Public utilities: review of accounts: electrical and gas corporations: rates: political influence activities

The law protects customers from bearing costs for utilities’ political influence, promotional, and other non-ratepayer expenses. It gives the Public Advocate’s Office stronger access to utility records and information.

What the law does ​

• Prohibits electric and gas utilities from recovering from ratepayers costs of opposing municipalization, including lobbying and local-government advocacy against publicly owned utilities.
• Requires utilities to disclose whether public messages are funded by shareholders or ratepayers.
• Requires annual utility reports beginning May 31, 2026, on covered units’ employee compensation and time charged to ratepayer-funded accounts, certain vendor work, and costs of commission proceedings.
• Requires the commission to make these reports public, subject to confidentiality law, and to monitor and investigate compliance.
• Requires civil penalties for utilities that improperly charge ratepayers for prohibited costs or violate commission requirements implementing the prohibition.
• Authorizes the Public Advocate’s Office to compel information needed for its own or the commission’s duties and gives it the commission’s authority to obtain information and inspect utility accounts.

Who it affects ​

• Electrical corporations and gas corporations regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
• Utility shareholders, ratepayers, employees, vendors, and trade associations involved in covered spending.
• The Public Advocate’s Office of the Public Utilities Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.