California Climate & Energy Collaborative

Legislative Tracker Database

Below you will find the 2025 legislative tracker that will be used throughout the year to track relevant climate and energy legislation as it moves through the California Legislature.  If you are interested in a particular bill, we encourage you to follow the link in the bill number to read the full text.

Last updated: 5/28/2025

AB 1017

|
Boerner
Energy: electrical and gas corporations: general rate cases.

This bill would require electrical or gas corporations, in a report required to be submitted annually to the commission, to include in the report the capacity of its electrical or gas distribution system, respectively.

This bill would require an electrical corporation or gas corporation, as a part of its general rate case, to provide to the commission certain information, including, among other things, the authorized and actual rate of return and return on equity for the past 10 years and projects related to the corporation’s distribution capacity that include the forecast submitted in the prior general rate case of the corporation.
Latest Activity:
06/26/25 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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AB 1020

|
Schiavo
New Update!
Public utilities: energy: taxpayer funding: reporting.
This bill would require each utility, defined as an investor-owned electrical corporation or gas corporation, to report certain information for any taxpayer funding, as defined, greater than or equal to $1,000,000 that the utility has applied for or received. The bill would require the commission, for each application in which a utility is seeking ratepayer funding, to require the utility to report all relevant taxpayer funding greater than or equal to $1,000,000 that the utility is pursuing or has secured, and, if the commission determines that a utility is not in compliance with that requirement, the bill would authorize the commission to impose a penalty against the utility, as specified. The bill would require the commission to require each utility to promptly deliver to ratepayers the financial benefits of taxpayer funding to ratepayers, funding received, as provided.
This bill would require the commission to provide an annual report to the Legislature with a summary of the information on taxpayer funding reported by each utility, including the number of grants or loans, the source of those grants or loans, the dollar amount received, the projects funded by the grants or loans, and the demonstrated ratepayer savings.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2036.
Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 3.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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AB 729

|
Zbur
Public utilities: climate credits

This bill would require that the electric California Climate Credit be provided to residential, small business, and emissions-intensive trade-exposed the residential and small business retail customers of electrical corporations on the bills of those customers for the months of August and September of each year year, and to the emissions-intensive trade-exposed retail customers of electrical corporations on the bills of those customers for the month of August of each year, unless otherwise directed by the commission, as specified. The bill would require that the natural gas California Climate Credit be provided to residential customers on the bills of those customers for the month of February of each year unless otherwise directed by the commission, as specified.

Latest Activity:
06/05/25 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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AB 825

|
Petrie-Norris
Public Transmission Financing Act of 2025.

This bill would create the Public Transmission Financing Fund within the State Treasury for the purpose of financing eligible transmission projects, as defined, and projects that are necessary to meet the state’s clean energy goals to reduce or offset ratepayer costs associated with the public benefits of transmission projects. The bill would make the moneys in the fund, except as specified, continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal year, for the support of eligible entities, as defined, and available for expenditure for the above-described purpose. By establishing a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
This bill would require the I-Bank to administer the Public Transmission Financing Program to provide financial assistance and financing for eligible transmission projects, sponsored or owned, in whole or in part, by a public transmission sponsor, as defined. The bill would authorize the I-Bank to provide financial assistance under the Public Transmission Financing Program program to any public transmission sponsor or participating party, as defined, either directly or to a lending or financial institution, in connection with the financing or refinancing of a transmission project owned or financed, in whole or in part, by a public transmission sponsor, in accordance with an agreement or agreements, between the I-Bank and the public transmission sponsor either as a sole lender or in participation or syndication with other lenders. The bill would authorize the I-Bank to issue taxable or tax-exempt bonds, as specified, loan the proceeds to a public transmission sponsor, and deposit the proceeds into the Public Transmission Financing Fund or use the proceeds to refund bonds previously issued, as provided. The bill would prohibit the I-Bank from providing financing or other support for eligible transmission projects that will recover costs through an authorized revenue requirement approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unless the public transmission sponsor makes specified commitments. The bill would prohibit the I-Bank from financing an eligible transmission project unless certain conditions are met for the construction and maintenance of the transmission project and the transmission project complies with General Order 95 of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Existing law establishes the Wildfire Fund to pay eligible claims arising from a covered wildfire, as provided. Existing law requires the PUC to direct an electrical corporation participating in the Wildfire Fund to collect a nonbypassable charge from the electrical corporation’s ratepayers to support the Wildfire Fund.
This bill would require a public transmission sponsor of a transmission project that receives benefits from the Public Transmission Financing Program to participate in the Wildfire Fund, as provided

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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AB 942

|
Calderon
Net energy metering: eligible customer-generators: tariffs.

Net energy metering: eligible customer-generators: tariffs. Electricity: climate credits.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in regulating those emissions. The implementing regulations adopted by the state board provide for the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electrical corporations pursuant to a market-based compliance mechanism.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the PUC to continue a program of assistance to low-income electric and gas customers with annual household incomes that are no greater than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, as specified, which is referred to as the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. Existing law also requires the PUC to continue a program of assistance to residential customers of the state’s 3 largest electrical corporations consisting of households of 3 or more persons with total household annual gross income levels between 200% and 250% of the federal poverty guideline level, which is referred to as the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program.
Existing law, except as provided, requires revenues received by an electrical corporation as a result of the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to be credited directly to residential, small business, and emissions-intensive trade-exposed retail customers of the electrical corporation, commonly known as the California Climate Credit.
This bill would exclude residential customers from receiving the California Climate Credit if they are not enrolled in the CARE or FERA program and their total electricity bills for the previous year were less than $300.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act, or of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission, is a crime.
Because the provisions of this bill would be part of the Public Utilities Act, and a violation of a commission action implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1016

|
Gonzalez
New Update!
Power facility and site certifications: thermal powerplants: geothermal resources.

Existing law gives the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission exclusive jurisdiction to certify the construction of thermal powerplants and exempts certain projects with generating capacities of up to 100 megawatts from certification if there are no substantial environmental or energy resource impacts.

This bill would additionally authorize the commission to exempt from the certification requirement, only until January 1, 2030, a thermal powerplant that generates electricity using exclusively geothermal resources and is found by the commission to meet specified criteria, including that the person proposing the powerplant files an application on or before June 30, 2029, with the local governmental agency that has land use and related jurisdiction over the area in which the powerplant is located, that the local governmental agency will be the lead agency for the project and will require a discretionary permit that is subject to environmental review pursuant to CEQA, that the person proposing the powerplant certifies that specified skilled and trained workforce requirements will be followed if the exemption is granted, and that the powerplant has a net generating capacity of 50 to 150 megawatts or that modifications are being made to the powerplant to add capacity resulting in total net generating capacity of 50 to 150 megawatts. megawatts, and for any plan for multiple geothermal powerplants that use at least one common infrastructure component and those powerplants, in total, have a net generating capacity of 50 or more megawatts. Upon the commission granting an exemption, the bill would require the local governmental agency to be the lead agency for purposes of CEQA to certify the site and related facility, as provided. The bill would would, until January 1, 2030, make the local governmental agency that has land use and related jurisdiction over the area of the proposed site and related facility the lead agency pursuant to CEQA for any project that the commission exempts from the certification requirement and that generates electricity using geothermal resources as provided.

