A flurry of energy proposals that faltered in 2025 made it through the gauntlet of the California Senate and Assembly appropriations committees via new legislative vehicles on Thursday, including bills that would restrict utility lobbying, mitigate wildfire risk from power infrastructure and introduce new electricity bill pricing models.
Why it matters: The Thursday hearings were a do-or-die moment for the bills, since Friday is the last day that Assembly and Senate committees can approve bills that originated in their houses last year.
What happened: The Senate Appropriations Committee passed SB 327, by state Sen. Jerry McNerney (D), which would prohibit utilities from charging ratepayers for costs related to opposing creating public utility services.
SB 327 is a reprise of SB 24, which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed last year over a “significant clerical error” in the technical language of the bill. Newsom in his veto message, however, signaled approval of the measure’s intent, writing that utility accountability “is essential for ensuring the provision of safe, reliable, and affordable electric and gas service to customers.”
