS THIS IS
A PROJECT THAT IS IN THE RIGHT
PLACE. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT
HAS MOVED THROUGH THE STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE RIPE FIRST. THESE
ARE THE SO YOU WANT TO
INTERCONNECT FIRST? BECAUSE THIS
IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS OF
WINNERS AND LOSERS. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN
ON EXACTLY WHAT THOSE EXCUSE ME
FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT I THINK
WHEN YOU SAY IT'S A PROCESS OF
WINNERS AND LOSERS, AND WHERE
FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE THAT
REPRESENT THE WINNERS AND THE
LOSERS, WE ARE ANXIOUS TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WILL WORK.
BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES IN
HEARINGS, WE HEAR WINNERS AND
LOSERS AND THEN WE REALIZE WE
JUST MADE A DECISION FOR ALL OUR
CONSTITUENTS IN ONE AREA TO BE A
LOSER. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
PROCESS IS AND WHAT THE RELATIVE
WEIGHTS ARE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE
AN ASSESSMENT ABOUT THAT.
REALLY? I CANNOT SPEAK TO THE
SPECIFICS OF THE METRICS THAT WE
ARE PROPOSING. WE ARE GOING TO
BE REVIEWING THEM VERY SHORTLY
AT THE END OF THE STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS, BUT I DO WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THE STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS. WHO ARE THE FOLKS WHO
WILL BE THE WINNERS IN THOSE
THEY'RE INVOLVED IN AN OPEN AND
VERY TRANSPARENT DISCUSSION WITH
OUR STAFF THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR A YEAR NOW TO TRY TO FINE
TUNE THESE THINGS TO SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN ALL ACCEPT. SO THAT
SHOULD SOMEONE BECOME A LOSER.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHY THAT AND
THEY WERE PART OF THE PROCESS
THAT DECIDED ON THOSE RULES.
THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO
THE DECISION MAKING THAT WE DO
WITH THE I S¼ Ó BECAUSE AT THE
END OF THE DAY WE ARE BEING
ASKED AT THE BOARD TO LOOK AT
THE WAY IN WHICH THE
STAKEHOLDERS INTERESTED IN
BALANCED AND ASSESS THAT AGAINST
THE GOALS WE HAVE AS A STATE TO
MEET WITH THESE PROCESSES AND
DECIDE WHETHER THAT IS FAIR.
THAT'S THE DECISION THAT WE MAKE
WE CAN BE. IT CAN BE. THERE'S
GONNA NEED TO BE A BUNCH OF
CONVERSATION ON THAT. OK THEN,
IF IT'S OK, MR CHAIR AT ANOTHER
SECOND QUESTION, DIFFERENT
SUBJECT AND THAT IS HAVING TO DO
WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE
MEETING, ONE OF THE INTERESTING
THINGS ABOUT THAT DAY IN
SEPTEMBER WHEN IT WAS SO HOT IN
2022 WAS THE GOVERNOR DECIDING
TO PUT OUT A FLEX ALERT WHERE IT
HAPPENS SO FAST. I'M NOT SURE HE
COMMUNICATED WITH CAL ISSO AND
CAL ISSO COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY
. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CRISIS,
THE USAGE WAS RATCHETING DOWN.
AND SO I HEARD FROM A LOT OF
PEOPLE LAY PEOPLE MOSTLY SEE,
UH, FLEX ALERTS WORK, UM, REALLY
TRYING TO AFFECT DEMAND WORKS.
AND YET I HEAR COMING BACK THAT
THAT'S THE LAST THING WE EVER
WANT TO DO THAT. IF IT DOES
WORK, IT WORKS ONE TIME A YEAR,
AND YOU BETTER NOT USE IT AGAIN.
UM WHAT'S YOUR REFLECTION AS A
COW, ISO BOARD MEMBER ON THAT
PROCESS AND WHAT WE SHOULD OR
SHOULDN'T DO. FLEX ALERT IS A
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TOOL IN OUR
RELIABILITY TOOL CHEST. THAT WE
USE WHEN THE SYSTEM IS UNDER
STRESS. I WOULD LIKE TO
DISTINGUISH THAT FROM THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
SERVICES, SETTING OUT A WIRELESS
ALERT AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE,
UM THAT IS AN EXTREME MEASURE. I
AM PLEASED TO KNOW THAT
CALIFORNIANS ARE SENSITIVE TO
AND RESPONSIVE TO A CALL FOR
HELP. WHEN, WHEN, WHEN? ASKED
BUT IT IT IS A MEASURE THAT THAT
I WOULD ONLY WANT TO USE VERY
RELUCTANTLY. AND MY WORK AT THE
I S¼ L REALLY IS TO SORT OF FILL
OUT THE TOOL CHEST WITH THE MANY
. MANY OTHER TECH MEANS THAT WE
HAVE TO PRESERVE RELIABLY. WHEN
THE SYSTEM IS UNDER STRESS. I'D
LIKE TO LIST A FEW OF THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SPECIFICALLY THE FIRST IS TO ON
BOARD. A LOT OF NEW RESOURCES
AND SPECIFICALLY THE ENERGY
STORAGE THROUGH BATTERIES. IN
THE LAST THREE YEARS. WE HAVE
INCREASED THE CAPACITY OF
BATTERY ON THE SYSTEM. 30 FOLD.
WE'VE GONE FROM 200 MEGAWATTS TO
OVER 7000 MEGAWATTS OF BATTERIES
. THOSE BATTERIES ARE A KEY
REASON WHY WE DID NOT HAVE ANY
FLEX ALERTS THIS PAST SUMMER. WE
HAD CALM WEATHER. WE HAD GOOD
HYDRO. BUT HAVING THAT ABILITY
TO SHIFT THE SOLAR FROM THE
MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO THE EVENING
WHEN WE NEED IT HAS BEEN
CRITICAL TO TAKING STRESS OF OFF
OUR SYSTEM. THE SECOND WAY.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING THE SECOND
TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX. QUITE
FRANKLY, IS OUR REGIONAL MARKETS
. WE ARE NOW ABLE TO MOVE POWER
SEAMLESSLY ACROSS THE WEST TO
WHERE IT IS NEEDED, SO THAT
POWER THAT WE ARE OFFLOADING
WHEN WE HAVE TOO MUCH SALT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO HELP
OUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE HAVING
STRESS CONDITIONS COMES RIGHT
BACK TO US IN THE EVENING WHEN
WE HAVE OUR STRESS CONDITIONS
AND THEIR SYSTEMS HAVE EASED OFF
A BIT, AND WE DO THAT, IN MORE
OR LESS AN AUTOMATED FASHION
THROUGH THESE REGIONAL MARKETS.
THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A TERRIFIC
TERRIFIC OUTCOME FOR US. THE
THIRD WAY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
ADDRESS THE THIRD TOOL IN OUR
TOOLBOX IS REALLY TO IMPROVE OUR
OWN PROCEDURES. WE ARE AT THE
END OF A THREE YEAR GRID
MODERNIZATION ACTIVITY THAT'S
GOING TO REVAMP OUR CONTROL ROOM
IT'S GONNA PUT IN THE LATEST
WEATHER FORECASTING TOOLS AND A
WHOLE HOST OF AUTOMATED AND MORE
SOPHISTICATED PROCEDURES SO THAT
WE CAN ANTICIPATE BETTER AND
AUTOMATE OUR OPERATORS. ACTIONS
IN RESPONDING TO RELIEVING THE
STRESS SITUATIONS. UM I'M ALSO
VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF PROGRAMS
THAT WE'VE INITIATED TO LOOK AT
EMERGENCY DEMAND RESPONSE. SO
UNLIKE THE FLEX LEVEL, WE'RE
ASKING FOLKS VOLUNTARILY TO SAVE
ENERGY. WE ARE PAYING FOLKS. WE
ARE CONTRACTING WITH THEM IN
ADVANCE, AND WE ARE PAYING THEM
WHEN THEY ARE CALLED TO PROVIDE
THAT DEMAND RELIEF WHEN WE NEED
IT. UNDER THESE EMERGENCY
CONDITIONS, WE ARE ALSO WORKING
VERY CLOSELY WITH Dð WR ON SOME
OF THE EMERGENCY GENERATION
PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE UNDERWAY
AGAIN. JUST THE GOAL AND
RELIABILITY IS WHAT WE CALL
DEFENSE AND WE WANNA HAVE
MULTIPLE MULTIPLE TECHNIQUES,
NOT JUST CALLING FOR HELP, YOU
KNOW, AND ASKING FOLKS TO
VOLUNTARILY CURTAIL ELECT USE AT
THE LAST MINUTE, BUT A WHOLE
HOST OF STEPS THAT WE WERE ABLE
TO DEPLOY AND MINIMIZE THOSE
EXTREME MEASURES. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSES
TO THE QUESTIONS. PEACE, MADAM
VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTIONS. I DO
HAVE COMMENT. A COMMENT. UM, WE
DON'T AGREE ON THE IN USE OF
TRANSITION AND POLICY, BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR SKILL AND YOUR
INTELLECT AND YOUR INTELLIGENCE
TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THIS
PROCESS. AND I AM VERY
COMFORTABLE WITH YOU AT THE I S¼
Ó THAT YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP
THE LIGHTS ON AND YOU ARE GONNA
DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT
BANKRUPT. UM EVERY CALIFORNIAN
AND YOU'RE GONNA WORK. UM, WE
HAD A EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION
YESTERDAY ABOUT I S¼ Ó S¼ AND
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN MAKING
TRANSMISSION LINES WERE
AVAILABLE. I EXPRESSED TO YOU
THAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN
CURRENT WITH HELMUT PERCENT. 50
THREE. I GOTTA WRITE THAT DOWN.
EXCUSE ME. YOU KNOW, I'M
PREPARING TO GIVE HER SPEECH.
I'M PREPARING TO GIVE HER SPEECH
AT THE END OF HER SERVICE. SO I
HAVE TO GET ALL THESE FACTS. 50
3% OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
ENERGY COMES FROM KERN COUNTY AT
A 58 COUNTIES AND WE HAVE ENERGY
TO SHARE BUT THE TRANSMISSION
LINES THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
USE FOR ISOS BECAUSE THEY ARE
CONCERNED OF EARTHQUAKES AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. AND BELIEVE
ME, IF WE HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE
THAT'S GOING TO DISTURB THOSE
2ND AND 3RD TRANSMISSION OR THE
SECOND TRANSMISSION LINES. MORE
PROBLEMS THAN TRANSMISSION LINES
, AND I APPRECIATE THE HOUR OR
SO THAT YOU SPENT WITH ME
YESTERDAY. I HAVE FULL
CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO
MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IN THE I S¼
Ó AND YOU ARE GOING TO DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE DELIVERABLE POWER
FOR A RATE THAT CALIFORNIANS CAN
AFFORD. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE
THAT STATEMENT AND EXPRESS WHY
I'M NOT ASKING QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MADAM VICE CHAIR. VERY GRATEFUL.
YOU NEED JUST SHORT QUESTIONS.
THIS IS ALL RIGHT WITH THE
COMMITTEE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS
AND AGAIN GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME
AND JUMPING IN ON THE DETAILS OF
THIS HERE TODAY, AND I AM
GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THEY HAVE HAD TIME TO BE ABLE TO
SIT DOWN WITH YOU AS WELL. I'D
LIKE TO JUST TALK ABOUT
REGIONALIZATION REAL QUICK, AND
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT OBVIOUSLY
HAS BEEN SWIRLING AROUND THE
STATES SWIRLING AROUND THE
LEGISLATURE. UM AND I WOULD LIKE
TO TALK ABOUT ENSURING THAT
CALIFORNIA IF WE EVER GO DOWN,
THIS ROAD IS ABLE TO BE ABLE TO
PROTECT OUR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS
AND ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE ONE OR
TWO AT THE TABLE VERSUS
CONTROLLING OUR OWN DESTINY, AND
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT
THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? AND AS A
BOARD MEMBER, UH, BEING ABLE TO
PROTECT THOSE GOALS THAT WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED LET ME START BY
SAYING THAT I SUPPORT THESE
GOALS WHOLEHEARTEDLY, AS I'VE
SOUGHT TO INDICATE I'VE SPENT
MOST MAJORITY OF MY CAREER
PURSUING THOSE GOALS IN
DIFFERENT WAYS. SO I BELIEVE IN
THEM AND I AND I'M AND I'M
GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE MY PUBLIC SERVICE BY
SERVING ON THE BOARD AND
ADVANCING THOSE GOALS. THOSE
GOALS ARE ARE AFTER KEEPING THE
LIGHTS ON MY PRIORITY, AND I'M
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE
DECISIONS WE MAKE FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF PRESERVING THOSE
GOALS. REGIONALIZATION. REGIONAL
CO-OPERATION IS WHAT I LIKE TO
USE IS THE TERM IS THE LEAST
COST WAY OF ACHIEVING THOSE
GOALS. UM THE DIVERSIFYING THE
MARKETS. THE DIVERSIFYING THE
PORTFOLIO THAT WE DRAW FROM
BECAUSE WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING
IN THE SOUTHWEST, AND IT'S NOT
SHINING IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
WE CAN UTILIZE THAT THAT THAT
SOLAR ENERGY WHEN THE WIND IS
BLOWING IN WYOMING AND IDAHO,
AND THE WIND IS NOT BLOWING IN
ITS HATCH A PIECE WE CAN UTILIZE
THAT WIND POWER, SO WE ARE MORE
COST EFFECTIVELY ABLE TO MEET
OUR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS. THROUGH
REGIONAL CO-OPERATION. THE WAY
THAT WE PROTECT OUR INTERESTS IN
THESE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REGIONAL
COOPER OPERATION IS TO BE
PROACTIVE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM I THINK OUR OUR EDAM AND OUR
E ENERGY IMBALANCE MARKET AND
OUR EXTENDED DAY HEAD MARKET.
ARE TANGIBLE EXAMPLES OF HOW WE
DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF THAT
COOPER OPERATION TO OUR PARTNERS
AND TO OURSELVES, UH, THE ENERGY
IMBALANCE MARKET HAS YIELDED $5
BILLION OF SAVINGS FOR ALL OF
THE WESTERN PARTICIPANTS. WE GET
ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT. THOSE ARE
THAT IS MONEY THAT WE WOULD
OTHERWISE HAVE TO BE PAYING TO
BE IN PURSUING OUR CLEAN ENERGY
GOALS THAT WE ARE, IN FACT
GAINING FROM THE TRADE WITH OUR
NEIGHBORS, THE EDM THAT, UH,
FERC JUST APPROVED FOR THE
EXTENDED DAY HAD MARKET WHICH IS
SORT OF AN ENHANCEMENT ON THAT
ENERGY IMBALANCE MARKET IS JUST
