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, an electrical corporation or gas corporation from recording various expenses associated with political influence activities, as defined, promotional advertising, as defined, or opposing the municipalization of electrical or gas service, to accounts that contain expenses that the electrical corporation or gas corporation recovers from ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require electrical corporations and gas corporations to clearly and conspicuously disclose in all of its advertising whether the costs of the advertising are paid for by the corporation's shareholders or ratepayers, as provided. The bill would require an electrical corporation or gas corporation, on or before May 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, to include, as part of a specified statement to the commission, certain information. The bill would require the commission to make the report publicly available.
This bill would require the commission to assess a civil penalty against an electrical corporation or gas corporation that violates certain prohibitions described above, as provided.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or an 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.

Statutes affected:
SB24: 2771 PUC
12/02/24 - Introduced: 2771 PUC
03/25/25 - Amended Senate: 2771 PUC