Legislative Tracker Database - California Climate and 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

New Update!

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:

05/23/25 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Status: Active

| 50% First reading in the other house

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 nontraditional taxpayer funding, as defined, 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 nontraditional taxpayer funding 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 the financial benefits of nontraditional taxpayer funding to ratepayers, as provided.

This bill would require the commission to provide an annual report to the Legislature with a summary of the information on nontraditional 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.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

AB 729

Zbur

New Update!

Public utilities: climate credits

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

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Status: Active

| 50% First reading in the other house

AB 825

Petrie-Norris

New Update!

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, 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 state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would appropriate $325,000,000 from the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Fund to the Public Transmission Financing Fund. 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.

Additional provisions apply…

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

AB 942

Calderon

New Update!

Net energy metering: eligible customer-generators: tariffs.

Under existing law, California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates investor-owned utilities, while local publicly owned utilities are governed by their boards, with all required to offer net energy metering (NEM) programs—NEM 1.0 (capped at 5% of peak demand) and NEM 2.0 (uncapped for large utilities)—that compensate solar customers for excess generation. In 2022, the PUC adopted a successor net billing tariff (replacing NEM 1.0/2.0) with reduced export rates (based on avoided costs) and a five-year “glide path” adder. This bill mandates that, starting July 1, 2026, ~~customers on NEM 1.0/2.0 for 10+ years must switch to the post-2022 tariff, losing glide path benefits and paying full nonbypassable charges;~~ similarly, new homeowners inheriting solar systems (from January 1, 2026) must enroll under the current tariff without the adder. The PUC may create a new tariff for these groups if it lowers cost impacts on non-solar customers. Additionally, NEM participants will be disqualified from receiving California Climate Credits (from cap-and-trade revenues) starting in 2026. Violations of PUC rules under the bill are crimes, though no state reimbursement to local agencies is required. The changes aim to modernize NEM policies while addressing cost shifts to non-participating ratepayers.

Latest Activity:

05/22/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

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 meets is found by the commission to meet specified criteria, including that a the person proposing an eligible thermal the powerplant files an application on or before June 30, 2029, for certification with the local governmental agency that has land use and related jurisdiction over the area in which the powerplant is located to certify the site and related facility, 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 up 50 to 150 megawatts, megawatts or that modifications are being made to a thermal the powerplant that generates electricity using geothermal resources that do not add capacity in excess of to add capacity resulting in total net generating capacity of 50 to 150 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 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:

05/23/25 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Status: Active

| 50% First reading in the other house

AB-1117

Schultz

New Update!

Electricity: rates: optional dynamic rate tariffs.

Existing law gives the Public Utilities Commission regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, and requires them to set just and reasonable rates. Electrical corporations must identify a separate rate component for programs that enhance system reliability and provide in-state benefits.

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 commercial and industrial customers on or before July 1, 2028, and for its other customers, including residential customers, on or before July 1, 2030. The bill would require each optional dynamic rate tariff to include, at minimum, specified components, including dynamic time-varying transmission and distribution rates that reflect real-time dynamic grid conditions constraints and certain 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 the commission to consider rules or conditions on participation by vulnerable residential customers to ensure adequate protection for those customers, as provided.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

AB-1167

Addis, Berman

New Update!

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

This bill prohibits electrical and gas corporations from recovering from ratepayers any expenses related to political influence activities or promotional advertising and requires them to clearly disclose whether advertising costs are paid by shareholders or ratepayers. It mandates that corporations submit annual reports to the Public Utilities Commission detailing expenses tied to political or promotional activities, with reports made public and confidential information redacted as needed.

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 fails or 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:

05/23/25 Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

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:

05/07/25 Referred to Com. on JUD.

Status: Active

| 60% Committee hearings

AB-1273

Patterson

New Update!

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:

05/21/25 Referred to Com. on E., U & C.

Status: Active

| 60% Committee hearings

AB-1280

Garcia

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:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

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:

05/15/25 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Status: Active

| 50% First reading in the other house

AB-1408

Irwin

New Update!

Electricity: rates.

Existing law grants the Public Utilities Commission regulatory authority over public utilities, including setting just and reasonable rates, and authorizes the use of default time-of-use rates for residential customers under certain conditions, including requiring at least one year of interval usage data and one year of bill protection. This bill would extend the bill protection period from one year to two years, ensuring that during that time, a residential customer’s total electric service payments do not exceed what they would have paid under their previous rate schedule. ~~This bill would require each load-serving entity to prioritize available capacity for renewable energy development.~~

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

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:

05/15/25 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Status: Active

| 50% First reading in the other house

AB-222

Bauer-Kahan

New Update!

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:

05/23/25 Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

AB-306

Rivas, Schultz

New Update!

Building regulations: state building standards.

(1) This bill would, from June 1, 2025, until 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. By requiring a city or county to take certain actions relating to building standards, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would, from June 1, 2025, until 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.

(2) 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) This bill, from June 1, 2025, until 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) This bill bill, from June 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) This bill would 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, unless a certain condition applies. By requiring local entities to apply certain building standards, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(6) This bill would, notwithstanding those provisions, from June 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) 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.

(8) 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.

(10) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Latest Activity:

05/13/25 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

| 60% Committee hearings

AB-39

Zbur

New Update!

General plans: Local Electrification Planning Act.

The Local Electrification Planning Act would require cities, counties, or city and counties with populations over 75,000 to prepare and adopt an electrification plan by January 1, 2030, or integrate it into their general plan. The plan must include locally based goals and measures to expand electric vehicle charging, and address the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and small businesses with equitable investments in zero-emission technologies. Cities and counties may incorporate an existing plan that meets these requirements. The bill deems these plans as regional plans for certain purposes and establishes a state-mandated local program, applying to all cities, including charter cities.

Latest Activity:

05/22/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

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 under Section 5545 of the Public Resources Code to include geothermal power plants and geothermal field development projects, as defined.

Latest Activity:

Action 05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

AB-61

Pacheco

New Update!

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:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

AB-705

Boerner

New Update!

Public Utilities Commission: Independent Office of Audits and Investigations.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to appoint a chief internal auditor responsible for overseeing the internal audit unit and conducting audits to improve accountability and transparency within the commission. This bill would eliminate the position of chief internal auditor and, effective January 1, 2026, transfer the internal audit unit and its staff to a newly established Independent Office of Audits and Investigations within the PUC, led by an Inspector General appointed and removed under specified conditions. The office would have authority to examine all records and entities regulated by the PUC and would be required to report to the Governor and Legislature. Since violations of the Public Utilities Act or commission actions implementing this bill’s requirements would constitute crimes, the bill would create a state-mandated local program; however, it specifies that no reimbursement to local agencies or school districts is required.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

SB 453

Stern

New Update!

Microgrid incentive program

~~(1)~~This bill would extend the operation of the self-generation incentive program until January 1, 2028, and would require the PUC, on and after January 1, 2026, to allocate all unallocated funds for the program 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 support resiliency during a deenergization event, as specified. The bill would require the PUC, on January 1, 2028, to provide repayment of all unallocated funds collected for purposes of the program to reduce ratepayer costs.

(2) 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 and information, if it determines additional actions 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.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

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. ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require electrical corporations and gas corporations to clearly and conspicuously disclose in all of its advertising whether the costs of the advertising 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, 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. 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.

The bill would require the commission to assess a civil penalty against an electrical corporation or gas corporation that violates certain prohibitions described above, or that fails or neglects to comply with any part or provision of any order, decision, decree, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission related to implementing those provisions, above, as provided.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-256

Perez

New Update!

Electricity: electrical infrastructure: wildfire mitigation: undergrounding: emergency operations.

This bill would, for the description in the wildfire mitigation plan of the preventive strategies and programs to minimize the risk of its electrical lines and equipment causing catastrophic wildfires, require electrical corporations, electrical cooperatives, and local publicly owned electric utilities to include consideration of low-risk areas. areas adjacent to high fire threat areas. For an electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan, the bill would require the protocols for disabling reclosers and deenergizing portions of the electrical distribution system to consider the impacts on the opportunity for residents within a household who are not the customer of record to subscribe to receive notifications related to deenergization events and communication with public safety partners that have the ability to coordinate with electrical corporations to provide broader messaging to affected communities. The bill would also require that an electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan include, for areas affected by wildfires that require electrical distribution infrastructure to be rebuilt by an electrical corporation, consideration of undergrounding distribution infrastructure if it is determined to be cost effective compared to other wildfire mitigation strategies. The bill would require a wildfire mitigation plan to include an identification of any lapses in communication coordination during recent past emergency response events with local governments, as specified, and a description of any opportunities to collaborate with local governments, and other steps that can be taken to establish more efficient communication coordination during future emergency responses, as provided. The bill would require electrical corporations, electrical cooperatives, and local publicly owned electric utilities to conduct annual wildfire preparedness workshops in collaboration with and open to any local fire departments in their service areas to provide updates on the latest adopted wildfire mitigation plans, discuss any lapses in, and opportunities to increase efficiency of, communication coordination during emergency responses, and gather input for inclusion in the development of the next annual submission of their wildfire mitigation plans, as provided.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-283

Laird

New Update!

Energy storage systems.

Existing law establishes the California Building Standards Commission and the State Fire Marshal’s duties regarding building standards, including fire safety for lithium-based battery systems. This bill requires the commission and the State Fire Marshal to review and consider the latest edition of NFPA 855 for incorporation into the California Building Standards Code after July 1, 2026. It also mandates that applications for energy storage system certification submitted to the Energy Commission and local jurisdictions include a certification that the facility complies with NFPA 855 standards. Additionally, applicants must meet with the local fire department before submitting the application, and local jurisdictions must require that systems be built and maintained in accordance with NFPA 855, including inspections by the fire department before operations begin.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-330

Padilla

New Update!

