Senate Energy committee advances bills on hydropower authority, utility cost reviews, passive-house study, water insurance pools, storage safety, wildfire-rehab

The California State Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications advanced a package of bills on energy, water and electric-vehicle infrastructure during a subcommittee hearing, sending most measures to the Senate Appropriations Committee and one to the Transportation Committee.

The measures included AB 59, which would grant permanent authority for Reclamation District 108 to participate in hydropower projects; AB 61, which would require the Public Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission to analyze the cost and efficacy of proposed legislative energy mandates before policy committee votes; AB 368, directing a one-time California Energy Commission study comparing passive-house construction to current Title 24 building standards; AB 428, allowing regulated water corporations to join joint powers authorities (JPAs) for pooled insurance under specified reinsurance requirements; AB 615, requiring emergency action plans for battery energy storage facilities to accompany initial California Energy Commission siting applications; AB 738, a narrow rebuilding exemption for some disaster-impacted homeowners from certain newer solar installation standards; and AB 1423 (AB 14 23 in print), which would change when and how the Energy Commission may set payment system standards for EV chargers and add reporting and uptime requirements for publicly funded chargers. A net energy metering item (AB 1104 in the agenda) was carried on consent.

Why it matters: committee members said the bills aim to balance public safety, affordability and the state's climate goals. Supporters argued the measures remove specific barriers—insurance costs for water providers, upfront costs for some charger installations, regulatory uncertainty for local reclamation districts—while opponents and some senators pressed for clarity on cost, timing and safeguards.

What the committee heard

AB 59 (Aguirre Curry): Assemblymember Aguirre Curry and representatives of Reclamation District 108 said the district needs permanent authority to participate in hydropower projects to secure long-term…