. ▁These ▁power ▁out ages ▁affect ▁thousands ▁of ▁customers ▁state wide ▁and ▁are ▁cost ly ▁to ▁repair . ▁A ▁study ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁indicated ▁that ▁Pacific ▁Gas ▁& ▁Electric , ▁Southern ▁California ▁Ed ison , ▁and ▁Bur bank ▁Water ▁and ▁Power ▁experienced ▁hundreds ▁of ▁bal lo on - related ▁power ▁out ages ▁that ▁cost ▁business es ▁$ 1 2 0 ▁million ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁O pp on ents ▁to ▁S B ▁ 1 4 9 9 ▁included ▁flor ists , ▁special - event ▁pl ann ers , ▁and ▁small ▁business es , ▁who ▁said ▁the ▁bill ▁could ▁cost ▁them ▁$ 1 0 0 ▁million , ▁which ▁could ▁translate ▁to ▁loss ▁of ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁$ 8 0 ▁million ▁in ▁tax ▁reven ues ▁for ▁the ▁state . ▁▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁these ▁companies ▁started ▁a ▁grass ro ots ▁campaign ▁called ▁“ Save ▁Our ▁Bal lo ons ”. ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁strong ▁opposition ▁by ▁numerous ▁groups , ▁this ▁bill ▁was ▁am ended ▁to ▁require ▁notification ▁of ▁potential ▁power ▁out ages ▁on ▁all ▁bal lo on ▁weights ▁and ▁direct s ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁Public ▁Util ities ▁Commission ▁to ▁identify ▁a ▁cost - effect ive , ▁consumer - friend ly ▁substitute ▁for ▁met all ic ▁bal lo ons . ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁originally ▁intended ▁to ▁go ▁into ▁effect ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁but ▁the ▁version ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁California ▁sen ate ▁would ▁have ▁gone ▁into ▁effect ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁bill