Transcript Highlights:

• , or the DOE. over that job from the PUC in 2022. over that job from the PUC in 2022.
• I helped Chris in her PUC document, which you mentioned. PUC declined to take the case.
• </c> her PUC document which you mentioned. her PUC document which you mentioned.
• </c> PUC has no jurisdiction over the case. PUC has no jurisdiction over the case.
• It's the SEC and PUC.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that existed under the prior PUC that existed under the prior PUC administration.<00:10:51.200><
• Is it the PUC rate maker. Who is that?
• But it might make sense because PUC.
• </c><00:11:49.040><c> Now</c> talks about that being in the PUC.
• Now talks about that being in the PUC.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> subject to PUC approval. subject to PUC approval.
• So they go to the PUC and rateayers.
• </c><00:14:41.040><c> does</c> interest rates go up or the PUC does interest rates go up or the PUC does
• </c> amount that is reviewed uh by the PUC amount that is reviewed uh by the PUC and<00:46:21.680><c>
• So you know I you will at the PUC.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Knowledge is power here, and knowing day by day what the PUC is doing, or as Mr.
• The same should apply for the PUC.
• They effectively are acting as legislative The same should apply for the PUC.
• The PUC forecasts that in 2030, residential rates will be higher than the rate of inflation.
• That's why we have a PUC.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the CPUC to increase legislative oversight, add legislative liaisons, require more detailed and timely reporting on rate-setting decisions, and add a public advocate member. The author and supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and geographic diversity in CPUC decision-making amid rising utility rates. Witnesses from TURN, San Joaquin County, SDG&E, and former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch offered support or support-in-principle, while no opposition testimony was presented. Members generally praised the bill’s transparency goals, and AB 13 passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. The next bill, AB 99, would cap investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel/commodity costs. The author and supporters, including a representative of the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect ratepayers, especially seniors and low-income customers, from repeated rate hikes. Opposition came from utility labor, utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and others, who argued the bill was too simplistic, could suppress labor costs, and did not account for major cost drivers such as wildfire mitigation, mandates, and net metering. Several members supported moving the bill forward as a starting point on affordability, while others criticized it as overly blunt. AB 99 passed 11-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The hearing then shifted to an informational panel on strategies to reduce California transmission costs. A Public Advocates Office staffer described a growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven largely by utility pre-application and construction periods. Panelists from Net Zero California and consulting firms presented research suggesting that public financing or public-private partnership lease models could reduce transmission costs by lowering financing, tax, and capital costs, with estimated savings of up to 57% and as much as $123 billion over 40 years. PG&E’s representative said the utility is already pursuing federal loan guarantees, grants, and a public-private partnership with Citizens Energy, but warned that state ownership could create tax, wildfire-liability, and governance risks. Members asked about the CPUC’s role, the causes of delays, and whether public financing could complement existing competitive solicitation processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, if you don't like that decision, then you can go to the PUC and file a petition with the PUC, and
• Well, if you don't like that decision, then you can go to the PUC and file a petition with the PUC, and
• Well, if you don't like that decision, then you can go to the PUC and file a petition with the PUC, and
• Well, if you don't like that decision, then you can go to the PUC and file a petition with the PUC, and
• Okay, thank you very much. ...file a petition with the PUC, and then the PUC can basically overrule the

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Despite these existing requirements, the PUC has yet to enact meaningful enforcement actions.
• So this audit seeks to provide an overview of how PUC is enforcing Rule 21, if at all.
• PUC staff. And that is two minutes. So I'll let you finish up. You good? Yeah, two quick things.
• PUC staff are obviously well-intentioned, smart people, but they feel powerless.
• And then senior PUC leadership really appears to me to not consider this a top priority.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That being said, given... ...making taking place at the PUC.
• And that notice is also able to go to the PUC.
• It was just a notice that the company would send to the PUC to approve it.
• It was just a notice that the company would send to the PUC to approve it.
• So the committee amendments add quite a bit to the role of the PUC here.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 470, which would change California’s carrier-of-last-resort rules and allow a phased transition away from copper landlines in areas deemed well served by alternative phone options. The author and AT&T argued the bill would protect consumers, preserve 911 access, require public notice and CPUC review, and direct investment toward modern fiber and emergency communications. Supporters included a wide range of business, civic, tribal, and community groups, while opponents from TURN, rural counties, labor, digital equity organizations, and local governments warned the bill could let AT&T shed service obligations too quickly, weaken protections for rural and underserved households, and harm workers. After extensive member discussion about CPUC authority, rural carveouts, labor impacts, and reinvestment, AB 470 was passed do pass as amended to Appropriations, with one no vote and one not voting, and the roll left open. The committee then took up AB 1532, a committee omnibus bill extending funding and surcharge authority for the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program and the TNC Access for All program, while also adding CPUC accountability provisions. Chair Boerner Horvath explained the bill would not raise consumer costs and would require the CPUC to appear at hearings when requested and adopt rules for commissioner attendance. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill was moved do pass and re-refer to Utilities and Energy, though the roll was left open because it had not yet reached the threshold for immediate transmission. Finally, the committee heard AB 353, the Affordable Home Internet Act of 2025, which would establish an affordability floor for home broadband for low-income Californians after the expiration of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Supporters said broadband costs remain too high and that families, students, and vulnerable communities need a state solution now; opponents from the wireless industry and rural county representatives argued the bill would amount to an artificial price mandate and could complicate existing rural broadband buildouts. Members generally supported the goal but raised concerns about impacts on small ISPs and rural areas, and the bill was moved forward with a motion and second while discussion continued about possible exemptions and amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding the formula that you mentioned, would this be set by PUC or would it be negotiated here with
• And we believe that the PUC is the appropriate agency to serve as the umpire.
• They don't have rulemaking necessarily or ample regulatory power like the PUC, I imagine that.
• PUC.
• For somehow the PUC to play a role to protect who? Our rate payers are.

Bills: HB3445, HB3448

Keywords: telecommunications, electric cooperative, rights-of-way, infrastructure, provider access, right-of-way, pole attachment, regulatory access, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to hear from the PUC and from the Department of Energy.
• When an appeal is made, it is an appeal of the PUC order.
• PUC and were part of the PUC, and therefore could not appeal a PUC decision because they were instrumental
• We'll leave it to the PUC to decide on that.
• , it's not a lawsuit against the PUC.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Call the PUC before you take. That's all it is. Thank you. Thank you.
• We just want the PUC to take a harder look at that.
• We just want the PUC to take a harder look at that.
• I certainly see what the PG&E witness was saying about this constraining the PUC.
• The P-C-PUC. The fee, the mitigation fees. The mitigation piece, not the wildfire fund.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills, with extensive testimony on cost, ratepayer impacts, and climate or reliability goals. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and support renewable natural gas development by reducing interconnection cost barriers. Supporters said RNG helps methane reduction and organic waste diversion, while opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, argued the bill could shift costs to ratepayers and subsidize combustion-based fuels, especially dairy digesters. The author said committee amendments removed the rate-basing provisions and instead urged the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision; the bill was left for a later vote. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Community Impact Mitigation Program through 2030. Supporters said San Luis Obispo County and local schools rely on the funding for emergency preparedness and public safety, while TURN argued the extension would add about $47 million in statewide ratepayer costs and should instead be paid from existing PG&E deal revenues. Members discussed the bill as a continuation of the 2022 Diablo Canyon agreement, and the author said the measure simply restores the five years omitted from that deal. The committee also heard SB 1215 by Senator Cortese, which would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing. Supporters said renters and apartment residents are largely shut out of home charging, and that prior utility programs showed the model can be cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers. The bill was amended to address affordability, ratepayer benefits, and limits on major system upgrades. SB 1295 by Senator Stern would create a framework for using distributed batteries and other local resources to solve grid constraints more cheaply than traditional infrastructure. Supporters said it could improve reliability and reduce costs by targeting batteries where they provide the most grid value, while utilities said they were open to continued discussion. SB 1359, also by Senator Stern, would require the CPUC to more carefully evaluate major gas infrastructure investments and alternatives such as electrification before approving new spending. Environmental groups supported the bill as a guardrail against stranded assets, while gas utilities opposed it, warning it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and retroactively change the rules for approved investments. On water policy, SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Supporters said about 1.6 million households have water debt and that affordability is a statewide issue, not just a problem for disadvantaged communities. Some members raised concerns that the bill lacked a funding source and that state mandates, such as chromium-6 treatment requirements, already strain local water agencies; the author and supporters responded that the bill includes administrative caps and transparency measures and is intended to work alongside future funding. The committee then heard SB 1098 by Senator Pérez, which would restrict the use of utility memorandum and balancing accounts by requiring exceptional circumstances, adding sunset dates, and creating cost-sharing or lower-return rules for certain spending. TURN and other supporters said the accounts allow utilities to recover costs after the fact with too little discipline, while Edison and PG&E opposed the bill, arguing that some costs are unpredictable and that the CPUC already has a formal review process. SB 1125 was moved to Appropriations with a roll call, and the roll was left open for additional votes; the other measures were discussed with no final committee actions announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do not know, maybe PUC. I am sure. Sorry for the sidetrack. Just really quickly.
• The PUC reported last fall that wildfire liability costs specifically are tend to.
• The last time the PUC did an audit was in 2021.
• Whether it's a rigorous enough review by the PUC is the open question.
• Does it need to be independent of the PUC?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that just knowing PUC timelines that seemed to be a reasonable comment?
• I can't speak to the lack of timeliness on the part of the PUC, and I wouldn't dispute the underlying
• It directs the PUC to get this process going quickly, and we think that it's an achievable time frame
• has already established some— ...issue of the fact that the PUC has already established some fairly
• Also, PUC 2790, when these low-income programs became legislated, the intent was to ensure that they

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on utility rates, wildfire safety, carbon capture, methane reduction, large energy users, low-income energy programs, and clean energy supply chains. Early items included SB 613, which would direct state agencies to prioritize reducing methane emissions from imported fossil fuels, and SB 614, which would allow California to move forward with carbon dioxide pipeline safety rules and potentially lift the state’s moratorium on new CO2 pipelines. Both bills drew support from advocates and industry-related witnesses, with no opposition registered at the time they were presented, and the committee indicated it would vote once quorum was established. After quorum was called, the committee took up SB 57, which would require the Public Utilities Commission to establish tariffs for large energy users such as data centers to prevent cost shifts to other ratepayers and address stranded infrastructure costs. Supporters argued the bill would protect affordability and encourage clean energy use, while opponents, including utilities and business groups, warned it could create uncertainty and interfere with existing regulatory processes. The committee also heard SB 256 on wildfire mitigation and emergency response, including undergrounding, PSPS communication, and removal of abandoned lines; supporters emphasized the need for stronger action after recent fires, while utilities raised concerns about duplicative requirements and public disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information. Both SB 57 and SB 256 were approved on roll calls. The committee then heard SB 647, which would expand and standardize oversight of low-income energy savings programs and performance metrics, with strong support from community advocates and some neutral or “tweener” positions from utilities that sought further work on data collection and implementation. SB 787 followed, proposing a state strategy to coordinate supply chains and workforce development for clean energy industries including EVs, building decarbonization, and offshore wind; it received broad support and no opposition. The committee also considered SB 332, a study bill on utility ownership models and affordability reforms, which drew strong support from consumer and climate advocates but opposition from utilities and business groups concerned about bias, investor signals, and executive compensation provisions. The consent calendar was later approved, and several bills were reported out with votes or held open for absent members to add on.

Transcript Highlights:

• shutoffs by supporting families who are struggling to afford their energy bills, and make sure the PUC
• shutoffs by supporting families who are struggling to afford their energy bills, and make sure the PUC
• shutoffs by supporting families who are struggling to afford their energy bills, and make sure the PUC
• Explicitly stating that affordability is a PUC priority, prevent power and heat shutoffs by supporting
• families who are struggling to afford their energy bills, and make sure the PUC can punish utilities

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House DFL leaders held a press event outlining an affordability agenda focused on housing, child care, health care, groceries, energy, and taxes. Speakers argued that Minnesota families are being squeezed by rising costs and income inequality, and said the caucus would pursue policies aimed at lowering everyday expenses and shifting more costs onto corporations and wealthy residents. Representative Bierman said health care costs are pushing people to skip care and called for system reforms, including moving toward a more universal model and reducing the role of insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. Representative Kotiza-Wazhushk said the caucus is pushing for universal or low-cost child care, expanded pre-K and community-based care, and a bill to stop grocery surveillance price gouging. Representative Acomb and other energy leaders said the House DFL wants to lower utility bills through more energy assistance, weatherization, renewable energy support, limits on utility cost recovery for lobbying and executive pay, and stronger PUC authority to prevent shutoffs and limit rate increases. Representative Agbaje described housing as unaffordable for many renters and homeowners, cited a shortage of housing units, and said the caucus supports restricting private equity and corporate purchases of single-family homes. Leader Stevenson framed the agenda as a response to a budget picture that he said reflects gains for corporations and wealthy Minnesotans, and he criticized federal tax policy and Medicaid cuts. In response to questions about cost, he said several proposals would not require state spending, while others could be funded by looking at new revenue and at those who benefited most from recent tax changes. The event also included a detailed explanation of the grocery surveillance pricing proposal, which would restrict the use of personal data and AI to set individualized prices and limit rapid electronic shelf price changes. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say the volume of PUC reporting under the bill, the monthly reporting, I'm going...
• House Bill 145 provides meaningful transparency to utility wildfire mitigation planning at the PUC.
• a court that lacks the same level of expertise as the PUC.
• It requires PUC approval and a showing of ongoing eligibility.
• the PUC if they no longer qualify.

Bills: HB 106, HB144, HB145, HB252, HB1732, HB2221, HB2467, HB2468, HB2517, HB2518, HB2963, HB3016, HB3689, HB3960, HB4386, HB4490, HB4751, HB5247, HJR175, HB2213

Keywords: HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund, production safety, leasehold operations, electric utility, distribution poles, inspection

Summary: The committee first handled pending business, including reconsidering SB 715 and then voting out several measures. The committee substitute for SB 1978 was reported favorably, and HB 431, HB 1522, HB 1922, HB 3228, HB 3229, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 4219, HB 4238, HB 434, HB 1584, and HB 4739 were all reported favorably, many with objections sent to the local and uncontested calendar. HB 1522 and HB 4238 were adopted as committee substitutes before passage. The committee then moved into public testimony on HB 2963, a right-to-repair bill for consumer electronics. Supporters argued it would reduce waste, lower costs, and help independent repair shops by requiring manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and information on fair terms, while opponents said the bill was too broad and the automotive MOU exemption was problematic. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 2467, which would align State Fire Marshal Office investigators’ pay with other commissioned peace officers at TDI; testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the office’s arson-investigation role, and the bill was left pending. HB 252, a bill allowing certain state agencies flexibility to pay Schedule A employees twice monthly, was laid out and left pending after limited testimony. HB 2468, dealing with public improvement district notice in real estate transactions, would let buyers terminate within seven days if required PID notice was not provided before contract execution; it drew no public testimony and was left pending. HB 4386, an annuity exchange and surrender process bill, was presented as a consumer-protection measure with deadlines and penalties for insurer delays; it received support from industry witnesses and was left pending. The committee then heard HB 4751, creating the Texas Quantum Initiative within the Governor’s Office to coordinate quantum research, workforce, industry partnerships, and possible future grant funding. Witnesses from universities and industry supported the bill, while several senators questioned whether a new state structure was necessary; the bill was left pending. HJR 175 proposed a constitutional amendment protecting Texans’ right to use mutually agreed forms of exchange, including cash, bullion, digital currency, or private script, and was discussed at length in the context of central bank digital currency and barter; it was left pending after testimony. HB 2221, updating insurance anti-rebating laws to allow wellness and value-added services, drew supportive testimony from the insurance industry and discussion about incentives versus monitoring; it was also left pending. Finally, the committee heard a series of utility wildfire and infrastructure bills: HB 106, requiring oil and gas operators to maintain certain electrical infrastructure near well sites; HB 144, requiring electric utilities to submit pole inspection and management plans to the PUC; and HB 145, requiring wildfire mitigation plans and allowing self-insurance under certain conditions. Utility, insurance, and cooperative witnesses generally supported the wildfire-related bills while asking for clarifications and less burdensome reporting, and the bills were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then on line 90 96 is the PUC tales.
• </c> Um the total increase for the PUC Um the total increase for the PUC um<00:09:48.880><c> line</c>
• Again, those all go to Commerce and PUC through assessments.
• Again, those all go to Commerce and PUC through assessments.
• The PUC has $3.8 million of general fund spending.

Bills: HF2438

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• And we believe that the PUC is the appropriate agency to serve as the umpire.
• we have to file with the PUC and we readily do that.
• And they came up with an idea that Arkansas Public Service Commission, their PUC.
• With the PUC to raise rates, then we were raising rates and I'm not exaggerating.
• Third, there's rates determined by the PUC in a contested case, which I'm an alum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we have a docket in front of the PUC as we speak.
• Then we have a docket in front of the PUC as we speak.
• maybe the PUC will say this is great and maybe the PUC will say this is great and it<00:48:27.200><c>
• The PUC is literally in the middle same.
• And so I cannot exemption with the PUC.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• PUC staff are obviously well-intentioned, smart people, but they feel powerless.
• And then senior PUC leadership really appears to me to not consider this a top priority.
• PUC staff are obviously well-intentioned, smart people, but they feel powerless.
• PUC staff are obviously well-intentioned, smart people, but they feel powerless.
• It took four months for the PUC to reply.

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee for much of the hearing because it initially lacked a quorum, then later established one and began taking votes. The state auditor gave a status update on ongoing audits, including several JALAC-requested audits in progress, other statutory audits, staffing growth in his office, and the number of new JALAC audits his office could start in the coming months. The committee also heard that one audit request on Prop. 28 was held, and another PUC-related request was moved off consent and heard on the regular calendar. Members then heard and discussed several audit requests. Senator Cervantes presented a request to audit California fusion centers, with witnesses from the FBI and ACLU supporting the need for transparency and oversight; opponents argued the request was politically motivated and could interfere with counterterrorism work. Senator Allen presented a request on CPUC enforcement of Rule 21 interconnection timelines for solar and storage projects, supported by industry and school representatives who described long delays and financial harm, while CPUC staff said the issue was being addressed through workshops and a formal proceeding. Senator Perez presented a request to audit Caltrans’ administration of the former SR 710 extension properties and affordable sales program, citing tenant complaints about maintenance, pricing, and transparency; Caltrans said it was working to complete sales and improve administration. Senator Umberg presented a request to audit the Orange County Board of Education over transparency, contracting, litigation spending, charter oversight, and whistleblower issues, while board representatives said there was no factual basis for an audit and that existing legal remedies had not been invoked. After quorum was established, the committee approved the consent-calendar DMV license revocation audit and then approved the PUC utility timeliness audit and the Caltrans SR 710 audit. The fusion center audit was left on call after a split vote, and the Orange County Board of Education audit continued with testimony from the board’s representatives after the committee had already moved on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the PUC process was their interpretation of a statute is does a Minnetonka.
• So the PUC process was their interpretation of a statute is does a Generators.
• So the PUC process was their interpretation of a statute is does a No.
• was</c><02:11:27.440><c> their</c> the uh PUC process was their the uh PUC process was their interpretation
• My understanding is that the the PUC.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It just requires the PUC to think hard before allowing more big investments in that system.
• I think Senator Stern has borrowed a line from the utilities: Call the PUC before you take.
• The PUC recently adopted priority maps. And with these concerns, we ask for your no vote.
• We just want the PUC to take a harder look at that.
• I certainly see what the PG&E witness was saying about this constraining the PUC.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and authorize additional funding to support renewable natural gas projects by reducing interconnection costs. Supporters said high interconnection costs and the current tax treatment are major barriers to methane reduction projects; opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, raised ratepayer cost concerns and objected to rate-basing and additional public funding. The author said amended language would remove the rate-basing provisions and instead urge the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Community Impact Mitigation Program for the Diablo Canyon plant through 2030 to continue funding local emergency preparedness, fire protection, public safety, and school district costs. The County of San Luis Obispo and labor groups supported the bill, while TURN opposed it as a statewide ratepayer subsidy that could be funded from existing PG&E revenues instead of higher rates. Members discussed the bill in the context of the 2022 Diablo Canyon extension deal and the possibility of a future longer extension. SB 1215 by Senator Cortese would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing and evaluate progress, with amendments aimed at affordability and limiting system upgrade costs. Supporters said renters are largely locked out of home charging and that prior utility programs proved cost-effective; no opposition testified. SB 1359 by Senator Stern would require more deliberate CPUC review before major gas system investments, emphasizing electrification and non-pipeline alternatives. Gas utilities and several industry groups opposed it, arguing it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and change the regulatory compact. The committee also heard SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar, presented by Senator Gonzalez, which would establish a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Water agencies, environmental groups, and local governments supported the measure, while one member expressed concern that it lacked a funding source and could not overcome Proposition 218 limits; the bill was moved to Appropriations and the roll was left open. Finally, SB 1098 by Senator Perez would restrict the use of long-running memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities, require exceptional circumstances for new accounts, and add sunset and cost-sharing requirements. Consumer advocates and large energy users supported tighter oversight, while the utilities and business groups opposed the bill as too rigid and potentially harmful to flexibility for wildfire, emergency, and safety-related costs.