GONNA FURTHER THOSE BENEFITS
TOWARD US AGAIN WITH THE
OBJECTIVE. LET ME CLARIFY, WE
HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG IN THE WAY
THAT THESE MARKETS ARE SET UP SO
THAT WE KNOW THE COLOR OF EVERY
ELECTRON THAT'S CROSSING THE
BORDER INTO OUR STATE. AND
THAT'S HOW WE PROTECT OUR GOALS
BY GAIN BY BENEFITING FROM TRADE
AND ENSURING THAT THAT TRADE IS
FAIR AND HONEST IN TERMS OF
PAYING FOR IT AND GETTING THE
CLEAN ENERGY THAT WE SEEK. THANK
YOU SO MUCH BOARD MEMBER. I'D
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION IN
IN PIGGYBACK ONTO WHERE SENATOR
LAIRD WAS DISCUSSING IN REGARD
TO TRANSMISSION. UM, I THINK THE
BOTTOM LINE AND I THINK WE ARE
IN AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO GET
MORE TRANSMISSION ON FASTER. I
KNOW THAT, UH UNDER CURRENT
LEGISLATION. THERE IS WORK
THAT'S HAPPENED BETWEEN CAL ISO
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION ON
HOW TO BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE AND I
THINK THAT TRANSMISSION PROJECT
IS ARE MY WORDS. THE EXPEDITING
PLAN WOULD BE DUE BACK TO THIS
LEGISLATURE IN DECEMBER. I
BELIEVE THAT EACH OF THE THREE
AGENCIES I THINK THIS IS MORE OF
A COMMENT, BUT TRULY, I THINK
WHERE WE ARE. OUR ACHILLES HEEL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT OFFSHORE WIND IS THE
ABILITY TO GET THAT POWER OFF
THE SEA AND INTO THE REST OF THE
GRID RIGHT AND IT'S BECAUSE, AND
I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR OUR NECK OF
THE WOODS. WHETHER YOU'RE GOING,
UM WEST TO EAST READING OUT OF
HUMBOLDT OR NORTH TO SOUTH FROM
HUMBOLDT INTO SONOMA COUNTY.
THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES ARE
GOING TO NEED ENHANCED UPGRADES,
MOST LIKELY IN THE BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. SO I THINK THAT IS OUR
BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE
AND WHY, UM WE NEED TO MOVE WITH
SPEED AND GRACE TO BE ABLE TO
GET IT DONE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT MY
COMMENT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO JUST CHIME IN ON YOUR
OWN PERSONAL OPINION ON THAT
ABSOLUTELY. YOU ARE YOU YOU ARE
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, AND I HAVE
GREAT CONCERN. AROUND THE
CHALLENGES OF BUILDING
TRANSMISSION IN THIS STATE. WE
KNOW IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT
PROPOSITION. PEOPLE DON'T LIKE
TO SEE IT. IT COSTS A LOT OF
MONEY. UH, YET WE NEED IT. I
WANTED TO SORT OF REFLECT ON ONE
ASPECT OF THEM. WE HAVE TANGIBLE
PROOF THAT THAT MYU AMONG OUR
THREE AGENCIES IS WORKING IN THE
LAST TRANSMISSION PLAN THAT WE
APPROVED. LAST YEAR. WE APPROVED
46 PROJECTS TOING ABOUT $7
BILLION IN SPENDING. THAT'S MORE
THAN TWICE THE AMOUNT THAT WAS
APPROVED IN THE PRIOR YEAR. SO
THAT'S A DIRECT CAUSE AND EFFECT
. WE INTEGRATED THESE PROCESSES.
UM WE, UM IMMEDIATELY WERE ABLE
TO SORT OF MAKE A QUANTUM STEP
FORWARD IN THE PLANNING PROCESS
IN TERMS OF WHICH PROJECTS WE
WANT SPEAKING TO THE NORTH COAST
OFFSHORE WIND, WHICH WE ARE
COUNTING ON IN MEETING THESE
CLEAN ENERGY TARGETS, I WILL
REVIEW THE PLAN AFTER WE HAD OUR
WE ARE LOOKING AT 1600
MEGAWATTS. OF TRANSMISSION TO
