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Committee advances bill to require IOU rate‑of‑return disclosures in general rate cases
Summary
AB 1017, presented by Assemblymember Burner, would require investor‑owned utilities to disclose authorized and actual rates of return and related capital project forecasts in general rate case filings; the committee passed the bill to appropriations.
Assemblymember Burner introduced AB 1017 as a transparency measure aimed at helping ratepayer advocates and the public better understand one driver of rising utility bills. "AB 1017 would require an IOU as part of the general rate case to provide ... the authorized and actual rate of return and return on equity for the past 10 years," Burner said, calling the bill "a transparency bill."
Burner told the committee the measure would require investor‑owned utilities (IOUs) to include authorized and actual returns and distribution‑capacity project forecasts submitted in prior general rate cases so advocates can better evaluate rate proposals. He described the bill as having no opposition in committee.
Senators and committee members discussed the broader context of rising utility rates and welcomed measures that increase data available to ratepayer advocates. Senator Caballero and others thanked the author and signaled support; Senator Caballero moved the bill to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Because the hearing was held as a subcommittee and quorum was not initially present, the committee left the roll open; later roll calls recorded AB 1017 passing out of committee by a unanimous vote.
The committee recorded the motion to pass AB 1017 as due to the Senate Appropriations Committee; the final roll call recorded the bill passing 14–0. The author described the bill as a "transparency bill" intended to give advocates the information needed to contest rate proposals and to illuminate how IOU profits on capital expenditures can influence rates.
There were no witnesses in opposition on the record in this hearing; the bill was described as a "Tasha B special" by the author (a self‑authored measure) and presented without opposition testimony.
Votes at a glance: AB 1017 — Motion by Senator Caballero to pass to Senate Appropriations Committee; outcome: passed, 14–0.
The bill will next go to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further review and, if it advances, to subsequent policy and fiscal hearings.