Latest Activity:
06/19/25 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1117

|
Schultz
New Update!
Electricity: rates: optional dynamic rate tariffs.

This bill would require the commission, through a new or existing proceeding, to develop optional dynamic rate tariffs applicable to each large electrical corporation for the large electrical corporation’s customers. The bill would require at least one optional dynamic rate tariff for each segment of medium and large commercial and industrial customers no later than on or before July 1, 2028, and at least one optional dynamic rate tariff for each segment of residential and small commercial customers no later than on or before July 1, 2030. The bill would require each optional dynamic rate tariff to include, at minimum, specified components, including a time-varying transmission and distribution rates rate that reflect reflects dynamic grid constraints constraints, a time-varying generation rate that reflects wholesale market conditions, and nonbypassable charges, as specified. The bill would require the commission to ensure, among other things, any overcollection of transmission-, distribution-, and generation-related revenue requirements from participating bundled customers is returned to the participating bundled customers and any undercollection of those revenue requirements is borne by those same customers. The bill would additionally require that any overcollection of transmission- or distribution-related revenue requirements from unbundled customers be returned to the same unbundled customers, and any undercollection of those revenue requirements be borne by those same customers. The bill would require that any customer of an electrical corporation with an installed smart meter who chooses to take service under an optional dynamic rate tariff be provided access to their own interval usage data directly from the smart meter as that data is generated, as provided. The bill would also require the commission to determine whether each large electrical corporation would be required to allow medium and large commercial and industrial customers taking service under an optional dynamic rate tariff to also participate in supply-side resource demand response programs, as provided. The bill would require that any new medium and large commercial and industrial customer energized on or after July 1, 2028, that opts to take service under an optional dynamic rate tariff be eligible to receive generation service from an electric service provider, if specified conditions are met. The bill would require the commission to consider rules or conditions on participation by vulnerable residential customers to ensure adequate protection for those customers, as provided. The bill would require the commission to incorporate the load shift and load reduction effects of dynamic rate adoption in proceedings on revenue requirement cost recovery, as provided. The bill would require the commission to ensure load-serving entities provide adequate electricity bill comparison information to residential and small business customers interested in taking service under an optional dynamic rate tariff.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1167

|
Addis, Berman
Public utilities: inspection of accounts: electrical corporations and gas corporations: rate recovery: political activities and promotional advertising.

This bill would prohibit, except as provided, an electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording various expenses associated with political influence activities, as defined, or with promotional advertising, as defined, to accounts that contain expenses that the electrical corporation or gas corporation recovers from ratepayers. ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require electrical corporations and gas corporations to clearly and conspicuously disclose in all of its public messages whether the costs of the public messages are paid for by the corporation’s shareholders or ratepayers. The bill would require an electrical corporation or gas corporation, on or before April 30, May 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, to provide the commission with a report of expenses from the previous calendar year and would require that, for each business unit of the corporation that performs work associated with political influence activities or promotional advertising, the report contain specified information. include, as part of a specified statement to the commission, certain information. The bill would require the commission to make the report publicly available and would authorize the commission to redact information that the commission deems to be confidential in the report. available, as provided.
This bill would require the commission to assess a civil penalty against an electrical corporation or gas corporation that willfully violates the prohibition described above, or that willfully neglects to comply with any part or provision of any order, decision, decree, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission related to implementing the bill’s requirements, as provided.

Existing law authorizes the commission, each commissioner, and each officer and person employed by the commission to inspect the accounts, books, papers, and documents of a public utility or a subsidiary or affiliate of, or a corporation that holds a controlling interest in, an electrical, gas, or telephone corporation or a water corporation that has 2,000 or more service connections, with respect to any transaction between the electrical, gas, telephone, or water corporations and the subsidiary, affiliate, or holding corporation on any matter that may adversely affect the interests of the ratepayers of those corporations.

This bill would specify that the Public Advocate’s Office of the Public Utilities Commission has the same authority to discover information and review the accounts of public utilities as the commission.

Latest Activity:
07/07/25 Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1170

|
Dixon
Maintenance of the codes.

Existing law directs the Legislative Counsel to advise the Legislature from time to time as to legislation necessary to maintain the codes.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in various provisions of the law to effectuate the recommendations made by the Legislative Counsel to the Legislature.

Latest Activity:
07/28/25 Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 67, Statutes of 2025.
Status: Active
| 100% Signed by Governor and chaptered into law
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AB-1273

|
Patterson
Public utilities: electricity rates.
This bill would prohibit the commission from placing the consideration of an application from an electrical corporation for a rate increase general rate case proceeding on its consent calendar. The bill would, except as provided, require the commission to provide a public comment period for the application of not less than 30 minutes at the hearing considering the application. to consider and vote on the electrical corporation general rate case proceeding.
Latest Activity:
07/22/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1280

|
Garcia
New Update!
Energy

This bill expands the I-Bank’s authority to include projects focused on decarbonizing industrial facilities’ heat and power use, such as industrial heat pump and thermal energy storage projects. It also creates the Industrial Facilities Thermal Energy Storage Program within the Long-Duration Energy Storage Program to incentivize decarbonization efforts. Additionally, the bill renames the Industrial Grid Support and Decarbonization Program to the Industrial Decarbonization and Improvement of Grid Operations Program, expanding its focus to include health-harming pollutants and requiring projects to create high-road jobs, use project labor agreements, and address pollution remediation, particularly for facilities with air permit violations. The bill also prioritizes projects in under-resourced communities and those that pursue community benefits agreements.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1301

|
Petrie-Norris
Electricity: Power Exchange.

Existing law establishes a Power Exchange as a nonprofit public benefit corporation to provide an efficient competitive auction, open on a nondiscriminatory basis to all suppliers of electricity, that meets the loads of all of its customers at efficient prices.

This bill would abolish the Power Exchange and would make various conforming changes.

Latest Activity:
05/28/25 Referred to Com. on E., U & C.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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AB-1408

|
Irwin
New Update!
Electricity: rates.

Existing law establishes the Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit, public benefit corporation and requires the ISO, among other duties, to ensure the efficient use and reliable operation of the transmission grid consistent with the achievement of planning and operating reserve criteria, as provided.
This bill would require the ISO to integrate surplus interconnection service considerations into its long-term transmission planning and enhance transparency around surplus interconnection service opportunities, as specified.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards.
Existing law requires the commission to adopt a process for each load-serving entity to file an integrated resource plan, adopt a schedule for periodic updates to the plan, and ensure each load-serving entity take specified actions, as specified. Existing law also requires the governing board of each local publicly owned electric utility with an annual electrical demand exceeding 700 gigawatthours to adopt an integrated resource plan and a process for updating the plan at least once every 5 years to ensure the utility achieves certain goals, as specified.
This bill would require each electrical corporation, and each local publicly owned utility with an annual electrical demand exceeding 700 gigawatthours, to require the evaluation of surplus interconnection service options and to consider surplus interconnection service options, for purposes of its integrated resource plan.
This bill would also require each electrical corporation or local publicly owned electric utility to use available grid infrastructure through surplus interconnection service to use any available interconnection capacity, as specified.

Latest Activity:
07/18/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-1436

|
Ávila Farías
Public Utilities Commission: outreach.

Existing law, in effect until January 1, 2020, required the Policy and Planning Division of the Public Utilities Commission to undertake one or more studies of outreach efforts undertaken by other state and federal utility regulatory bodies and make recommendations to the commission to promote effective outreach, including metrics for use in evaluating success.This bill would repeal that obsolete provision.

Latest Activity:
05/28/25 Referred to Com. on E., U & C.
Status: Active
| 50% First reading in the other house
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AB-222

|
Bauer-Kahan
Data centers: energy usage reporting and efficiency standards: electricity rates.
This bill would require the Energy Commission to include energy consumption trends for data centers in its integrated energy policy reports. The bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to adopt efficiency standards for data centers, as provided.
 
This bill would require the PUC to determine whether those costs and expenses in an application by an electrical corporation to recover costs and expenses arising from, or incurred as a result of, the construction of a new data center or a substantial alteration to an existing data center are just and reasonable. The bill would require the PUC to minimize the shifting of costs attributable to the construction or alteration of the data center to ratepayers who do not directly benefit from the data center.

 

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-306

|
Rivas, Schultz
Building regulations: state building standards.

This bill would, from June October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, prohibit a city or county from making changes that are applicable to residential units to the above-described building standards unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes or modifications necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety.
This bill would, from June October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, require the commission to reject a modification or change to any building standard, as described above, affecting a residential unit and filed by the governing body of a city or county unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes or modifications necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety. The bill would also make related findings and declarations. The bill would also require the commission to review certain changes or modifications within 45 days of receipt.
(2) The California Building Standards Law defines various terms to govern the construction of its provisions, including “model code,” which means any building code drafted by private organizations or otherwise, and is required to include, but not be limited to, the latest edition of various codes.
This bill would modify the definition of “model code” to add the latest edition of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code of the International Code Council.
(3) Existing law requires the commission to receive proposed building standards from state agencies for consideration in an 18-month code adoption cycle and to develop regulations, as specified, setting forth the procedures for the 18-month adoption cycle.
This bill, from June October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, would provide that the above-described requirement does not apply to any building standards affecting residential units and would prohibit the commission from considering, approving, or adopting any proposed building standards affecting residential units, unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety.
(4) The California Building Standards Law provides for the adoption of building standards by state agencies by requiring all state agencies that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit the building standard to the commission for approval and adoption.
This bill, from June October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, would prohibit the commission or any other adopting agency from considering, approving, or adopting any proposed building standards affecting residential units, unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety.
(5) Existing law requires only those building standards approved by the commission, and that are effective at the local level at the time an application for a building permit is submitted, to apply to the plans and specifications for, and to the construction performed under, that building permit. Existing law requires a local ordinance adding or modifying building standards for residential occupancies, which are published in the California Building Standards Code, to apply only to an application for a building permit submitted after the effective date of the ordinance and to the plans and specifications for, and the construction performed under, that permit, subject to certain exceptions.
This bill would, notwithstanding those provisions, require the state and local building standards in effect at the time an application for a building permit is submitted, for a residential dwelling based on a model home design approved under those standards, to apply to all future residential dwellings based on that approved model home design, design in the same jurisdiction, unless a certain condition applies. By requiring local entities to apply certain building standards, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(6) Existing law provides that neither the State Building Standards Law, nor the application of certain building standards, limits the authority of a city, county, or city and county to establish more restrictive building standards, including, but not limited to, green building standards, reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions, and pursuant to making certain findings.
This bill would, notwithstanding those provisions, from June October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, prohibit a city or county from establishing more restrictive building standards that are applicable to residential units, unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes or modifications necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety.
(7) Existing law requires the commission to publish, or cause to be published, editions of the code in its entirety once in every 3 years, and supplements as necessary in the intervening period. Existing law also requires an emergency building standards supplement to be published whenever the commission determines it is necessary.
This bill would limit the changes adopted during the intervening period to changes deemed necessary for editorial or clarity reasons, emergency building standards, amendments by the State Fire Marshal to specified building standards, and certain necessary building standards and related state amendments. amendments, and certain changes or modifications to administrative practices, as specified.

Latest Activity:
06/23/25 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-39

|
Zbur
New Update!
General plans: Local Electrification Planning Act.

This bill, the Local Electrification Planning Act, would require each city, county, or city and county, on or after January 1, 2027, but no later than January 1, 2030, to prepare and adopt a specified plan, or integrate a plan in the next adoption or revision of the general plan, that includes locally based goals, objectives, policies, and feasible implementation measures that include, among other things, the identification of opportunities to expand electric vehicle charging and other zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, as specified, and includes policies and implementation measures that address the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and small businesses for equitable and prioritized investments in zero-emission technologies that directly benefit these groups. For these purposes, the bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to designate a previously adopted similar plan that meets the above-described requirements, as specified. By increasing the duties of local public officials, the bill would establish a state-mandated local program.

The bill would deem a plan adopted pursuant to these provisions as a regional plan for specified purposes. The bill would require that the above-described provisions only apply to a city, county, or city and county with a population greater than 75,000 residents. The bill would define terms for these purposes.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-531

|
Wilson
New Update!
Geothermal powerplants and geothermal field development projects: certification and environmental review.

This bill would expand the types of facilities eligible to be certified as environmental leadership development projects by the Energy Commission to include geothermal powerplants and geothermal field development projects, as defined. projects that comprise multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site.

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-61

|
Pacheco
Electricity and natural gas: legislation imposing mandated programs and requirements: third-party review.

This bill would require the office to establish, by January 1, 2027, a program to, upon request of the Legislature, analyze legislation that would establish a mandated requirement or program or otherwise affect electrical or gas ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the office to develop and implement conflict-of-interest provisions that would prohibit a person from participating in an analysis for which the person knows or has reasons to know that the person has a material financial interest. The bill would establish the Energy Programs Benefit Fund in the State Treasury and continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the office to support the work of the office in providing that analyses. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.