BRING IN THE 10 YEAR PLAN. WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATIVES
RIGHT NOW FOR THE PLAN THAT WE
COME BEFORE ME IN A COUPLE OF
MONTHS, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING
AT EVERY POSSIBLE WAY OF GETTING
THAT POWER. ON BOARD AT THE TIME
THAT THAT ONSHORE THAT OFFSHORE
WIND IS DEVELOPED. WE'RE LOOKING
AT RECOND. WE ARE LOOKING AT NEW
TRANSMISSION PATHS. WE HAVE THE
GAMUT OF ALTERNATIVES IN FRONT
OF US. WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE
MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY AND THE
QUICKEST WAY. TO GET THAT POWER
TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE. I WANT TO
THANK THE LEGISLATURE FOR
HELPING US IN THE DOWNSTREAM
PART OF THAT. THE PERMITTING
SIDING, WHICH IS ALSO A HUGE
HOLE UP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THOSE PROJECTS, AND THIS IS AN
ISSUE THAT OBVIOUSLY SENATOR
LAIRD IS CHAMPION AND OTHERS IN
THIS LEGISLATURE OF TRYING TO BE
ABLE TO GET IT DONE SOONER. I
THINK WHERE WE'D LIKE TO THERE
ARE SOME THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO GO IS VERY SIMILAR TO
WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH OFFSHORE
WIND IN COMBINING ENVIRONMENTAL
DOCUMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT
WHERE WE COMBINE TWO EIRS BOTH
LOCAL AND STATE INTO ONE AND
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FEDS, WE
ARE TO COMBINE THE FEDERAL
DOCUMENT WITH BOAM WITH S¼. I
THINK THAT THAT COULD BE A
RECIPE FOR SOME SUCCESS THERE. I
THINK THE AWKWARD PIECE OF WHERE
YOU'RE AT AND PLEASE PUSH BACK
ON ME AS A BOARD MEMBER. YOU
HAVE A FOOT IN STATE LAND, AND
YOU ALSO HAVE A WITH THE FED.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY, FERC IS THE ONE
THAT'S GONNA DETERMINE MAKING
SURE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH TO
ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH
RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO BUILD
OUT THAT CLEAN ENERGY GRID. AND
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO ASK. HOW WOULD YOU SEE
PRIORITIZING THOSE CLEAN ENERGY
PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE?
RIGHT SO WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE,
THERE IS GREAT DEMAND WITH
SENATOR GROVES DISTRICT,
ESPECIALLY WITHIN KERN. LARGE
COMMERCIAL GRADE SOLAR. WE KNOW
THAT THERE IS GREAT DEMAND ON
THE CENTRAL COAST. WE KNOW FOR
OFFSHORE WIND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
GREAT DEMAND FOR GEOTHERMAL IN
AREAS OF THE SALTON SEA AS WELL
AS ON THE NORTH COAST. SO HOW
WOULD YOU SEE CALAIS SO
PRIORITIZING PROJECTS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY IN THE QUEUE THAT
WOULD BOTH NUMBER ONE HIT OUR
LONG TERM NEEDS PLUS ADVANCE
THOSE CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.
ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE IS AT THE
HEART. OF THE INTERCONNECTION
PROCESS ENHANCEMENTS. THAT WE
HAVE SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF
DISCUSSING IN MULTIPLE MULTIPLE
STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOPS
SPECIFICALLY TO HAMMER OUT
EXACTLY WHAT WILL BE A FAIR
PROCESS THAT ALL PARTIES CAN
AGREE TO, OR AT LEAST TOLERATE
TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS.
RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE
RESOURCES IN MANY PARTS OF THE
STATE. AND WE NEED TO DEVELOP
THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST READY
THE MOST TO OUR CLEAN ENERGY
GOALS, THE SOONEST AND HAVING A
TRANSPARENT AND OPEN PROCESS TO
ESTABLISH WHAT THOSE
MEASUREMENTS WHAT THOSE METRICS
ARE IS TO MY MIND THE FAIREST
APPROACH THAT WE CAN TAKE TO
ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY'S
INTERESTS ARE HEARD AND
RESPECTED AND ACCOMMODATED AND
ALIGNED WITH A PURSUIT OF OUR
STATE'S CLEAN ENERGY GOALS. YEAH
I'LL JUST DO A QUICK FOLLOW UP
AND THEN, UH, SEE IF THERE'S ANY
ADDITIONAL, UH QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE IS
THAT LOOK, I. I THINK THAT WE
HAVE ESTABLISHED THESE MASSIVE
GOALS RIGHTFULLY SO. IN èC ON
US IF WE CAN'T HIT THEM, AND THE
ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO MEET THESE GOALS IS
ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A MODERN
TRANSMISSION GRID UP AND
RUNNING. SO AGAIN. I KNOW YOU
HAVE A FOOT IN THE FEDS AND A
FOOT IN THE STATE AND PLEASE
PUSH BACK ON ME. I THINK WHERE
COYOTE KAL ISO HAS AN ABILITY TO
IMPACT POSITIVE CHANGES
PRIORITIZING THOSE CLEAN ENERGY
PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN
THE QUEUE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY
WORKING WITH FERC TO BE ABLE TO
LINE UP THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE
ARE SO DEPENDENT ON THE FEDS TO
BE ABLE TO HELP FUND WOULD THAT
BE FAIR ASSESSMENT OF FAIR
ASSESSMENT, SIR? YEAH, AND SO I
THINK THAT'S THE BIG PIECE I
THINK, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK
FOR FOLKS THAT PEER BY, UH, A
PRIORITY, AT LEAST BASED OFF OF
THE POLICY THAT'S BEEN PASSED BY
THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL AS BY
THE GOVERNOR. AND AGAIN, MR
BOARD MEMBER. I APPRECIATE THE
SERIOUSNESS THAT YOU'VE TAKEN
THE HEARING AND DO WANT TO SAY
THAT I'M GRATEFUL ON THAT. I
WOULD LIKE TO NOW SEE IF THERE'S
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM
THE COMMITTEE HEARING SCENE.
NONE WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE'RE GOING TO START
WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN THE PUBLIC
AND WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT.
IF YOU DO NOT MIND APPROACHING
THE PODIUM IF YOU COULD PLEASE
SAY YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME
ALONG WITH ORGANIZATION THAT
YOU'RE WITH. WE WELCOME YOU. HOW
YOU DOING? THANKS HØI, UM MIKE
SITTING HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
SYSTEM, UH, ASSOCIATION IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NICE
TO SEE YOU, MR ROBINSON. GOOD
AFTERNOON, NICO MOLE ON BEHALF
OF THE NRDC ACTION FUND AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, HOWARD KWON WITH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POWER POWER
AGENCY AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU,
MR KAN. HØI GOOD AFTERNOON,
SARAH FITZSIMON WITH THE
INDEPENDENT ENERGY PRODUCERS
ASSOCIATION, ALSO KNOWN AS IEP.
HERE IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. TIFFY FAN, UH,
IN SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THREE
ENTITIES FIRST INTERSECT POWER.
SECONDLY THE CALIFORNIA
EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND MANAGEMENT
COUNCIL LAST M èC E SERVING
CUSTOMERS IN CONTRA CUSTOM OR IN
NAPA AND SOLANO COUNTIES. ALL IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH APPRECIATE THAT. I WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF
THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL
INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT. WE WILL LAST CALL FOR
SUPPORT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
HERE IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM, WE'D
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
IN OPPOSITION. IF YOU COULD
PLEASE ADVANCE AT THIS TIME.
THOSE IN OPPOSITION LAST CALL.
HEARING SEEN NÓ ONE STAND. WE
ARE NOW GOING TO BRING IT BACK
TO COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO SEE
IF THERE IS ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A MOTION BY
MADAM VICE CHAIR TO BE ABLE TO
MOVE MR ETO TO THE FLOOR. THE
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? I GROVE GROVE EYE EG
EG. I JONES I JONES, I LAIRD
LAYERED I 5 TO 0. THAT IS A 5 TO
0 VOTE. CONGRATULATIONS THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK UH CAROL ISO
STAFF WHO'S ALSO HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S GOOD TO
SEE YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING
HERE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS
CONCLUDES TODAY'S PUBLIC PORTION
OF THE AGENDA. WE ARE GRATEFUL
FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE
HAVE HEARD TODAY. WE ARE GOING
TO BE MOVING THE SENATE RULES
COMMITTEE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION
. WE WILL TAKE A TWO MINUTE
BREAK. ALLOW FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO
EXIT THE ROOM AND THEN MORE
ADVANCE OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
HERE TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
A TWO MINUTE BREAK.