Bill > AB1167

This bill, known as the California Ratepayer Protection Act of 2025, aims to prevent electrical and gas corporations from using ratepayer funds for certain expenses that do not directly benefit customers. Specifically, the bill prohibits utilities from recovering costs related to political influence activities, promotional advertising, charitable giving, trade association contributions, political campaign contributions, board of directors' expenses, and other non-essential activities through ratepayer-funded accounts. The bill requires utilities to clearly disclose whether public messages are paid for by shareholders or ratepayers and mandates annual reporting to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) detailing employee compensation, vendor expenses, and participation in commission proceedings. The legislation defines key terms like "political influence activity" and "promotional advertising" to provide clear guidelines on prohibited expenses, with some exceptions for necessary regulatory communications, safety messages, and specific federally mandated activities. Utilities found in violation will be subject to civil penalties assessed by the CPUC based on the severity of the infraction. The underlying intent is to protect utility customers, particularly low-income consumers, from subsidizing corporate activities that do not directly benefit them through their energy bills.

Budget and Finance, Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1167