Assemblyman Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) and Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher have presented Assembly Bill 2205, aiming to instruct the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to reduce electricity rates for Californians by a significant 30 percent.
The move comes in response to persistent proposals to escalate electricity rates driven by various state mandates. Patterson’s legislation seeks to curb the rising costs, providing relief to Californians grappling with unsustainable and soaring electricity bills.
Assemblyman Joe Patterson highlighted the urgency of addressing the affordability crisis, stating, “Not a day goes by without someone contacting me about their unaffordable electricity bills. Nobody should have to choose between heating their homes and buying food. It is time for the CPUC to focus more on the affordability of this necessary service.”
With electricity bills in California skyrocketing by as much as 127%, families and small businesses are under substantial strain. According to data from the Transparency Foundation and the CPUC, California’s electricity rates are currently double the national average, costing residents an additional $1,096 per year compared to those in other states.