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:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-332

Wahab

New Update!

Investor-Owned Utilities Accountability Act.

This bill would implement sweeping reforms to increase utility accountability by: (1) requiring the Energy Commission to conduct a comprehensive study by September 2028 analyzing alternative ownership models for investor-owned utilities (IOUs), including historical impacts and transition feasibility with advisory council input; (2) mandating all utilities to quarterly publish service termination data online and requiring IOUs to submit executive compensation plans tied to safety performance metrics by April 2026; (3) strengthening wildfire safety measures through triennial third-party equipment audits with 5-year replacement requirements for high-fire-risk areas, directing the PUC to create “best value” procurement standards for infrastructure projects, and prohibiting ratepayer recovery of wildfire mitigation costs (including undergrounding) after disasters; (4) authorizing PUC fines for non-compliance while maintaining existing criminal penalties for violations of PUC orders; and (5) specifying no state reimbursement for mandated local costs, with these provisions applying to both IOUs and publicly owned utilities to enhance transparency, incentivize safety improvements, explore alternative governance models, and protect ratepayers from bearing certain costs.

Latest Activity:

05/27/25 From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 30% Second reading

SB-540

Becker, Stern

New Update!

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:

05/27/25 From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (May 23).

Status: Active

| 20% Committee hearings

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, to establish or modify a special electrical corporation tariff or program, or modify an existing tariff or program, for transmission and distribution service to data centers, eligible customers, as defined, that, among other things, avoids nonparticipating customers, such as existing residential, small business, and agricultural ratepayers, bearing cost shifts, such as the costs of interconnecting facilities or loads that fall short of initial projections and ensures electrical grid investments to serve a data center are fully recovered from the data center in the event that the data center ceases operations or uses less electricity than initially projected. The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2030, to require all retail sellers subject to its jurisdiction to serve any data center subject to the tariff or program with electricity from 100% zero-carbon resources in a manner that does not result in resource shuffling and does not increase carbon emissions elsewhere in the western grid. 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 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 minimum requirements for zero-carbon procurement on behalf of retail sellers for eligible customers receiving the tariff.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-593

Hurtado

New Update!

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:

05/13/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

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).

This bill would add to the Low-Income Oversight Board a member to be selected by the Executive Director of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and a member to be selected by the Executive Director of the State Air Resources Board. 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.

Latest Activity:

05/27/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-787

McNerney

New Update!

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

This bill would require the California Energy Commission to designate a Senior Counselor on Industrial Policy and Clean Energy Development by March 1, 2026, with duties including convening the Task Force on Equitable Clean Energy Supply Chains and Industrial Policy in California. The task force must submit a report to the Legislature by June 1, 2027, outlining strategies to maximize the impact of state funds on clean energy industries. By January 1, 2028, the Senior Counselor must convene state agencies to develop a workplan based on the task force’s recommendations and coordinate its implementation. The Senior Counselor will submit annual progress reports to the Legislature, and the bill establishes the Equitable Clean Energy Supply Chain and Industrial Policy Fund to support these activities.

Latest Activity:

05/23/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

SB-86

McNerney

New Update!

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:

05/27/25 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Status: Active

| 40% Third reading

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

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

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

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

AB 99

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AB-745

Irwin

Electricity: clean energy transmission projects: utility infrastructure undergrounding: financing.

The Public Utilities Act generally prohibits an electrical corporation from constructing or extending facilities without first obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Public Utilities Commission, though a certificate is not required for modifications to existing transmission facilities. Under its regulatory authority, the commission has established a Transmission Review Process for capital transmission projects beginning January 1, 2024. This bill would require the commission to review and approve or deny transmission line projects—including extensions, expansions, upgrades, or modifications—initiated by electrical corporations based on their appropriateness and cost-effectiveness.

This bill builds upon Proposition 4 (2024) which authorized $10 billion in bonds for environmental and climate resilience projects, including $850 million for clean energy initiatives with $325 million specifically designated for public financing of clean energy transmission projects. The legislation would: (1) allow additional legislative appropriations beyond the bond funds to support transmission projects; (2) authorize the PUC to issue recovery bonds for utility undergrounding costs (excluding fines/penalties) while prohibiting large utilities from including undergrounding costs in their equity rate base; and (3) maintain existing criminal penalties for violations of PUC orders. The bill creates a state-mandated program but specifies no state reimbursement is required for local costs, aiming to expand financing options for grid modernization while protecting ratepayers from certain cost recoveries.

Latest Activity:

05/01/25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Status: Held

| 30% Second reading

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

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:

05/16/25 Set for hearing May 23.

Status: Held

| 20% Committee hearings

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

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

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

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

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

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