AB 1342: Public Utilities Commission: energy efficiency programs: report.
The bill aims to amend the Public Utilities Code to regulate the use of climate credits by electrical corporations in California. The Electric California Climate Credit will be provided to residential customers in June, July, August, and September. A larger portion of the revenues will be allocated to residential customers living in the hotter regions of the state. The bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to ensure this allocation is made.
| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 14, 2025 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. |
| May. 01, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr. 22, 2025 | Re-referred to Com. on U. & E. |
| Amended IN Assembly April 21, 2025 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 28, 2025 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Soria |
February 21, 2025 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in regulating those emissions. The implementing regulations adopted by the state board provide for the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electrical corporations and gas corporations pursuant to a market-based compliance mechanism.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law, except as provided, requires revenues received by an electrical corporation as a result of the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electrical distribution utilities to be credited directly to residential, small business, and emissions-intensive trade-exposed retail customers of the electrical corporation, commonly known as the electric California Climate Credit.
This bill would require that the electric California Climate Credit be provided to residential customers in the months of June, July, August, and September. The bill would require the commission to ensure that a larger portion of those revenues be allocated as electric California Climate Credits to residential customers living in the hotter regions of the state, 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 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 913.9 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:913.9.
On or before December 31, 2018, and(a)(1)Except as provided in subdivision (c), the commission shall require revenues, including any accrued interest, received by an electrical corporation as a result of the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electric utilities pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 95890 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations to be credited directly to the residential, small business, and emissions-intensive trade-exposed retail customers of the electrical corporation in the months of June, July, August, and September.
(2)If the operation of Section 38562 of the Health and Safety Code, as amended by Section 4 of Chapter 135 of the Statutes of 2017, is extended beyond January 1, 2031, the commission shall, upon that extension, ensure that a larger portion of the revenues described in paragraph (1) be allocated for residential customers living in hotter regions of the state.
(b)Not later than January 1, 2013, the commission shall require the adoption and implementation of a customer outreach plan for each electrical corporation, including, but not limited to, such measures as notices in bills and through media outlets, for purposes of obtaining the maximum feasible public awareness of the crediting of greenhouse gas allowance revenues. Costs associated with the implementation of this plan are subject to recovery in rates pursuant to Section 454.
(c)The commission may allocate up to 15 percent of the revenues, including any accrued interest, received by an electrical corporation as a result of the direct allocation of greenhouse gas allowances to electrical distribution utilities pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 95890 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, for clean energy and energy efficiency projects established pursuant to statute that are administered by the electrical corporation, or a qualified third-party administrator as approved by the commission, and that are not otherwise funded by another funding source.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.