The proposed bill, titled the "Transparency in Electric and Gas Bills Act," aims to enhance consumer understanding of electric and gas utility bills by requiring utilities to provide a detailed and itemized breakdown of all charges. Beginning on July 1, 2027, all electric and gas utilities operating in the state must include clear line items for supply charges, delivery charges, and public policy costs on each bill issued to residential or commercial customers. This breakdown will specify costs for renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, and will require a further itemization of costs associated with specific renewable energy mandates.

The bill mandates that utilities explain how costs for each renewable energy source are determined, including the methodology used to allocate these costs and the percentage of the customer's supply charge attributed to each source. The utility must present this information in a user-friendly format that is easily readable and comprehensible to typical customers.

Additionally, starting January 1, 2028, each utility is required to submit a proposed plan for implementing the bill breakdown requirements to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The PUC will hold a public comment period of no less than sixty days for stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposed plans. The PUC will consider all comments and make necessary revisions before approving the final implementation standards.

Utilities must implement the finalized billing breakdown plans no later than one year after PUC approval. The PUC will have the authority to enforce compliance with the provisions of this chapter, and any utility found in violation may face penalties, including fines or remedial actions.

The PUC is also tasked with conducting a public outreach and education campaign to ensure that residential and commercial customers are aware of the changes to the billing system and can understand the new bill breakdown. This outreach may include public service announcements, educational materials, and online resources. This act will take effect upon passage.