Proposed legislation promises to change the meaning of business-as-usual for the California Public Utilities Commission. After rejecting CPUC reform in October, Gov. Jerry Brown aligned with Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake), Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) and Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) to announce a reform package earlier this week.

Earlier this year, Gatto introduced a constitutional amendment that aimed to strip the CPUC of its unique constitutional authority and authorize the Legislature to reallocate and reassign its functions to other state agencies and departments. ACA 11, which garnered substantial support in the Assembly, is currently on hold.

The first part of the proposed reform package is SB 215. SB 215 aims to increase transparency and fairness within the CPUC by increasing public participation and revising the CPUC’s ex parte requirements. Future bills are expected to address other areas, including transferring regulatory responsibility over ridesharing companies, like Uber and Lyft, to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Highway Patrol. However, this package of legislation will likely fall well short of the broad measures outlined in ACA 11.

Change is coming to the CPUC but, at least for now, the Legislature is focusing on a measured approach.

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