CaliforniaPublic utilities: review of accounts: electrical and gas corporations: rates: political influence activities.
What it does
Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to fix the rates and charges for public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, and requires those rates and charges to be just and reasonable. Under existing law, a regulated public utility is prohibited from using ratepayer funds for advocacy-related activities that are political or do not otherwise benefit ratepayers. Existing law prohibits each electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording to an above-the-line account, or otherwise recovering from ratepayers, direct or indirect costs of specified activities.
More detail
This bill would include in those activities for which costs may not be recovered from ratepayers any activities related to opposing the municipalization of electrical or gas utility service, as specified.
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 any public utility. Existing law establishes within the commission an independent Public Advocate's Office of the Public Utilities Commission and authorizes the office to require an entity regulated by the commission to produce or disclose any information the office deems necessary to perform its duties, as provided.
This bill would additionally authorize the office to require an entity regulated by the commission to produce or disclose any information the office deems necessary to support the commission's duties. The bill would also specify that the office has the same authority to discover information and review the accounts of a public utility as the commission and would change the timing of a specified annual report by the office to the Legislature.
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 above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bill's requirements would be a crime, this 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.
Where do you stand?
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 645, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 28Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB327 McNerney et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 28In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 46. Noes 18. Page 6743.) Ordered to the Senate.Major
- Vote recorded SB 327 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Berman. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 17Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 17Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 13
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jun 15Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jun 11From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (June 10).Major
- Jun 10
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- May 7From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.Major
- May 4Referred to Com. on U. & E.Minor
- Jan 27In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB327 McNerney Reconsider. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 3302.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Assembly
- Jan 27Reconsideration granted. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 3301.)
- Jan 27Motion to reconsider made by Senator McNerney.
- Jan 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 31. Noes 9. Page 3297.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- Jan 22Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 22From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 3268.) (January 22).Minor
- Jan 21Set for hearing January 22.
- Jan 20January 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 15Set for hearing January 20.
- Jan 15Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jan 14From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 3. Page 3203.) (January 12).Major
- Jan 12
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 5From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.Major
- 2025
- Dec 23Set for hearing January 12.
- Apr 24April 29 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Apr 11Set for hearing April 29.
- Apr 8From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.Major
- Apr 2Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.Minor
- Mar 24From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Major
- Feb 19Referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Feb 12From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 14.
- Feb 11Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced