California SB 1359: Illegal dumping.

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 Bill Text - SB-1359 Natural Gas Ratepayer Protection Act.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 06/29/26 - Amended Assembly
 06/15/26 - Amended Assembly
 05/14/26 - Amended Senate
 04/13/26 - Amended Senate
 03/25/26 - Amended Senate
 02/20/26 - Introduced

 SB-1359 Natural Gas Ratepayer Protection Act.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 06/29/2026 02:00 PM

SB1359:v94#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 June 29, 2026

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 June 15, 2026

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 May 14, 2026

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 April 13, 2026

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 March 25, 2026

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Senate Bill

No. 1359

Introduced by Senator Stern

February 20, 2026

An act to add the heading of Article 1 (commencing with Section 328) to, and to add Article 2 (commencing with Section 329) to, Chapter 2.2 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to natural gas.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1359, as amended, Stern.
 Natural Gas Ratepayer Protection Act.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law requires, until at least December 31, 2029, each gas corporation to submit to the commission a map that includes, among other things, the location of all potential gas distribution line replacement projects identified in its distribution integrity management plan and any foreseeable gas distribution pipeline replacements, as provided.

This bill would require each gas corporation to submit an annual report to the commission that describes its expenditures associated with gas distribution infrastructure replacement and upgrade projects, as provided.
 The bill would require the commission, before authorizing recovery of costs associated with a gas distribution infrastructure replacement and upgrade project, to consider whether cost-effective electrification alternatives or nonpipeline alternatives could reasonably avoid or reduce the project. costs, and to adopt rules implementing this requirement, including a reasonable cost threshold below which the requirement would not apply. The bill would require the commission to evaluate whether depreciation schedules for gas distribution infrastructure replacement and upgrade projects appropriately reflect projected reductions in gas demand and consider alternative depreciation methodologies that minimize future ratepayer exposure to stranded asset costs.

Under existing law, a
 violation of the Public Utilities Act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because the above provisions would be part of the Public Utilities Act and a violation of a commission action implementing this bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 YES 
 Local Program:
 YES 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Natural Gas Ratepayer Protection Act.

SEC. 2.(a)The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1)California has binding statutory obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Senate Bill 32 of the 2015–16 Regular Session (Chapter 249 of the Statutes of 2016) and subsequent statutes.

(2)California’s natural gas distribution system is experiencing structural load decline due to building electrification, energy efficiency improvements, and climate policy.

(3)Continued capital investment in natural gas infrastructure under
 conditions of declining demand creates significant risk of stranded assets and escalating costs for ratepayers.

(4)Electrification of buildings is widely recognized as the lowest cost and lowest emission pathway for providing space heating, water heating, and cooking services.

(5)The state mus