An act to add Section 365.4 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.
Summary
AB 1761 would require the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to make available to load-serving entities and ratepayer advocates the data underlying decisions, rulings, proposals, and analyses used to determine or apply calculation methodologies for certain electricity-related charges. The bill focuses on charges imposed on customers of load-serving entities to recover costs tied to contracts, electrical corporation-owned generation, or other resources and values included in those charges, including charges under Public Utilities Code Section 366.2 and similar commission-authorized charges.
The bill also requires electrical corporations and other parties submitting proposals or analyses on these calculation methodologies to disclose the underlying data, generally in public form, while allowing market-sensitive data to be shared through a commission-approved nondisclosure process with a nonmarket participant reviewing representative. The data must be provided concurrently with the relevant proposal, analysis, or commission action, and in native file format. The bill further states that disclosure failures or good-faith data errors do not by themselves invalidate a commission decision or charge unless they meet existing grounds for judicial review under Sections 1757 or 1757.1.
Impact
AB 1761 would add Section 365.4 to the Public Utilities Code and expand transparency requirements in PUC proceedings involving electricity cost-recovery methodologies. It would affect electrical corporations, PUC staff, load-serving entities, and ratepayer advocates by requiring broader access to the evidentiary data used to support charges passed on to customers. The bill also creates a state-mandated local program because violations of commission requirements under the Public Utilities Act can be criminally enforceable, though the bill states no reimbursement is required.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support and little opposition. The bill passed committee unanimously, with a 15-0 vote on March 18, 2026, and a later committee action on June 30 reported a 17-0 do-pass recommendation before referral to Appropriations. No committee transcript or recorded opposition is provided, and the overall posture indicates the measure was viewed favorably as a transparency and ratepayer-protection bill.
Contention
The main policy issue is the balance between transparency and protection of sensitive market information. Support appears to come from lawmakers and likely ratepayer advocates who want fuller access to the data behind utility cost calculations and charges. Potential concerns would fall on electrical corporations and others who may view the bill as increasing disclosure burdens, especially where proprietary or market-sensitive information is involved, though the bill includes a nondisclosure mechanism for such data. The bill also preserves commission decisions from being invalidated solely due to disclosure errors, which may have been intended to reduce litigation risk and procedural disputes.