Ava 2025 May
California Legislative Update
May 9, 2025
2 Agenda
• 2025 California Legislative Timeline
• 2025-2026 Governor’s Revised Budget
• May 2025 Bill Review:
• Accelerating Decarbonization
• Promoting Local Development
• Protecting Community Choice
• Making Electricity More Affordable
• Increasing Bill Transparency and Understanding
• Bills Concerning IOUs
• Board Operations
• Other Ava Priorities
2025 California Legislative Timeline
3 January
6: Legislature reconvenes
10: Govenor submits
budget
February
21: Bill introduction
deadline
March April
May
2: Policy cmtes move
fiscal bills to fiscal cmtes
(1st chamber)
9: Policy cmtes move
non-fiscal bills to floor
(1st chamber)
June
6: Last day for bills to be
passed by 1st house
15: Budget bill must be
passed
July
18: Policy cmtes move
bills to fiscal cmtes or
floor (2nd chamber)
August
29: Fiscal cmtes move
bills to floor (2nd
chamber)
September
12: Last day for each
chamber to pass bills
October
12: Last day for Governor
to sign/veto bills
November December
2025-2026 Governor's Revised Budget
4 TO BE UPDATED UPON MAY RELEASE
5 2025 Bill Review
California legislators proposed
2,350 bills
Ava legislative team is
monitoring ~100 bills
"The purposes [of Ava]… include securing electrical energy supply for customers in participating jurisdictions, addressing climate change by reducing energy related greenhouse gas emissions, promoting electrical rate price stability, and fostering local economic benefits such as jobs creation, community energy programs and local power development. It is the intent of this Agreement to promote the development and use of a wide range of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency programs, including but not limited to State, regional and local solar and wind energy production." Ava Community Energy's Joint Powers Agreement
6 2025 Bill Review
Cross-functional analysis of
35 bills
(Internal, CalCCA, Board)
Ava legislative team is
monitoring ~100 bills
Accelerating
Decarbonization
Promoting Local
Development
Protecting
Community
Choice
Making
Electricity More
Affordable
Increasing Bill
Transparency
and
Understanding
Ava Community Energy's Legislative Program
7 2025 Bill Review
Cross-functional analysis of
35 bills
(Internal, CalCCA, Board)
Staff recommends Board take a
position on 14 bills
1. Directly impacts our operations or legislative program.
2. Supports the JPA's vision of an affordable, sustainable, and local energy ecosystem and has broad-based support.
3. Ava's perspective has specific resonance with key decisionmakers and could impact the legislative language or path forward.
8 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Making Electricity More Affordable
AB 99
(Ta-R)
Prohibits an IOUs from proposing a rate increase above the level of inflation for any general rate cycle, except for cases related to safety improvements, system upgrades, or increased costs of materials.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(Suspense File) (25%)
AB 729
(Zbur-D)
Provides bill relief by reallocating the Climate Credit to align with periods of highest statewide energy usage. Rather than a single payment in April, residential customers will receive the electricity Climate Credit in August and September and the natural gas Climate Credit in February.
Support Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 254
(Becker-D)
Senate affordability package; creates Clean Energy Infrastructure Authority empowered to support project development by connecting clean energy developers with financing entities and public incentives. Streamlines wildfire mitigation and clean energy permitting, limits IOU cost recovery for major projects, expands low-income Credit Climate, and increases scrutiny of utility cost hikes.
Support Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
9 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Accelerating Decarbonization (Battery Storage)
SB 283
(Laird-D)
Requires energy storage facilities to comply with NFPA 855 fire safety standards, certify fire department consultation, and undergo inspections before operation.
Support if Amended Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
Accelerating Decarbonization (Local Permitting)
AB 39
(Zbur-D)
Requires that no later than 2030 cities and counties with over 75,000 residents adopt an electrification / decarbonization / community energy plan or integrate these subjects into their general plan.
Support Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
AB 306
(Schultz-D, co:Wicks-D)
June 2025 to June 2031, places restrictions on local changes to building standards (including reach codes) for residential units, emphasizing uniformity and the protection of health, safety, and home hardening.
Monitor Sen. Housing &
Local Gov. Committee
(55%)
SB 282
(Wiener-D)
Requires municipalities to streamline application and certification processes for residential heat pump systems.
Support Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
Accelerating Decarbonization
AB 915
(Petrie-Norris-D)
Establishes Clean Energy Reliability Investment Plan and requires CEC and CPUC to report on significant delays or barriers affecting deployment of renewable energy and zero-carbon resources. Establishes central pool of project citing and permitting experts within CEC.
Support Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 698
(McNerney-D)
Authorizes CEC to establish DER equipment lists and adopt guidelines that further energy goals including solar energy systems, energy storage, bidirectional charging, and charging stations.
Support Sen. Appr. Committee
(Suspense File) (25%)
10 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Promoting Local Development (Vehicle Charging)
AB 1423
(Irwin-D) Expands CEC's reliability and uptime regulations to a subset of publicly-funded/utility-funded chargers installed since 2018 (including medium- and heavy-duty). Provides authority for CEC to impose civil penalties of no greater than $2,500 for each violation on companies that don't meet the CEC's standards.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 314
(Padilla-D)
Allows chargers to be self-certified by installers and manufacturers be entered into operation during the state inspection period. Provides exemptions from some state laws for chargers only available to certain individuals.
Support Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
Promoting Local Development (Datacenters)
AB 222
(Bauer-Kahan-D)
Before using or making a covered AI model or system available, developers must calculate the total energy used and the percentage generated in California, then publish this data on their website. Additionally, the Commission may adopt regulations to improve energy standards generally for datacenters more generally.
Support if Amended Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 57
(Padilla-D co:
McNerney-D)
Requires CPUC to establish transmission and distribution (T&D) tariffs for data centers to protect nonparticipating customers from cost shifts; allows CEC to establish a minimum requirement for zero-carbon procurement.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(Suspense file) (25%)
Protecting Community Choice
11 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Increasing Bill Transparency and Understanding (Dynamic Rates) AB 44
(Schultz-D)
Requires the CEC to define and publicize load modification protocols by 12/2026, allowing LSEs to adjust their electrical demand forecasts. The bill aims to improve grid reliability by incorporating flexible demand tools, supporting decarbonization, and helping LSEs manage their resource adequacy obligations.
Support Asm. Appr. Comm.
(Consent Calendar)
(25%)
SB 541
(Becker-D)
Requires CEC via IPER to establish load shifting targets allocated to each retail supplier based on its relative share of statewide load and the CEC's estimate of its load shifting potential. Requires CEC to work with the CPUC to identify barriers to meeting these estimates and develop a local-based avoided cost metric.
Oppose Unless
Amended
Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
12 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Bills Concerning IOUs
AB 740
(Harabedian-D)
Mandates IOUs report on their efforts to achieve load shifting goals. Directs the CEC to develop a strategic plan to facilitate the large-scale deployment of Virtual Power Plants.
Monitor Asm. Appr Comm.
(25%)
AB 884
(Essayli-R)
Prohibits an IOU from contributing to a candidate for elective state office and would prohibit a candidate for elective state office from accepting a contribution from an IOU.
Monitor Asm. Elections
Committee
(25%)
AB 1117
(Schultz-D)
Requires the implementation of dynamic pricing for all commercial and residential customers by 2030. CCA participation in dynamic pricing is voluntary but requires gen rate alignment with market conditions while preventing cost shifts between bundled and unbundled customers.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
AB 1167
(Berman-D,
Addis-D)
Prohibits IOUs from using ratepayer funds for activities like political influence or promotional advertising that don't directly benefit customers.
Requires these utilities to disclose whether advertising costs are covered by ratepayers or shareholders.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 24
(McNerney-D)
Prohibits IOUs from using ratepayer funds to undertake political influence activities, make charitable contributions, or lobby against municipalization.
Mandates utilities to report detailed expense data to ensure compliance and requires service restoration during poor air quality conditions.
Monitor Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
13 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Bills Concerning IOUs
SB 332
(Wahab-D)
Requires the CEC to evaluate the transition of the IOU model to a successor entity, implements disconnection transparency reporting, requires third party equipment audits, and prohibits ratepayer funds to be used for wildfire mitigation infrastructure investment, among other changes.
Monitor Sen Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 500
(Stern-D)
Directs the CPUC to develop and track IOU performance metrics and financial incentives to better align utility investments with cost-effective, safe, and reliable service. Emphasizes minimizing unnecessary infrastructure spending by prioritizing demand flexibility, distributed energy resources, and lower-cost safety upgrades over traditional capital investments.
Monitor Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
Board Operations
AB 259
(Rubio-D)
Extends Brown Act alternative teleconferencing rules indefinitely (currently scheduled to expire in 2026).
Support Asm. Floor
(35%)
SB 239
(Arreguín-D)
Authorizes subsidiary bodies to use alternative teleconferencing until 2030 with specific notice, agenda, and public participation rules.
Support Sen. Judiciary
Committee
(15%)
14 Bill # (Author) Description Staff-Recommended
Action
Bill Status
(progress through leg)
Other Ava Priority Bills
AB 13 (Ransom-D)Establishes geographic representation for CPUC Commissioners and adds a legislative liaison. Mandates an annual report on rate affordability and case resolutions, along with increased transparency on rate-setting decisions, including detailed reports to the Legislature within 15 days of final decisions.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
AB 942
(Calderon-D)
Removes legacy NEM 1.0 and 2.0 tariffs upon the sale of property. Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee (25%)
AB 1260
(Ward-D)
Requires the CPUC to modify customer renewable energy subscription programs and requires CEC to evaluate community solar+storage as a load-modifying resource.
Monitor Asm. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 453
(Stern-D)
Extends SGIP to end of 2027 and requires the CEC to report on the program.
Support Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
SB 842
(Stern-D)
Requires the CEC and CPUC to support and prioritize the development of firm zero-carbon resources. By 2027, state agencies must identify funding opportunities, deployment barriers, and procurement mechanisms to integrate these resources into local reliability planning. The bill also mandates that Integrated Resource Plans consider firm zero-carbon resources to meet local reliability.
Monitor Sen. Appr. Committee
(25%)
AB 39 (Zbur) – Fact Sheet – Updated 2/27/25 Page 1 of 2 AB 39 (Zbur) – Local Electrification Planning Act
SUMMARY
AB 39 requires cities and counties with
populations above 75,000 to create and adopt a
plan to meet their electrification goals. This bill
will help to ensure that everyone – particularly
low-income communities, renters, and those
who may need to park on the street – have the
electric vehicle charging infrastructure they need
and are able to retrofit their homes to install
electric appliances. Local governments will play
a critical role in ensuring California has an
equity-based approach in achieving a clean
energy future.
AB 39 will empower local jurisdictions to
develop solutions that meet communities’
unique needs, ensure equal access, and form
long-term climate solutions.
BACKGROUND
California has adopted ambitious climate goals
that require drastic cuts in greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. The state is moving quickly
to electrify its modes of transportation1and
encourage electrification in new construction.2
Strategies to expand electric charging
infrastructure and convert existing homes to
electric appliances are critical to support these
efforts.
Californians will need an estimated 1 million
vehicle chargers to support the 8 million
passenger electric vehicles (EV) that are
1 Executive Order N-79-20
anticipated to be on the road by 2030, and even
more will be necessary to meet the state’s 2035
electric vehicle mandate. In the building sector,
over 60 jurisdictions in the state have adopted
ordinances to require or encourage
electrification in new construction but more
needs to be done for existing homes.
Meeting these challenging goals requires that
governments at all levels to partner in
developing and implementing strategies that
ensure our most vulnerable communities are not
left behind as we take steps towards
electrification.
PROBLEM
Low-income communities face significant
barriers and costs to adopting electric cars and
appliances in their homes. Adding to the
complexities of the transition, there has been
insufficient planning at the state and local levels
to ensure the requisite infrastructure exists as we
advance California’s goals around electric
vehicles and electrifying homes.
These challenges are enhanced for renters and
those who live in multi-family homes, where
they typically do not have the option to install
charging infrastructure or electric household
appliances. Assuring that electric chargers are
available for all community members and that
charging and transmission infrastructure is
sufficient to support truck and vehicle delivery
fleets and small businesses requires deep
2 California Energy Commission 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards - Title 24, Part 6
AB 39 (Zbur) – Fact Sheet – Updated 2/27/25 Page 2 of 2 knowledge of these communities and the on-the-ground expertise that local governments have, to develop strategies and policies to meet our
climate goals.
It is clear that California needs to take steps to
catalyze the construction and adoption of the
infrastructure necessary for a clean energy
transition and close the gaps that hinder low-income and disadvantaged community members from participating in our climate efforts.
SOLUTION
AB 39 requires cities and counties with 75,000
or more people to adopt an electrification plan,
composed of climate strategies and goals. This
bill recognizes the importance of local decision-making and empowers local governments to pursue solutions tailored to their communities’
specific needs.
These local jurisdictions are essential partners in
meeting California’s climate goals because they
are best positioned to assess the needs of their
residents’ and business’s electric transmission
and infrastructure requirements.
Establishing these local plans will better assist
California with identifying equitable solutions to
critical statewide goals.
SUPPORT
Building Decarbonization Coalition (Sponsor)
CALSTART (Sponsor)
The Climate Center
Natural Resource Defense Council
California Environmental Voters
California Solar & Storage Association
California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce
California African American Chamber of
Commerce
California Electric Transportation Coalition
Advanced Energy United
Electric Vehicle Charging Association
San Diego Gas and Electric Company
City of Santa Monica
Rewiring America
Streets Are For Everyone
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Cole Klein, Legislative Assistant
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (916) 319-2051
AB 44 – Electricity Affordability Through Load Shifting Summary:
AB 44 addresses California’s energy affordability
challenges by clarifying the process by which load-serving entities may use demand management technologies to reduce or shift their electricity
consumption away from the most expensive hours.
Background:
Resource adequacy (RA) requirements are established
by California’s energy agencies to ensure reliability in the state’s energy supply. The California market for
RA resources is experiencing significant challenges,
largely driven by extreme weather events causing
energy agencies to increase RA obligations for load
serving entities (LSEs), as well as resource
constraints. As a result, RA prices have been
increasing significantly over the last few years,
leading to increases in ratepayer costs.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has a
process to allow each LSE to reduce or modify its
electric demand forecast, which is used to set its RA
procurement requirements, using behind-the-meter
distributed energy resources. This process is
technology-neutral and requires detail on each
technology’s operational performance to allow the
electric demand forecast of the LSE to be confidently
modified for certain hours of the year.
