Energy Savings Assistance Program: energy-efficient appliances.

(1) Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission, by December 31, 2020, to ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy efficiency programs, including customers occupying apartments or similar multiunit residential structures. Existing law requires these programs to be designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit based on an audit or assessment of the dwelling unit and authorizes these programs to include, among other things, energy-efficient appliances. This bill would require energy-efficient appliances provided pursuant to the Energy Savings Assistance Program to only replace natural gas appliances with electric appliances. The bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes. (2) 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 above-described requirement would be a crime, this 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. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.