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Home My WebLink AboutItem 28 - Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability 'per City Manager's Office ♦''� www.santa-ana.gov/cm Item # 28 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report August 4, 2026 TOPIC: Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability AGENDA TITLE Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability, Strengthen Ratepayer Protections, and Increase Accountability of Investor-Owned Utilities RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt a Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability, Strengthen Ratepayer Protections, and Increase Accountability of Investor-Owned Utilities During the 2025-2026 California Legislative Session. RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING STATE LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE UTILITY AFFORDABILITY, STRENGTHEN RATEPAYER PROTECTIONS, AND INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY OF INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES DURING THE 2025-2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION Southern California Edison (SCE) is the primary electric utility provider serving the City of Santa Ana. Over the past decade, electricity rates have increased significantly, placing additional financial burdens on residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, and public agencies. These increases have disproportionately affected working families and lower-income households, many of whom continue to experience rising housing, transportation, food, and healthcare costs. The California Public Utilities Commission continues to consider applications affecting utility rates, while the California Legislature is evaluating several measures intended to improve affordability, increase transparency in utility rate-setting, strengthen oversight of investor-owned utilities, encourage prudent infrastructure investment, and modernize California's electric grid. Collectively, these measures seek to better protect residential and small business ratepayers while maintaining a safe and reliable electric system. Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability August 4, 2026 Page 2 The proposed resolution establishes the City's formal legislative position in support of the following ten bills currently pending during the 2025-2026 California Legislative Session: • Assembly Bill 1761 (Rogers) • Assembly Bill 2463 (Petrie-Norris) • Assembly Bill 2493 (Petrie-Norris) • Assembly Bill 2516 (Petrie-Norris) • Senate Bill 868 (Wiener) • Senate Bill 886 (Padilla and McNerney) • Senate Bill 905 (Becker) • Senate Bill 943 (Becker) • Senate Bill 1098 (Perez) • Senate Bill 1138 (Padilla) • Senate Bill 1359 (Stern) Legislative Review The initial Councilmember Requested Item presented to the City Council on July 7, 2026 included 13 proposed bills for consideration. The City Council agreed to add support for AB 2493 and indicated there may be a conflict with supporting SB 1359 based on a previous letter of opposition from the City regarding South Coast AQMD Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121. The City's position is consistent with its previous position opposing policies that impose disproportionate financial burdens on residents and businesses. The City's support should not be construed as reversing its concerns regarding affordability, local government engagement, or appliance replacement mandates as expressed in its June 2025 letter opposing South Coast AQMD Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121. Staff consulted with Townsend Public Affairs to determine the status of each bill as the California Legislative Session nears its end for 2026. Following a review of the current legislative status of each measure, three bills, Assembly Bill 1677 (Boerner and Harabedian), Assembly Bill 1774 (Boerner and Harabedian), and Assembly Bill 2338 (Ransom), were omitted from the proposed resolution because they were held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee's suspense file and did not advance. As a result, those measures are no longer active for consideration during the current legislative session. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT There is no environmental impact associated with this action. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Improve Utility Affordability August 4, 2026 Page 3 EXHIBIT(S) 1. Resolution Supporting State Legislation Regarding Utility Affordability Submitted By: Sylvia Vazquez, Deputy City Manager Approved By: Alvaro Nunez, City Manager RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING STATE LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE UTILITY AFFORDABILITY, STRENGTHEN RATEPAYER PROTECTIONS, AND INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY OF INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES DURING THE 2025-2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEREAS, Southern California Edison ("SCE") is the primary electric utility serving the City of Santa Ana and provides electric service to hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses throughout the community; and WHEREAS, over the past decade, electric utility rates charged by Southern California Edison have increased substantially, placing an increasing financial burden on Santa Ana residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, and public agencies; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that Santa Ana is a predominantly working-class community with many households already facing rising housing, food, transportation, and healthcare costs, making utility affordability an issue of significant public concern; and WHEREAS, the California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC") continues to consider numerous applications that may further increase electric utility rates for Southern California Edison customers, while many households remain behind on utility payments and rely upon rate assistance programs; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that affordable, reliable, safe, and transparent utility service is essential to protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Santa Ana; and WHEREAS, the California Legislature is currently considering legislation intended to improve utility affordability, strengthen oversight of investor-owned utilities, increase transparency in utility rate-setting, encourage prudent infrastructure investment, modernize California's electric grid, and provide greater protection for residential and small business ratepayers; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that these legislative reforms would promote greater accountability of investor-owned utilities while helping ensure that future utility investments are reasonable, transparent, and in the public interest. Resolution 2026-XXX Page 1 of 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby expresses its support for the following bills: • AB 1761 (Rogers) • AB 2463 (Petrie-Norris) • AB 2493 (Petrie-Norris) • AB 2516 (Petrie-Norris) • SB 868 (Wiener) • SB 886 (Padilla and McNerney) • SB 905 (Becker) • SB 943 (Becker) • SB 1098 (Perez) • SB 1138 (Padilla) • SB 1359 (Stern) All Referenced bills are currently pending before the California Legislature during the 2025-2026 Regular Session. The City Council finds that these measures collectively advance the goals of improving utility affordability, increasing transparency in utility rate- setting, strengthening oversight and accountability of investor-owned utilities, promoting prudent infrastructure investment, modernizing California's electric grid, and protecting residential and small business ratepayers from unnecessary utility costs. Section 2. The City supports SB 1359 (Stern) because it promotes fiscal accountability and protects ratepayers from unnecessary utility costs. This position is consistent with the City's previous position opposing policies that impose disproportionate financial burdens on residents and businesses. The City's support should not be construed as reversing its concerns regarding affordability, local government engagement, or appliance replacement mandates as expressed in its June 2025 letter opposing South Coast AQMD Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121. Section 3. The City Council urges the Governor of California, the California State Legislature, and the California Public Utilities Commission to continue pursuing policies and regulatory reforms that protect residential and small business ratepayers from unreasonable utility costs, improve transparency and accountability in utility rate- setting, ensure prudent investment of ratepayer funds, encourage affordable and reliable electric service, and promote the long-term modernization, safety, and reliability of California's electric system. Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. Resolution 2026-XXX Page 2 of 3 ADOPTED this day of August, 2026. Valerie Amezcua Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: SONIA R. CARVALHO City Attorney By: Laura A. Rossini Chief Assistant City Attorney AYES: Councilmembers NOES: Councilmembers ABSTAIN: Councilmembers ABSENT: Councilmembers CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, JENNIFER L. HALL, City Clerk, do hereby attest to and certify that the attached Resolution No. 2026-XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on August , 2026. Date: Jennifer L. Hall City Clerk, Elections Official City of Santa Ana Resolution 2026-XXX Page 3 of 3