When an LSE’s forecast is reduced under this process,
its wholesale procurement (i.e. resource adequacy)
need is also reduced, yielding ratepayer benefits from
avoided wholesale power purchases.
Problem:
The existing CEC load modification process using
distributed energy resources is sound policy, but it has seen limited participation by LSEs and technology
providers because there are no publicly available
criteria on how the performance of each technology is
assessed to qualify for load modification.
Further, there is usually a multi-year lag between
when technologies are deployed and operational and
when the LSE’s demand forecast is reduced.
These factors create a financial risk for LSEs and
technology providers interested in pursuing this
demand management strategy, deterring them from
using this cost saving opportunity.
AB 44 will provide LSEs, technology providers, and
demand response aggregators with greater assurances
that they will achieve cost savings through the CEC’s
load-modifying process, ensuring that the cost savings
become a reality.
AB 44 ______ (as amended on 3/25/2024):
requires the CEC to define and publicize its
load modification protocols to allow each LSE
to confidently reduce their peak demand
forecast with distributed energy technology;
encourages the CEC to use available funds to
test load-modifying technologies to maximize
confidence in aggregated distributed energy
resource performance; and,
requires the CEC to evaluate new
opportunities that could allow LSEs to get
further RA relief using load management.
Support:
Advanced Energy United
Contact:
Jim Metropulos
Office of Assemblymember Nick Schultz
916.319.2044
[email protected]
AB 222 – Data centers: energy usage reporting and modeling Summary
AB 222 creates transparency around energy
usage by developers of artificial intelligence (AI)
models and data centers, creates energy
efficiency standards for data centers, and
prevents the cost of constructing new data centers
from being passed onto ratepayers.
Background
The rapid development of the AI industry is
fueling a boom in data center construction in
California. These facilities, which house the
servers and hardware needed to train and operate
AI, require vast amounts of electricity. According
to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times:
“In Santa Clara — the heart of Silicon Valley —
electric rates are rising as the municipal utility
spends heavily on transmission lines and other
infrastructure to accommodate the voracious
power demand from more than 50 data centers,
which now consume 60% of the city’s electricity.
And earlier this year, Pacific Gas & Electric told
investors that its customers have proposed more
than two dozen data centers, requiring 3.5
gigawatts of power — the output of three new
nuclear reactors.
1 ”
The California Energy Commission (CEC) helps
ensure California’s energy infrastructure is ready
to meet the needs of its population and economy
by analyzing trends in energy consumption and
forecasting future demand. The CEC also
establishes energy efficiency standards for
appliances, buildings, and industrial processes,
with the goal of reducing energy waste, lowering
greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting
sustainability. These efforts support California’s
transition to a cleaner, more resilient energy
1 Power-hungry AI data centers are raising electric bills and blackout risk
system while helping Californians save on energy
costs.
The construction of energy-intensive data centers
often requires an expansion of grid infrastructure
to accommodate increased energy demand. When
this occurs, utility companies can seek approval
from the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) to pass on the costs of electricity
production and infrastructure upgrades to
ratepayers.
Problem
Large AI models require a tremendous amount of
energy to develop. At the same time, the rapid
expansion of the AI industry is driving the
widespread construction of energy-intensive data
centers across the state. The increase in energy
demand due to AI, paired with grid infrastructure
expansion necessitated by the construction and
expansion of data centers, threaten to increase
energy costs for Californians.
What the Bill Does
AB 222 requires developers of AI models to
disclose the amount of energy consumed during
the training of large models; it requires the
California Energy Commission to adopt energy
efficiency and reporting standards for data
centers; and it minimizes costs to ratepayers
resulting from the construction of new data
centers.
Support
California Environmental Voters
Compute Exchange Inc.
Sierra Club
Sustainable Rossmoor
Transparency Coalition.ai
Contact
Slater Sharp | Legislative Aide
[email protected]
(916) 319-2637
VERSION: As amended 4/7/25
AB 259 (Rubio): Ralph M. Brown Act
SUMMARY
Assembly Bill 259 (Rubio) extends the sunset on
provisions added to the Brown Act by
Assembly Bill 2449 (Rubio, 2022), a bill that
provided additional flexibility for Brown Act
meeting procedures, allowing board
members to participate remotely in the event
of an absence due to “just cause” or
“emergency circumstances”, allowing for
those members so-affected to participate in
the meeting remotely consistent with the
process detailed in the bill. The provisions of AB
2449 include restrictions on how often its
provisions may be invoked and require that a
majority of the board be present in-person in
order to constitute a quorum. This bill will
extend the sunset on these provisions until 2030
BACKGROUND
The Brown Act ensures that officials and their
constituents can have open and transparent
meetings, which we now know can occur
using modern technology. AB 2449 provided
an avenue for constituents to interact with
their representatives in situations where they
might have not previously been able to. AB
2449 followed other legislation like Assembly Bill
361 (R. Rivas, 2021) related to the Brown Act.