Latest Activity:
07/10/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB-705

|
Boerner
Public Utilities Commission: Independent Office of Audits and Investigations.

AB 705, as amended, Boerner. Public Utilities Commission. Commission: Independent Office of Audits and Investigations.
Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to appoint a chief internal auditor to hold office at the pleasure of the commission. Existing law requires the chief internal auditor to be responsible for the oversight of the internal audit unit and to plan, initiate, and perform audits of key financial, management, operational, and information technology functions within the commission to improve accountability and transparency to executive and state management.
This bill would delete the provision providing for the appointment of the chief internal auditor and instead provide that, effective January 1, 2026, the internal audit unit of the commission and its staff are transferred to the Independent Office of Audits and Investigations, which the bill would establish within the commission, as specified. The bill would provide for the appointment and removal of the director of the office, who would have the title of Inspector General. The bill would require that the office have access and authority to examine all records, files, documents, accounts, reports, correspondence, or other property of the commission, public utilities, and other entities regulated by the commission, as specified. The bill would require the Inspector General to report to the Governor and the Legislature, as provided.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of a commission action implementing the bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 1.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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SB 254

|
Becker
Electricity: wildfire mitigation: rate assistance: Policy-Oriented and Wildfire Electric Reimbursement (POWER) Program.

Under existing law, California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) oversees the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program, which provides discounted electricity rates to qualifying low-income households (3+ persons earning 200-250% of federal poverty levels) served by the state’s three largest utilities. Currently, utilities must submit annual reports (starting March 2025) on FERA enrollment efforts, with the PUC reviewing their progress (by June 2025) and requiring corrective plans if enrollment is inadequate. This bill expands reporting requirements by mandating that utilities disaggregate enrollment data by disadvantaged communities (as defined by the PUC) and include targeted outreach strategies for these communities in any required improvement plans. Violations of PUC rules under the bill would be punishable as crimes, though no state reimbursement to local agencies is required for associated costs. The changes aim to improve transparency and equitable access to utility assistance programs.

This comprehensive energy legislation introduces sweeping reforms across California’s utility regulation and clean energy infrastructure development through several key provisions: (1) It overhauls wildfire safety planning by extending utility mitigation plan submission cycles to 4 years while strengthening cost-efficiency requirements and prohibiting certain capital expenditures from ratebase recovery; (2) It enhances consumer protections by increasing climate credit allocations for low-income (CARE/FERA) customers and requiring utilities to submit inflation-constrained rate cases tied to Social Security COLAs; (3) It establishes new financing mechanisms including the POWER Program to reimburse policy-driven utility costs and authorizes recovery bonds for undergrounding projects; (4) It expands the Energy Commission’s certification authority for clean energy projects by lowering eligibility thresholds to $100M investments and extending the application window to 2034 while streamlining environmental reviews; (5) It creates a new Clean Energy Infrastructure Authority with broad powers to develop transmission projects including eminent domain authority; and (6) It increases regulatory transparency through enhanced utility reporting requirements. The bill makes these changes immediately effective as urgency legislation, citing wildfire risks and clean energy transition needs, while specifying no state reimbursement for mandated local costs and applying provisions uniformly to all cities including charter cities.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (July 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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SB 453

|
Stern
Microgrid incentive program
Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Independent System Operator, to take specified actions by December 1, 2020, to facilitate the commercialization of microgrids for distribution customers of large electrical corporations, including, among other actions, by, without shifting costs between ratepayers, developing methods to reduce barriers for microgrid deployment. Under existing law, the PUC requires certain large electrical corporations to jointly develop a Microgrid Incentive Program to fund clean energy microgrids to support the critical needs of vulnerable populations impacted by a grid outage.
This bill would require the PUC to require each electrical corporation to provide to the commission, on or before January 15, 2026, the status of any awarded or unallocated funds collected for the Microgrid Incentive Program. The bill would require the commission, after reviewing that information, if it determines additional actions actions, using funds collected on or before January 1, 2026, are needed, to consider the use of a third-party administrator and to ensure that unallocated funds are allocated to areas that have experienced 2 or more deenergization events, prioritizing vulnerable communities, including access and functional needs populations, and prioritizing customers that operate critical community infrastructure that supports resiliency during a deenergization event. The bill would require, if there are remaining unallocated funds on January 1, 2027, that those funds to be returned to ratepayers.
Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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SB-24

|
McNerney
New Update!
Electrical and gas corporations: rates: political influence activities and promotional advertising
This bill would prohibit, except as provided, an electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording various expenses associated with political influence activities, as defined, promotional advertising, as defined, or opposing the municipalization of electrical or gas service, to accounts that contain expenses that the electrical corporation or gas corporation recovers from ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require each electrical corporations and corporation or gas corporations corporation to clearly and conspicuously disclose in all of its advertising public messages whether the costs of the advertising public messages are paid for by the corporation’s shareholders or ratepayers, as provided. The bill would require an each electrical corporation or gas corporation, on or before May 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, to include, as part of a specified statement to the commission, certain information. The bill would require the commission to make the report publicly available. available, as provided.
This bill would require the commission to assess a civil penalty against an electrical corporation or gas corporation that violates certain prohibitions described above, as provided.
Latest Activity:
06/27/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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SB-256

|
Perez
Electricity: electrical infrastructure: wildfire mitigation: undergrounding: emergency operations.
This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to update a general order to require each electrical corporation to remove all permanently abandoned facilities, as specified. The bill would require an electrical corporation, for areas affected by wildfire that require electrical distribution infrastructure to be rebuilt, to consider the undergrounding of electrical distribution infrastructure if it is determined to be cost effective compared to other wildfire mitigation strategies.
This bill would require an electrical corporation, for the description in the wildfire mitigation plan of the preventative strategies and programs to minimize the risk of its electrical lines and equipment causing catastrophic wildfires, to include consideration of areas adjacent to high fire threat areas. risks related to the wildland-urban interface. The bill would require an electrical corporation’s corporation, for the description in the wildfire mitigation plan to consider the impacts on the opportunity for of the electrical corporation’s appropriate and feasible procedures for notifying a customer who may be impacted by the deenergizing of electrical lines, to include consideration of enabling residents within a household who are not the customer of record to subscribe to receive notifications related to deenergization events and communication of communications with public safety partners, identify any lapses in communication coordination during recent past emergency response events with local governments, describe opportunities to collaborate with local governments and other steps that can be taken to establish more efficient communication coordination during future emergency responses, consider undergrounding distribution infrastructure when it is being rebuilt, partners, as provided. The bill would require that an electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan also include a description of the processes and procedures that the electrical corporation use to coordinate communications with local governments within the service area of the electric corporation, and include an accounting of all transmission facilities, including permanently abandoned facilities, and include a plan for how and when each permanently abandoned facility will be removed and the wildfire mitigation measures that are being implemented to prevent hazards, as provided. The bill would also require electrical corporations to conduct annual wildfire preparedness workshops, as provided.
Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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SB-283

|
Laird
New Update!
Energy storage systems.

This bill would require that an application submitted to the Energy Commission after January 1, 2026, in accordance with the above-described provisions relating to certification of facilities by the Energy Commission, and an application submitted to a local jurisdiction, as defined, for an energy storage system, include the applicant’s certification that the energy storage system is designed in accordance with the most recently published edition of the NFPA 855 Standard, except as specified, and, at least 30 days before submitting the application, that the applicant met and conferred with the local fire department responsible for fire suppression in the area where the energy storage system is proposed, as provided. The bill would also prohibit the approval of those applications unless the local jurisdiction requires as a condition of approval that the energy storage system is constructed, installed, commissioned, operated, maintained, and decommissioned in accordance with the NFPA 855 Standard, that after installation is complete, but before commencing operations, the energy storage system is inspected by the local fire department responsible for fire suppression where the system is located or by a representative or designee of the State Fire Marshal, and that the applicant bear the cost of the inspection. The bill would authorize a state or local entity to approve the construction of an energy storage system only if it is located in a dedicated-use noncombustible building or it is an outdoor installation. By imposing additional duties on local officers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

Latest Activity:
07/17/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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SB-330

|
Padilla
Electrical transmission infrastructure: financing.

This bill would authorize the Governor to establish one or more pilot projects to develop, finance, or operate electrical transmission infrastructure that meet the specified criteria, including, among other things, that the transmission line is identified by the Independent System Operator in its transmission planning process as a project subject to competitive bidding and necessary to support clean energy generation to meet the state’s clean energy goals. The bill would require the Governor to designate existing state agencies, local public agencies, tribal organizations, or joint powers authorities to implement the pilot projects. The bill would authorize the pilot projects to develop, finance, operate, and maintain electrical transmission lines and all works, facilities, improvements, and property, or portions thereof, necessary or convenient for the conveyance of electricity, as specified. The bill would authorize the Governor to issue guidelines regarding application and certification of pilot projects.

Latest Activity:
07/09/25 July 9 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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SB-332

|
Wahab
Investor-Owned Utilities Accountability Act.

(1) Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) with various responsibilities for developing and implementing the state’s energy policies.
This bill would require the Energy Commission to select a research institute, as defined, to conduct a comparative analysis of the benefits and challenges of transitioning the electrical corporations to a public entity, nonprofit public benefit corporation, or mutual benefit corporation in order to identify a recommended model, as provided. The bill would require the research institute to complete the analysis on or before January 1, 2029, and, upon completion, to submit the analysis to the Legislature and the Energy Commission. The bill would require the Energy Commission to make a draft of the analysis available to the public for comment before submitting the final draft to the Legislature, and would limit the cost of conducting the analysis to $5,000,000.
This bill would require the research institute to conduct the first phase of the comparative analysis and to submit an interim report, on or before December 31, 2026, to the Energy Commission on threshold legal issues, as provided. The bill would require the Energy Commission to convene a group of state attorneys from the legal departments of state agencies that regulate electrical corporations to advise the research institute on the first phase of the comparative analysis, as specified.
This bill would, upon completion of the analysis by the research institute, require the Energy Commission to present the analysis at a publicly noticed business meeting on or before September 30, 2029.
(2) Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, while local publicly owned utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Existing law prohibits an electrical corporation, gas corporation, or water corporation from terminating a customer’s residential service for nonpayment of a delinquent account in certain circumstances, including, among other circumstances, unless the corporation first gives notice to the customer of the delinquency and impending termination, during the pendency of an investigation by the corporation of the customer’s dispute or complaint, or when the customer has been granted an extension of the period for payment of a bill.
This bill would require a utility, including an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, gas corporation, and local publicly owned gas utility, to quarterly each electrical corporation and gas corporation, on or before March 1, 2026, and each local publically owned electric utility, on or before March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, to post specified information concerning termination terminations of service due to nonpayment on their respective internet websites, as provided.

Latest Activity:
07/14/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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SB-540

|
Becker, Stern
Independent System Operator: independent regional organization: California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program

This bill makes significant changes to California’s energy governance by: (1) eliminating provisions for transforming the CAISO into a regional organization while authorizing participation in voluntary energy markets governed by an independent regional organization starting January 1, 2028, subject to strict governance conditions including state policy protections, consumer representation, and market transparency requirements; (2) maintaining CAISO’s core transmission and reliability functions while allowing it to operate under the regional organization’s market rules if specified conditions are met; (3) preserving state authority over renewable energy policies by explicitly excluding the regional organization from California’s balancing authority designation and strengthening eligibility requirements for out-of-state renewable resources; (4) establishing mechanisms for California to withdraw from regional markets if they conflict with state policies or unfairly burden ratepayers; and (5) repealing obsolete provisions related to the former Power Exchange. The bill includes robust safeguards for California’s clean energy goals and ratepayer protections while creating a framework for potential regional market participation.

Latest Activity:
07/10/25 Re-referred to Coms. on U. & E. and APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 51.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
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SB-57

|
Padilla
New Update!
Electrical corporations: tariffs.

This bill, the Ratepayer and Technological Innovation Protection Act, would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2026, December 31, 2026, to establish or modify a special electrical corporation tariff for transmission and distribution service to eligible customers, as defined, that, among other things, ensures just and reasonable rates for customers of electrical corporations and does not result in cost shifts to customers who do not receive the tariff. The bill would authorize the commission to require an eligible customer, as defined, to site distributed energy storage systems and backup power systems that better enable the state to meet its emission reduction goals. The bill would authorize the commission to establish eligibility criteria for service under the special electrical corporation tariff requiring an eligible customer to meet its load requirements with eligible renewable energy and zero-carbon resources from any retail seller. minimizes cost shifts to customers on other rate schedules. The bill would require the commission to determine whether existing rate designs applicable to large load customers meet the requirements of the tariff described above and to direct an electrical corporation to file new or modified rate applications within 12 months of a commission decision implementing the tariff if the electrical corporation’s existing rate designs are found to not meet those requirements.
This bill would require the commission to assess the extent to which electrical corporation costs associated with new loads from data centers result in cost shifts to other electrical corporation customers, as provided, and would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to submit the assessment to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature and to publicly post a copy of the assessment on the commission’s internet website.

Latest Activity:
07/14/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
Read More

SB-593

|
Hurtado
Voltage changes: consumer protection.

This bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to mandate that electrical corporations adjust consumer protections by July 1, 2026, to safeguard customers from damaging voltage fluctuations, evaluating specific factors to determine necessary adjustments, while also requiring local publicly owned electric utilities to adopt similar protective policies and publicly post their claims processes by January 1, 2027. It expands the commission’s annual safety report to include data on voltage-related damage incidents, claims filed, and resolutions, and establishes that violations of these provisions would be subject to criminal penalties, creating a state-mandated local program for both investor-owned and publicly owned utilities without requiring state reimbursement for associated costs.

Latest Activity:
06/30/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
Read More

SB-647

|
Hurtado
New Update!
Energy: Equitable Building Decarbonization Program: Low-Income Oversight Board: membership: assessment: energy efficiency incentives.
This bill would require the Energy Commission to establish a mechanism to notify applicants to the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program that they may also be eligible for building energy efficiency and decarbonization incentives authorized by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Existing law vests the PUC with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Under existing law, the PUC supervises certain rate assistance and energy efficiency programs administered by electrical corporations and gas corporations, or administered by third-party administrators on their behalf. Existing law requires the PUC to ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy efficiency programs, including the Energy Savings Assistance Program, that are designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit, including customers occupying apartments or similar multiunit residential structures, as specified. Existing law requires that these programs be designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit, as specified.
Existing law establishes an 11-member Low-Income Oversight Board to advise the PUC on low-income electric, gas, and water customer issues, as specified.
This bill would add to the Low-Income Oversight Board a member to be selected by the Executive Director of the Energy Commission. The bill would require the Low-Income Oversight Board, on or before January 1, 2027, to conduct an assessment of state and ratepayer-funded energy-efficiency incentives provided to low-income residents and to low-to-moderate income residents, as defined, which would include, among other things, recommendations for options to address the energy assistance needs of low-to-moderate income California households with household incomes that exceed the thresholds for existing low-income programs, as provided. The bill would require the Low-Income Oversight Board to publish its final assessment on its internet website on or before July 1, 2027.
This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the Low-Income Oversight Board, to establish standardized statewide performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness, equity, and accountability of certain programs, as specified. The bill would require the commission to require administrators of those programs to collect and report data related to those metrics in a standardized format.
Latest Activity:
07/14/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
Read More

SB-787

|
McNerney
Energy: Task Force on Equitable Clean Energy Supply Chains and Industrial Policy in California.

This bill would require the commission, Energy Commission, on or before March 1, 2026, to designate a person, within the commission, Energy Commission, to serve as the Senior Counselor on Industrial Policy and Clean Energy Development Development, and would specify require the senior counselor’s duties. The bill would require the Senior Counselor on Industrial Policy and Clean Energy Development to counselor to, among other things, convene working groups that focus on certain issues, as provided. The bill would require the commission, Energy Commission, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of General Services, and the office of the Treasurer, on or before March 1, 2026, to enter into an a memorandum of understanding on equitable clean energy supply chains and industrial policy in California to, among other things, review, investigate, and develop strategies for building integrated industrial bases in California to support the zero-emission vehicle and battery supply chain industries, offshore wind and offshore wind component industries, and building decarbonization and heat pump industries through industrial planning and public investment, procurement, and subsidization, with specified goals and provisions, as provided. The bill would require the Senior Counselor on Industrial Policy and Clean Energy Development senior counselor to track and coordinate the work taken under the memorandum of understanding and to prepare an annual report summarizing the key findings and recommendations resulting from that work. The bill would require that the report be presented at a public meeting of the commission Energy Commission and be published on the commission’s Energy Commission’s internet website. The bill would establish in the State Treasury the Equitable Clean Energy Supply Chain and Industrial Policy Fund and would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the moneys in the fund be expended for the purposes of the bill.

Latest Activity:
07/15/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 1.) (July 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 60% Committee hearings
Read More

SB-86

|
McNerney
California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority Act: sales and use tax exclusion.

Existing sales and use tax laws impose taxes on retailers based on the gross receipts from the sale or consumption of tangible personal property in California. The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority Act allows the authority to provide financial assistance through sales and use tax exclusions for certain projects promoting California-based manufacturing, jobs, advanced manufacturing, and reductions in greenhouse gases or pollution, with a cap of $100,000,000 per year until January 1, 2026. This bill extends the tax exclusion authorization  indefinitely to January 1, 2031, increases the annual cap to  $300,000,000 $200,000,000 and adds electrical generation facilities using nuclear fusion technology to the list of qualifying projects, along with other conforming changes.

 

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Active
| 70% Second reading
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AB 1191

|
Tangipa
California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: hydroelectric generation.

This bill would expand California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard Program by redefining eligible renewable energy resources to include all hydroelectric generating facilities (removing the current 30-megawatt cap for small hydro facilities), while requiring the Public Utilities Commission and local publicly owned utilities to incorporate these resources into their renewable energy procurement targets and plans, with conforming updates to program definitions. The change aims to broaden clean energy options under the state’s renewable mandate while maintaining existing compliance structures.

Latest Activity:
04/02/25 In committee: Set, first hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB 1295

|
Patterson
Public utilities: bills and notices: consolidation and transparency.

This bill would require public utilities (including electrical and gas corporations) to clearly display on customer bills—in a visible format matching other billing details—a quarterly breakdown of additional costs attributable to state-mandated programs or requirements, whether imposed by law, regulation, or agencies like the PUC or Energy Commission. While existing law already mandates that utility bills itemize charges like taxes and generation fees, this measure enhances transparency by specifically highlighting state-driven costs. Violations of PUC orders enforcing this requirement would remain punishable as crimes under the Public Utilities Act, potentially creating state-mandated local obligations—though the bill specifies no reimbursement is required for associated costs. The change aims to improve consumer awareness of how state policies impact utility rates.

This bill would require the commission, on or before June 1, 2026, to evaluate all customer billing and noticing requirements existing on January 1, 2026, that apply to gas or electric utilities, and to identify and consider potential avenues to consolidate and enhance billing transparency, including avenues that clearly show the source and value of each charge within each customer’s bill, as specified, and use the most cost-effective communications channels, as provided. The bill would authorize the commission to seek and consider input from utilities and other relevant stakeholders to inform its evaluation and identification and consideration of potential avenues to consolidate notices and enhance billing transparency.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB 1484

|
Bennett
Energy reliability

Current law designates the Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit responsible for managing California’s transmission grid and energy markets to ensure efficiency and reliability. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in consultation with the ISO, sets resource adequacy requirements for electricity providers (such as utility companies and community choice aggregators) to maintain grid reliability. The ISO must ensure grid efficiency and reliability and can modify its tariff (with federal approval) to meet these goals.

