California Bill to Limit Utility Spending on Political Activities Fails

State lawmakers rejected a measure that would have prevented utilities from charging customers for political ads and lobbying, despite widespread consumer outrage.

• California's Senate Energy Committee failed to pass a bill aimed at restricting utility companies from using customer funds for political activities.
• The bill's defeat follows intense lobbying by major utilities like Pacific Gas & Electric, which argued the measure would strip regulators of oversight powers.
• Consumer advocates criticize the utilities for exploiting loopholes to fund misleading advertising and lobbying efforts.
• The proposed legislation sought to increase transparency and accountability by requiring utilities to disclose their political spending.
• The failure of the bill comes as California residents face rising electricity costs, with PG&E recently hiking rates by about 20%.

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