AB 1302 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Electricity: customer generators: departing load charges.

Summary

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and coordinate a program of research and development in energy supply, consumption, and conservation and the technology of siting facilities, and to give priority to those forms of research and development that are of particular importance to the state, as specified. This bill would require the commission, until December 31, 2031, to study and design a new system for allowing electrical customers of electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, local publicly owned electric utilities, and electrical cooperatives to generate their own electricity on their commercial or residential sites. The bill would require the commission, in designing the new system, to ensure all electrical customers are treated fairly, increase transparency in the calculation and application of departing load charges, promote the development and integration of renewable energy sources, support the state's clean energy goals, consider the benefits of customer-generated energy, and provide a mechanism for stakeholder input, as provided. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2027, to submit a report to the Legislature detailing the proposed new process for departing load charges and any recommendations for legislative action.

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/25/25 - Amended Assembly → AB1302 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The diff reflects a change in document format from a plain-text legislative document to a web page rendering of the same bill text, including navigation elements and layout differences. All legislative content - definitions, requirements, deadlines, and statutory language - remains identical.

TECHNICAL

The document was reformatted from a plain-text legislative bill into a web page layout with added navigation elements (search boxes, links to votes, history, analysis, etc.) and different typographic presentation. No changes to the actual statutory language, definitions, deadlines, or policy requirements were made.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/25/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Mar 25, 2025

MODERATE

AB 1302 was substantially expanded from a minor cleanup of rate language in the Public Utilities Code to a major new policy requiring the California Energy Commission to study and design a new system for departing load charges - the fees customers pay when they generate their own electricity (e.g., rooftop solar) and reduce or eliminate grid usage. The bill now adds an entirely new section to the Public Resources Code with a 2027 report deadline and a 2031 sunset date, while retaining the original nonsubstantive edits to Section 451.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a narrow nonsubstantive cleanup of rate language in one Public Utilities Code section to a broad energy policy measure requiring the state's energy commission to redesign how departing load charges work across all types of electric utilities and customer classes, with specific design principles and a multi-year timeline.

SCOPE

A new Section 25619.1 is added to the Public Resources Code requiring the California Energy Commission to study and design a new system for departing load charges applicable to all electrical customers (residential and commercial) who generate their own electricity on-site.

DEFINITION

Defines 'electrical customer' as any customer of an electrical utility, and 'electrical utility' to include electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, local publicly owned electric utilities, and electrical cooperatives - covering the full range of California's electric supply providers.

REQUIREMENT

The commission must ensure fair treatment of all customers, increase transparency in how departing load charges are calculated, promote renewable energy development, consider avoided costs to utilities (such as not needing to build new generation or transmission), and provide a stakeholder input mechanism including consumer advocacy groups.

TIMELINE

The commission must submit a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2027, detailing the proposed new departing load charge process and any legislative recommendations. The entire section sunsets on December 31, 2031.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee answer changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment introduced a state fiscal impact that was not present in the originally introduced version.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on U. & E.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors