SB 868: Electricity: portable solar generation devices.

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, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards.

This bill would, until January 1, 2030, exempt a portable solar generation device, as defined, from all interconnection requirements imposed by state law, the commission, electrical corporation rules, or local publicly owned electric utility rules, as specified. The bill would, until January 1, 2030, prohibit an electrical corporation or a local publicly owned electric utility from requiring a customer using a portable solar generation device to take specified actions, including, among other things, paying any fee or charge related to the device or the electricity the device feeds into a building’s electrical system. The bill would, until January 1, 2030, authorize an electrical corporation or a local publicly owned electric utility to require a customer using a portable solar generation device to notify the electrical corporation or local publicly owned electric utility, using a simple online registration form, of the address, make, model, and size of the portable solar generation device, as provided. Beginning January 1, 2030, the bill would prohibit the sale of a portable photovoltaic energy generation device that is designed to be connected to and disconnected from a building’s electrical system through a receptacle and does not meet the definition of a portable solar generation device, as specified.

Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because a violation of a commission action implementing the bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Additionally, by imposing new duties on local publicly owned electric utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 12 · Republican 1

“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 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 985, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 985, Statutes of 2026.
3. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
4. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
5. August 31, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
6. August 31, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
7. August 26, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 36. Noes 4. Page 5917.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
8. August 26, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 36. Noes 4.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
9. August 25, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
10. August 25, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
11. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 6499.) Ordered to the Senate.
12. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 6499.) Ordered to the Senate.