However, while bills like AB 361 were
concerned with entire agencies and disaster
emergency scenarios posing a threat to the
general health and welfare of all attendees,
AB 2449 is more limited in scope. AB 2449 is
applicable to individual board members –
rather than the entire agency – and is
concerned with the specific “just cause” and
“emergency circumstances” enumerated
within the bill.
PROBLEM
Several special districts and other local
agencies have utilized the procedures
established by AB 2449, successfully facilitating
remote participation for legislative
policymakers that would otherwise been
encumbered by illness, official travel, or
medical emergency. Though the terms of AB
2449 have been amended since their
passage, the sunset date associated with its
terms has not been changed; the alternative
Brown Act meeting procedures established by
the bill expire at the end of 2025.
SOLUTION
By extending the sunset, AB 259 preserves the
additional flexibility for individual board
members of local agencies looking to meet
remotely to continue providing the public with
essential services.
SUPPORT
California Special Districts Association
(Sponsor)
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
(Sponsor)
STAFF CONTACT
Name: George Miller
Phone: 916-319-2048
Email: [email protected]
Assembly Bill 915 – Fact Sheet
Local Incentives for Siting Clean Energy
Updated 5/1/2025
CONTACT: Jacob Moss | Legislative Director
[email protected] | (916) 319-2073
SUMMARY
AB 915 provides local cities and counties with the
resources necessary for California to successfully
transition to a clean energy economy.
BACKGROUND
The goal of replacing all of the energy consumed by
the world’s fourth largest economy with clean and
renewable sources presents a reindustrialization
challenge of unprecedented pace and scale. For
example, over the next decade, based on the
California Public Utility Commission’s February 2024
Integrated Resources Plan Decision (D. 24-02-047),
California must install 19 GWs of solar, 7 GWs of
terrestrial wind, and over 15 GWs of energy storage
to meet its renewable energy targets. If successful,
California will demonstrate to the world that this
transition is possible technically and economically.
Despite the global implications of these statewide
goals, the burden to deliver on this promise has
historically fallen on the cities and counties who are
largely on their own to permit and site clean energy
projects. When new technologies emerge, cities and
counties are forced to quickly adapt their permitting
and planning to meet the new opportunity. For the
foreseeable future, the bulk of the responsibility and
infrastructure development will be left to the cities
and counties to authorize and oversee.
Permitting clean energy projects requires an
understanding of federal, state, and local regulations as well as expertise in the technology being permitted.
Permits involve multiple agencies and departments
with jurisdictions ranging from health and safety
concerns to siting and zoning. Some challenges are
intentional, including bans, moratoriums, setbacks,
noise restrictions, and aesthetic concerns. For many
local jurisdictions, however, permitting challenges are less about resistance and more about a lack of
resources, time, and expertise.
NEED FOR THE BILL
In-house staffing and expertise is a primary challenge
for local permitting authorities. Without a steady
stream of permit requests of similar projects, there is little incentive or ability to “staff up.” To successfully complete clean energy project permits, sensitivity to
hyper-local culture, conditions, and concerns must be
paired with subject matter expertise and knowledge
of complex state and federal regulations.
SOLUTION
AB 915 requires the California Energy Commission
(CEC) to establish and make available to local
permitting authorities a central pool of subject
matter experts with experience in clean energy
project siting and permitting.
States the legislative intent to appropriate $900
million previously committed in SB 846 (Dodd,
2022) to the CEC to award local grants to
incentivize investment in clean energy
infrastructure.
SUPPORT
California Municipal Utilities Association
California Solar & Storage Association
Rural County Representatives of California
Southern California Public Power Authority
SB 239 – Local Advisory Body Teleconferencing
SUMMARY_______________________________
SB 239 would allow non-voting local advisory bodies to
conduct meetings remotely if certain conditions are met.
BACKGROUND__________________ ______
Participation in our democratic processes is a key way of building trust in our institutions, yet limited options for engagement makes it difficult for many to have their
voices heard. Many local governments create advisory
bodies to ensure that citizen input is received for varying issues prior to enacting ordinances. Local governments
have struggled to attract members of the public to serve on these advisory bodies due to the requirement that
these bodies meet in person. Qualified members of the
public who would be an important voice for diverse
issues have reasonable concerns about time constraints, transportation issues, and caregiving duties that leaves them unable to participate
The Ralph M. Brown Act, established in 1953, ensures
that the public has adequate access to participate in
government decision making processes. This essential
democratic right remains just as relevant today, however the conditions of our society have changed –
necessitating updates to this critical law.
With increasing technological advancement, the nature
of our society and public discourse has fundamentally
changed. When individuals can see a doctor, engage in
social events or advocate for policies at a state level through zoom or other teleconferencing technologies,
they are able to access discourse in a fundamentally
different way – without the need to add commuting time
to their day-to-day lives.
PROBLEM_______________________________
The COVID-19 pandemic showed us all that meeting
remotely can improve efficiency and accessibility for
everything from routine work meetings to public
meetings subject to the Brown Act. However, the end of
pandemic-era remote meeting flexibility has caused
many community members to resign from local advisory
bodies due to conflicts with work, caregiving,
disabilities, or long driving distances needed to attend meetings in person.
