Bill Text: CA AB3011 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 3011

Introduced

Bill Title: Electricity: rates: unreasonable hardship.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-11 - Referred to Com. on U. & E. [AB3011 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB3011-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3011

Introduced by Assembly Member Bains

February 16, 2024

An act to add Section 739.14 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3011, as introduced, Bains. Electricity: rates: unreasonable hardship.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable.

This bill would require the commission to ensure that each electrical rate schedule does not cause an unreasonable hardship on senior citizens, renters, families with minor children, medically vulnerable customers, or economically vulnerable residential customers in hot climate zones, as specified. The bill would provide that any electrical rate schedule that imposes rates on those identified customers above baseline rates during any hour where the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of the hour is considered an unreasonable hardship.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 739.14 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

739.14.

(a) The commission shall ensure that each electrical rate schedule does not cause an unreasonable hardship on senior citizens, renters, families with minor children, medically vulnerable customers, or economically vulnerable customers in hot climate zones, including, but not limited to, Zones 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, as determined by the Energy Commission.

(b) An electrical rate schedule that imposes rates on residential customers identified in subdivision (a) above baseline rates during any hour where the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of the hour shall be considered an unreasonable hardship.