AB 2124: Electricity and natural gas: legislation imposing mandated programs and requirements: third-party review.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations.

Existing law finds and declares that the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) was organized as a nonprofit corporation at the request of the Legislature for the specific purpose of offering expert advice to the state government on public policy issues significantly related to science and technology. Existing law requests the CCST, every 3 years, to assess the infrastructure project types, scale, and pace necessary to achieve the state’s energy, climate change, and air quality goals, as specified.

This bill would require the CCST to establish, on or before March 1, 2027, upon appropriation by the Legislature, a program to, upon request of the Legislature, analyze legislation that would establish a mandated requirement or program, as defined, or otherwise affect electrical corporation or gas corporation ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the analysis to include, among other things, whether the legislation will increase electricity or natural gas utility rates, and if so, would require an assessment of specified financial impacts. The bill would require the CCST to develop and implement conflict-of-interest provisions to prohibit a person from participating in an analysis for which the person knows or has reasons to know that the person has a material financial interest. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 6 · Republican 7

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 18, 2026Vetoed by Governor.
2. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
3. August 27, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6689.).
4. August 27, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
5. August 26, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 6.).
6. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
7. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
8. August 13, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).
9. August 3, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
10. July 2, 2026Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. July 2, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 30).
12. June 3, 2026Referred to Com. on E., U & C.