Based on results from a survey of counties, over 82%
report recruitment and retention challenges and over
90% report occasional or frequent failures to establish quorum needed to conduct an advisory body meeting.
When these advisory bodies are unable to recruit or
retain members of the public to serve, local government diversity and responsiveness suffers.
While remote meeting is possible under current law,
members must post the address of their remote location
and open it to the public. Often, the most convenient and accessible location to participate in a meeting is from someone’s home. This reality is exacerbated by those
who live in rural locations, where there are simply fewer public locations willing to accommodate someone
participating in a meeting who may be joined by
members of the public.
SOLUTION_______________________________
SB 239 would remove barriers to public participation
on local advisory bodies, ensuring that those bodies can represent the true diversity of our communities,
including working families, single parents, persons with disabilities, those living in distant locations, and others by allowing remote meetings. SB 239 would allow
members of public bodies that are simply advisory in
nature, with no decision-making powers, to meet
remotely without needing to post their home address or
open their home to the public. It would improve
meeting accessibility for the public at large, ensuring that the public can also view and participate in remote meetings, while also ensuring that there are in-person
meeting locations to attend and participate in a meeting.
CONTACT_______________________________
Jessica Matlock
(916) 651-4007
[email protected]
SUPPORT ______________________________
Association of Bay Area Governments (co-sponsor)
California State Association of Counties (Co-sponsor)
California League of Cities (Co-sponsor)
City Clerks Association of California (Co-sponsor)
The California Association of Public Authorities for
IHSS (Co-sponsor)
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (co-sponsor) Area 4 Agency on Aging
Bet Tzedek
California Association of Area Agencies on Aging
California Association of Council of Governments
California Association of Recreation & Park Districts
California Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
Association
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
California IHSS Consumer Alliance
California Senior Legislature
California Special Districts Association
California Travel Association
City of Corona
County of Contra Costa
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
County of Marin
County of Mendocino
County of Monterey
County of Riverside
County of Sacramento
County of Yolo
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Homebridge
Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network
Imperial County
Justice in Aging
Marin Center for Independent Living
Placer Independent Resources Services
Rural County Representatives of California
San Diego Community Power
Sourcewise
Town of Hillsborough
Urban Counties of California
SB 282 Fact Sheet Updated 4.7.2025
SUMMARY
SB 282, the Heat Pump Access Act, will save
Californians on energy bills, reduce indoor air
pollution, mitigate the effects of extreme weather,
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving
access to safe heat pump water heater and HVAC
systems. SB 282 will require automated permitting
for standard heat pump water heater and HVAC
installations, streamlining the permitting process for
a key affordability and climate technology.
BACKGROUND/EXISTING LAW
Heat pumps are a win-win-win climate solution—
they provide efficient, cost-saving, zero-emission
cooling and heating that can displace dirty and
hazardous fossil fuel furnaces with a single
appliance.
Because heat pumps are highly energy efficient, the
average household in the US can save nearly $400 a
year by switching to a heat pump.1 When paired with
solar and/or battery systems, and outfitted with
demand response capabilities, heat pumps can save
residents even more.
Water and space heating through gas water heaters
and furnaces are responsible for the majority of
greenhouse gas emissions from residential buildings.
Buildings– including both residential and commercial
– are responsible for 25% of California’s greenhouse
gas emissions.
Replacing these gas appliances with highly efficient
electric heat pump devices not only reduces
emissions but also improves the health and safety of
buildings. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute
(RMI), a heat pump installed in California today will
cut emissions from space heating by 93% over the
1 A Guide to Cutting Costs with Heat Pumps | Rewiring America 2 Neumann, Ingrid. “Key Building Decarbonization
Strategies towards California Climate Goals.” PowerPoint lifetime of the equipment compared to a gas
furnace, in addition to providing potentially life-saving AC as our climate warms. To be on track for meeting California’s climate goals, at least 20% of
existing buildings will need to convert their fossil-powered appliances to electric alternatives by 2030.2
California has already taken action to reduce permit
barriers for homeowners seeking to electrify and
decarbonize their homes. State laws mandate
automated permitting processes for solar
photovoltaics and home batteries (Senate Bill 379,
Wiener, 2021), require expedited solar permitting
and restrict reasons for denying solar permits
(Assembly Bill 2188, Muratsuchi, 2014), and limit
high fees for solar permits (AB 1132, Friedman,
2023). For electric vehicle charging stations,
California requires an expedited and simplified
permit process focused solely on a health and safety
review (AB 1236, Chiu, 2015), and limits jurisdictions
to a simple nondiscretionary permit type (AB 970,
McCarty, 2021).
Heat pumps have yet to receive such streamlining
— despite heat pump contractors regularly citing
time-consuming and cost-driving complexities
associated with local permitting and despite
ambitious clean air rules and state climate targets
setting the stage for enormous heat pump growth. In
2023, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(AQMD) passed a rule to require newly installed
space and water heaters to be zero-emission. The
South Coast AQMD and CARB are considering similar
rules for residential customers. Similarly, Governor
Newsom has set a building decarbonization goal of
installing 6 million heat pumps statewide by 2030.
presented at Redwood Energy Zero Carbon Retreat,
January 21, 2021
Senator Scott Wiener, 11th Senate District
SB 282- Heat Pump Access Act
SB 282 Fact Sheet Updated 4.7.2025
PROBLEM
Meeting California’s climate goals will require a
greater number of residential heat pump appliances
to be installed quickly and cost-effectively over the
coming years. However, a patchwork of burdensome
local permitting requirements adds cost, time, and
hassle to these clean appliance retrofits. Interviews
with heat pump installers point to a number of
barriers at the local level to installing heat pump
equipment, including long inspection wait times,
local architectural requirements, wide variations in
requirements across jurisdictions, high permit fees,
and the need to obtain multiple permit types for a
water heater installation.
These burdensome requirements can drive up the
cost of installations for homeowners, and limit the
time that qualified contractors have to work on other
projects, further tightening the supply of labor
available to meet increasing demand for heat pump
appliances. Because public rebate and direct install
programs for heat pumps require permit verification,
onerous permit requirements risk impacting the
efficiency of hundreds of millions in funding for heat
pumps, much of which is targeted toward low-income customers.
In light of Governor Newsom’s ambitious target of
installing 6 million heat pumps statewide, California
has only 5 years left to install over 4 million heat
pumps in order to meet this goal.
SOLUTION
Heat pump permitting must be modernized in line
with other pro-climate technologies to improve
access to a cost-saving technology and meet
California’s ambitious climate goals.
This bill would streamline heat pump permitting
and ensure California meets its climate goals by:
1. Mandating automated permitting for
standard Heat Pump installations
2. Requiring local jurisdictions to allow
licensed contractors to self-certify that their
heat pump installation is up to code, when
contractors have met a threshold of both
training and installed a specified number of
heat pumps without requiring any cures
during the inspection process.
3. Prohibiting HOAs from imposing
architectural review on clean appliance
installations
4. Requiring a maximum of one permit for
heat pump water heater installations
5. Prohibiting jurisdictions from imposing
additional requirements on heat pump
installations beyond state code, with a
specific carve-out for Title 24 reach codes
and/or local policies intended to advance
clean energy adoption
6. Capping fees for heat pump permits to the
reasonable cost of providing service
SUPPORT
● Building Decarbonization Coalition,
Sponsor
● SPUR, Sponsor
● Bay Area Air District, Sponsor
● Natural Resources Defense Council
● Rewiring America
● US Green Building Council California
● Acterra
● Act NOW Bay Area
● Empower Green Voices
● SAFE Cities at Stand.earth
● Carbon Free Silicon Valley
● Carbon Free Palo Alto
● California Center for Sustainable Energy
● California Housing Partnership Corporation
● Climate Action California
● Earthjustice
● Efficiency First California
● Emerald Cities Collaborative
● Fujitsu
● LG Electronics
● Menlo Spark
● Mitsubishi Electric
SB 282 Fact Sheet Updated 4.7.2025
● Permit Power
● QuitCarbon
● SF Climate Emergency Coalition
● San Diego Building Electrification Coalition
● San Diego 350
● Stand Earth
● Stop Waste
● 350 Humbolt: Grass Roots Climate Action
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Name: Radhika Gawde, Legislative Aide
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 961-651-4011
Office of Senator McNerney (D-05) SB 698 Factsheet Last Updated: 04/02/2025
THIS BILL
California has the largest solar market in the
U.S., with solar energy supplying more than
25% of the state’s electricity. The success of
CA’s solar industry is due in part to the state’s
world-leading system of standards, known as
the Solar Equipment Lists (SELs).
Developed by the California Energy
Commission (CEC) to set industry standards for
solar, the state’s SELs are now used by state
agencies, local governments, and stakeholders
across the U.S. and abroad to ensure solar
equipment is safe and reliable.
SB 698 modernizes CA’s Solar Equipment Lists
statute, preserving the program into the future.
The bill also expands the scope of the SELs to
include bidirectional charging equipment and
battery storage systems, which homeowners
with rooftop solar are increasingly using in
conjunction with their solar systems.
ISSUE
California has statewide goals to power its
electrical grid with 100% clean energy by 2045.
One early plank of CA’s clean energy platform
was the California Solar Initiative in 2006 which
sought to install a million solar roofs on homes,
farms and businesses in CA. To complement
the CA Solar Initiative, the CEC established the
Solar Equipment Lists to set industry standards
for solar equipment, ensuring safe and reliable
interconnections to the grid. While the California
Solar Initiative programs have sunset, the Solar
Equipment Lists remain a key resource.
Industry professionals from California and
across the country have relied on these lists for
almost two decades. Local governments use
them to facilitate streamlined permitting of
rooftop solar systems on homes and
businesses.
