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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California SB 24

Public utilities: review of accounts: electrical and gas corporations: rates: political influence activities.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To Governor
  6. Vetoed

Sponsors

Cosponsors (4)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

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. This bill would prohibit, except as provided, each electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording to accounts that contain expenses that the electrical corporation or gas corporation recovers from ratepayers, or otherwise recovering from ratepayers, direct or indirect costs of opposing the municipalization of electrical or gas service, as specified. The bill would require the commission to monitor and investigate compliance and noncompliance with the prohibition. 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. 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 a public utility as the commission. 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.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 12, 2025
Senate		Unfinished Business SB24 McNerney et al. ConcurrencepassSet your home in California to see
Sep 11, 2025
House		SB 24 McNerney Senate Third Reading By BermanpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 29, 2025
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Jun 25, 2025
House		Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jun 2, 2025
Senate		3rd ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 23, 2025
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
May 5, 2025
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Apr 21, 2025
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]passSet your home in California to see

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