Marc Berman
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 23
Author
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, various expenses, including those associated with political influence activities or promotional advertising, as specified. The bill would require each electrical corporation or gas corporation to clearly and conspicuously disclose in all of its public messages whether the costs of the public messages are paid for by the corporation's shareholders or ratepayers. The bill would require each electrical corporation or gas corporation, on or before May 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, to report, as part of a specified statement to the commission, certain related information. The bill would require the commission to make the reports publicly available, as provided. This bill would require the commission to assess a civil penalty, based on the severity of the violation, against an electrical corporation or gas corporation that violates the prohibition described above, or that neglects to comply with any part or provision of any order, decision, decree, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission related to implementing that prohibition, as provided. 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 provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing this bill's requirements would be a crime, the 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.
Approved by the Governor.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 634, Statutes of 2025.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 50. Noes 8. Page 3251.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2660.).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
Withdrawn from committee.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 13. Noes 4.) (July 1).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 52. Noes 1. Page 1917.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (May 23).
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 30).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.
Read first time.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
Introduced. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB1167 | HTML |
| 02/21/25 - Introduced | |
| 03/25/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 04/21/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/05/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 06/19/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 07/03/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/29/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/12/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/11/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/29/25- Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy | |
| 05/12/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/27/25- Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications | |
| 08/15/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 08/29/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 09/02/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/10/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
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