This bill proposes a nonsubstantive (minor, non-policy) change to the existing requirement that the ISO ensures efficient and reliable grid operation.

Latest Activity:
02/24/25 Read first time.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB 832

|
Muratsuchi
School Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program: indoor air quality

This bill makes several key changes to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency in California schools: (1) It requires the State Department of Education, in consultation with health and air quality agencies, to develop comprehensive indoor air quality standards for K-12 schools by July 1, 2027; (2) It extends and modifies the School Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program by pushing the spending deadline to December 1, 2030 (from 2026) and program sunset to January 1, 2031 (from 2027), expands the definition of noncompliant appliances to include certain water heaters, and gives the Energy Commission flexibility to reallocate funds between ventilation improvement and plumbing/appliance replacement programs after the first two years; (3) It extends annual reporting requirements on program activities through March 1, 2031. The bill also maintains existing requirements for schools to meet ventilation standards while creating new mandates that may require state reimbursement, though it specifies no reimbursement is needed for certain provisions. Additionally, it makes technical changes to utility regulations that could create new crimes under the Public Utilities Act.

Latest Activity:
03/17/25 Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and ED.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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AB 99

|
Ta
Electrical corporations: rates.

This bill would prohibit electrical corporations from proposing systemwide rate increases exceeding the inflation rate in general rate cases, unless the Public Utilities Commission specifically approves higher increases for safety improvements, grid modernization, or rising fuel/commodity costs. While maintaining the commission’s authority to ensure just and reasonable rates, the measure creates a new inflation-based cap on utility rate hikes with limited exceptions. Violations of commission orders enforcing this prohibition would be punishable as crimes under the Public Utilities Act, potentially creating state-mandated local costs, though the bill specifies no reimbursement is required. The legislation aims to constrain utility rate increases while preserving flexibility for essential infrastructure and cost-driven adjustments.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-1174

|
Alanis
Clean Transportation Program: eligible programs and projects: electric vehicle charging stations: vandalism deterrence.

This bill would add to the categories of programs and projects eligible for funding under the Clean Transportation Program programs and projects to deter and combat vandalism of publicly available electric vehicle charging stations.

Latest Activity:
03/10/25 Referred to Com. on TRANS.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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AB-1176

|
Flora
Energy: renewable energy resources program.

This bill would include as a “renewable electrical generation facility” for purposes of the program a facility that commenced initial commercial operation on January 1, 2005, and would make nonsubstantive changes.

Latest Activity:
04/02/25 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-1228

|
Essayli
Electricity: expedited utility distribution infrastructure undergrounding program.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to establish an expedited utility distribution infrastructure undergrounding program for large electrical corporations. In order to participate in the program, existing law requires a large electrical corporation to submit to the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety a distribution infrastructure undergrounding plan, as provided. Upon approval of the plan by the office, existing law requires the large electrical corporation to submit to the commission an application requesting review and conditional approval of the plan’s costs and other specified information.

This bill would specify that the approval of a distribution infrastructure undergrounding plan is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act, as specified.

Latest Activity:
03/10/25 Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and NAT. RES.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-1260

|
Ward
Electricity: renewable energy subscription programs.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to evaluate customer renewable energy subscription programs to determine their benefits and establish or modify tariffs for community renewable energy programs. This bill would revise the requirements for these programs, specifying that avoided costs include certain values, and impose additional requirements. It would require the PUC to modify the community renewable energy program by March 1, 2026, or adopt a new program, with a final decision by September 1, 2026. The bill also mandates the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to evaluate community solar and storage projects as load-modifying resources.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 30% Second reading
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AB-1302

|
Wallis
Electricity: customer generators: departing load charges.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and coordinate a program of research and development in energy supply, consumption, and conservation and the technology of siting facilities, and to give priority to those forms of research and development that are of particular importance to the state, as specified.This bill would require the commission, until December 31, 2031, to study and design a new system for allowing electrical customers of electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, local publicly owned electric utilities, and electrical cooperatives to generate their own electricity on their commercial or residential sites. The bill would require the commission, in designing the new system, to ensure all electrical customers are treated fairly, increase transparency in the calculation and application of departing load charges, promote the development and integration of renewable energy sources, support the state’s clean energy goals, consider the benefits of customer-generated energy, and provide a mechanism for stakeholder input, as provided. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2027, to submit a report to the Legislature detailing the proposed new process for departing load charges and any recommendations for legislative action.

Latest Activity:
03/26/25 Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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AB-1404

|
Ortega
Electrical corporations: connections: affordable housing projects.

This bill would require an electrical corporation to connect an affordable housing project, as defined, to the electrical distribution grid within 60 days, except as specified. The bill would require the commission to streamline any necessary review on an affordable housing project that is ready to connect but sitting vacant and that has not been connected by an electrical corporation within the required 60 days. The bill would delay the effective date of a rate increase approved by the commission for the greater of either the amount of time the electrical corporation took, beyond 90 days from receipt of the project building plans, to provide a final contract, or the amount of time the electrical corporation took, beyond the 60 days allowed, to connect the most recently completed affordable housing project within the electrical corporation’s service area. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.

Latest Activity:
04/23/25 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-286

|
Gallagher
Electricity: mandatory rate reduction.

This bill would require the commission to reduce generate a report outlining recommendations to decrease the kilowatt-per-hour rate for electricity charged to ratepayers by not less than 30%. 30% by January 1, 2027. The bill would require the commission, in making that reduction, those reduction recommendations, to take certain actions, as specified.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings

AB-303

|
Addis
Battery energy storage facilities.

Existing law allows the certification of energy storage systems, including those capable of storing 200 megawatt-hours or more, by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, replacing other permits until June 30, 2029. This bill would exclude battery energy storage systems from this provision and require the commission to deny applications for such systems pending as of the bill’s effective date. It would also prohibit the authorization of development projects with battery energy storage systems storing 200 megawatt-hours or more if located within 3,200 feet of a sensitive receptor or on an environmentally sensitive site.

Latest Activity:
04/02/25 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-305

|
Arambula
Energy: nuclear facilities.

Existing law prohibits the Energy Commission from certifying nuclear fission thermal powerplants, except for specified ones, and sets conditions for land use related to nuclear fuel rod processing and high-level nuclear waste disposal. This bill would exempt small modular reactors from these provisions. Additionally, the bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to adopt a plan by January 1, 2028, to increase electricity procurement from nuclear facilities and phase out procurement from natural gas facilities, aligning with the state’s goal for 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity by 2045.

Latest Activity:
04/21/25 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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AB-526

|
Papan
Energy: new in-state geothermal energy generation.

This bill requires the Energy Commission, in coordination with relevant agencies, to develop a strategic plan for the development of new in-state geothermal energy by June 30, 2027. The plan will include an evaluation of geothermal energy’s capacity to provide benefits related to reliability, decarbonization, and employment, as well as megawatt planning goals for 2035 and 2045. The Energy Commission will work with stakeholders to identify suitable locations for geothermal development, establish leasing goals, and collaborate with federal agencies on geothermal lease sales. It will also assess the necessary transmission investments, develop a permitting roadmap, and evaluate geothermal rentals and royalties to support renewable energy and emissions reduction goals. The plan will include an assessment of impacts on Native American tribes and biological resources, with strategies to address these concerns.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

AB-745

|
Irwin
New Update!
Electricity: clean energy transmission projects: utility infrastructure undergrounding: financing.

Electricity: utility infrastructure undergrounding: financing. climate credits.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in regulating those emissions. The implementing regulations adopted by the state board provide for the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electrical corporations pursuant to a market-based compliance mechanism.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law, except as provided, requires revenues received by an electrical corporation as a result of the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to be credited directly to residential, small business, and emissions-intensive trade-exposed retail customers of the electrical corporation, commonly known as the California Climate Credit.
This bill would require the credit provided to residential customers of an electrical corporation to be provided on the bills of those customers for the months of July, August, and September of each year, or as otherwise directed by the commission to address extreme, unforeseen, and temporary circumstances. The bill would require the credit to be volumetric, rather than independent of consumption.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act, or of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission, is a crime.
Because the provisions of this bill would be part of the Public Utilities Act, and a violation of a commission action implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Latest Activity:
07/16/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Status: Held
| 60% Committee hearings

AB-941

|
Zbur
California Environmental Quality Act: electrical infrastructure projects.

This bill amends the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by requiring the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to certify the environmental impact report for priority electrical infrastructure projects within 270 days of determining the application is complete. The bill defines a priority project and mandates that the applicant identify this designation in the application, specifying the basis for it. PUC staff must review applications within 30 days, notifying applicants of any deficiencies, which must be corrected or explained within 60 days. Once deficiencies are addressed, the PUC will issue a preliminary ruling, setting the scope and schedule for the project.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 In committee: Held under submission.
Status: Held
| 30% Second reading
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SB 620

|
Stern
Energy Utility Data

Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to fix the rates and charges for public utilities and requires those rates and charges to be just and reasonable.

This bill would require the commission to prioritize the gathering, analysis, and independent verification of utility data used to justify general rate case proposals to ensure the cost-effective use of ratepayer funds for capital investments in electrical distribution and transmission grid infrastructure and the operation and maintenance of that infrastructure.

This bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to create the Data Access Governance Committee, with specified membership, and would require the committee, on or before January 1, 2027, to provide initial recommendations on prescribed topics to the Energy Commission and the PUC, as specified. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to work with certain gas corporations, electrical corporations, and local publicly owned utilities that provide gas or electrical service to enact cost-effective energy utility data programs, as specified. The bill would create, and would require the PUC and the Energy Commission to administer and enforce, the Customer Energy Utility Data Bill of Rights, with specified protections and customer rights.

Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime.

Because a violation of a PUC action implementing the requirements of this bill would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.In addition, to the extent the bill would impose new requirements on local publicly owned utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for specified reasons

Latest Activity:
04/21/25 April 29 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Status: Held
| 30% Second reading
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SB-282

|
Wiener
Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations.

This bill requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to establish a statewide certification program for licensed contractors to install residential heat pump water heaters and HVAC systems by January 1, 2027, including a state training program. Licensed contractors with certification would be allowed to self-certify installations, and local entities must accept this certification. Local jurisdictions must also provide alternative inspection options, create automated permitting platforms by July 1, 2027, and issue permits in real-time if installations meet specified requirements. The bill prohibits local entities from charging excessive permit fees and makes provisions in governing documents that prohibit the installation of heat pump systems or the replacement of fuel-gas-burning appliances with electric appliances unenforceable. Additionally, it includes provisions for statewide implementation, with reimbursement for any costs mandated by the state.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Status: Held
| 30% Second reading
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SB-559

|
Stern
Electricity: deenergization events: communications.

This bill would require, at the start of a deenergization event, consistent with the above-described protocols, an electrical corporation to immediately notify local emergency management organizations and local utility districts notify, when possible and at the time a decision to conduct a deenergization event is made, public safety partners about the potential public safety impacts of the deenergization, deenergization event, as specified. The bill would require detailed status information on restoration efforts to be made available to emergency management organizations, public safety officials, customers, and the public in real-time, public, where feasible, with regular progress updates issued at intervals of no more than 12 hours, for all impacted circuits, as specified. The bill would require, at the start in advance of a deenergization event, an electrical corporation to make a reasonable effort to publish and make available real-time weather conditions observed within the affected circuit being considered for deenergization, as provided. Once hazardous weather conditions subside, the bill would require an electrical corporation to prioritize the restoration of electricity and begin efforts to reenergize lines without unnecessary delays. delays when safe to do so. The bill would make electrical corporations responsible for the continual monitoring and eventual restoration of circuits affected by a deenergization event. The bill would require each electrical corporation to submit an annual report to the Public Utilities Commission that details its compliance with the transparency and restoration requirements of these provisions, as provided.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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SB-636

|
Menjivar
Electrical or gas corporations: deferment of payments: hardship.

Existing law prohibits electrical and gas corporations from disconnecting service for certain residential customers who are financially unable to pay and meet specific requirements.
This bill would expand protections by prohibiting disconnection for six months for qualifying customers. It would require corporations to grant a 6-month payment deferment and, after that period, enroll customers in an arrearage management program or an eligible payment plan. The Public Utilities Commission would be authorized to adopt rules to implement these provisions.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Status: Held
| 30% Second reading

SB-810

|
Dahle
New Update!
Electricity: ratepayer-funded programs: reports.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to administer ratepayer-funded programs. An executive order directs both commissions to review these programs and identify any that unnecessarily increase electricity rates without providing justifiable benefits. The executive order requires those 2 commissions to report back to the Governor by January 1, 2025. This bill would require the Energy Commission and PUC to submit a report to the Legislature by July 1, 2025, in response to the executive order, and would declare the bill an urgency statute, taking effect immediately.

Latest Activity:
03/12/25 Referred to Com. on E., U & C.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
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SB-836

|
Rubio
New Update!
Electricity: transmission planning and permitting.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), in consultation with the Independent System Operator, to provide transmission guidance for renewable and zero-carbon resources by March 31, 2024, to help identify needed transmission facilities. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between these agencies was established to coordinate transmission planning and resource development. This bill would shorten the review and update timeline for the MOU and workplan from every 5 years to every 3 years.

Latest Activity:
05/23/25 May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Status: Held
| 20% Committee hearings
Read More

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