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LAFCO to draft opposition letters to AB 813 and SB 237 after public pressure
Summary
LAFCO staff said a draft opposition letter for AB 813 will be sent ahead of an Assembly appropriations hearing; commissioners directed the executive officer to draft a letter opposing SB 237 amid public comments that the bills threaten community choice aggregation.
At the July 20 special meeting, Executive Officer Brian Goebel told the Local Agency Formation Commission that he had drafted a letter of opposition on Assembly Bill 813 on LAFCO’s behalf and would send it ahead of the Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing in mid‑August. Goebel said the draft would go out in advance of the hearing and that he would work with the chair and SFPUC staff on wording.
Goebel also raised Senate Bill 237, authored by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, saying opponents "say this legislation really poses a direct threat to community choice energy programs across the state" because it would lift caps on commercial and industrial customers’ ability to acquire power through direct access arrangements. "SB 237 could harm California's climate goals and San Francisco's climate and renewable energy goals," he said, adding that CalCCA has argued the bill could lead to a race to the bottom for the cheapest power and higher greenhouse‑gas emissions.
Suzanne Merkelson of the SFPUC said the PUC did not yet have a formal position on SB 237 but shared staff concerns, noted the bill would only affect commercial customers and said the PUC is working with environmental and consumer advocates (Sierra Club, TURN, 350.org) rather than leading opposition directly. Several public commenters, including Eric Brooks of San Francisco Clean Energy Advocates and Californians for Energy Choice, pressed LAFCO to take a stronger stand and to "put pressure again on the SFPUC on the legislative front." Brooks argued CalCCA’s past positions enabled AB 813 to advance out of committee and urged LAFCO to make a public record opposing SB 237.
Commissioner Cynthia Pollock recommended clarifying in the AB 813 letter that opposition reflects the bill as written and that LAFCO might revisit the position if substantive amendments are later adopted. Goebel agreed to confer with SFPUC staff and to draft a letter opposing SB 237; the clerk confirmed no formal vote was required for LAFCO to send a letter.