As California accelerates its transition to clean
energy sources, grid safety and reliability are of
the utmost importance. Home electrification
includes more than just solar panels – electric
vehicles, bidirectional charging cables, and
battery storage all play a role in reducing the
use of natural gas in homes and providing
energy back to the grid. Without sufficient
standards and testing, the energy transition
could be undermined by poor equipment,
leading to safety issues.
Today, the CEC continues to update the SELs
three times per month, allowing California to
adapt to emerging technologies. In 2024 alone,
over 8,000 new models of equipment were
added to the Solar Equipment Lists.
Expanding the purview of the Solar Equipment
Lists will allow California to streamline a
broader array of equipment that can help
reduce emissions and make the grid more
reliable.
SOLUTION
SB 698 would:
Modernize the Solar Equipment Lists
statute by removing references to the
sunsetted CA Solar Initiative
Expand the Solar Equipment Lists to
include bidirectional charging systems,
energy storage systems, and electric
vehicle supply equipment through a
companion distributed energy resource
list.
SUPPORT
California Solar and Storage Association
Center for Sustainable Energy
Permit Power
Union of Concerned Scientists
CONTACT
Brett Hailey
Office of Senator McNerney
(916) 651-4005 | [email protected]
Senate Bill 698
Solar Equipment Lists
Senator Jerry McNerney (SD 5)
SB 314 – EV Chargers Weight and Measures
According to the California Energy Commission (CEC), one million public chargers are needed in California by the end of 2030 to support California's goal of 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Per an August 28, 2024, CEC news release, California surpassed 150,000 public and shared private chargers installed statewide, including 137,648 Level 2 chargers and 14,708 fast chargers. However, according to a January 13, 2025, report by the California Department of Food & Agriculture, Division of Weights and Measures (DMS), only 7,761 EV charging stations have been registered statewide, with none registered in twenty-two of the fifty-eight counties, including Los Angeles and Sacramento counties. When an EV charging station is registered with a county sealer in California, it means the station has been inspected, tested, and determined to comply with the regulations for commercial EV chargers, ensuring accurate electricity metering and fair business practices. The existing process of bringing charging stations online is confusing, inconsistent, costly, and delayed. Solutions are needed to efficiently build infrastructure while ensuring consumer protection and future investment.
Charging stations are required to be tested and placed in service by a Registered Service Agency (RSA) after installation to confirm meter functionality and compliance with the California Division of Measurement Standards’ (DMS) Weights and Measures program, which maintains accurate standards of measurement for consumers. Charging station owners must complete this process before stations can be used by EV drivers.
However, two major issues arise with the current process. First, testing and inspection is primarily conducted by RSAs — electricians certified by DMS to inspect charging stations. Unfortunately, the state currently only has 16 certified RSAs (that are not charging manufacturers) and RSA’s access to testing equipment is limited, a shortage that delays bringing stations online. Second, enforcement of the compliance process is defined by each of California’s 58 counties, varying implementation. To meet the state’s goal of one million chargers by 2030, California needs to install 366 charging stations per day which is unattainable under existing regulations.
SB 314 offers a solution to help ensure that California weight and measures regulations do not impede the state’s ability to install much needed charging infrastructure, while simultaneously ensuring that consumers are protected. First, the bill would direct County Sealers to test and place in service all charging stations subject to regulations that have been installed prior to January 1, 2026 no later than January 1, 2027. Second, the bill would direct CalDMS and the California Energy Commission to identify existing funding that could be expanded to cover the purchase of testing equipment for County Sealers or RSAs to help alleviate cost and access constraints of testing equipment. Third, SB 314 supports and codifies efforts currently underway by CalDMS to allow manufacturer factory testing of equipment and, and opens the door for CalDMS to explore and implement additional testing pathways in the future to further streamline the placed in service process.. Four, the bill authorizes County Sealers to allow a charging station that has been issued a violation that does not impact the station’s metrology, to remain operational for 30 days while the violation is addressed. Lastly, SB 314 requires counties to adopt standardized statewide compliance resources and information developed by CalDMS and made available on their website, to ensure consistency and transparency. 2 The bill aims to establish a more efficient, sustainable, and consumer-protective system for the deployment of EV chargers. By supporting SB 314, California can overcome the barriers currently hindering the deployment of EV chargers. This bill provides a comprehensive approach that supports the state’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and effective EV charging infrastructure, which is a crucial step in helping California meet its ambitious goal of one million chargers by 2030.
Staff Contact
Name: Mitul Kalra
Title: Senate Fellow
Email: [email protected]
Capitol Office: (916) 651 – 4018
Support
Chargepoint (Sponsor)
Blink Charging Company
California Rental Housing Association
QMerit
SWTCH
Trout Electric
California Retailers Association
EV Connect
GreenWealth Energy
Tesla
NEMA
Electric Vehicle Charging Association
General Motors
PowerFlex
California Electric Transportation Coalition
Autel
Plug In America
Comite Civico Del Valle