Opinion No. (1997)

DANIEL E. LUNGREN Attorney General CLAYTON P. ROCHE Deputy Attorney General THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION has requested an opinion on the following question: Is the California Public Utilities Commission required to discharge an employee who marries an employee of a regulated utility? CONCLUSION The California Public Utilities Commission is required to discharge an employee who marries an employee of a regulated utility. ANALYSIS Section 303 of the Public Utilities Code 1 provides: "No person in the employ of or holding any official relation to any corporation or person that is subject in whole or in part to regulation by the commission, and no person owning stocks or bonds of any such corporation or who is in any manner pecuniarily interested therein shall be appointed to or hold the office of commissioner or be appointed or employed by the commission. If any such person becomes the owner of such stocks or bonds or becomes pecuniarily interested in such corporation otherwise than voluntarily, his office or employment shall become vacant unless within a reasonable time he divests himself of such ownership or interest." We are asked to determine whether the California…