Camp Fire survivors and their allies packed the State Capitol today as Assemblymember James Gallagher pushed AB 2700, a proposal that would tell regulators to cut per-kilowatt-hour electricity rates by roughly 30% and to complete unpaid restitution for wildfire victims who lost homes before 2019. Supporters argue the bill tries to blend near-term bill relief with tougher scrutiny of utilities that have shifted wildfire and mitigation costs onto customers. The show of force included survivors, elected officials, and trade groups as the bill headed toward an appropriations review.
What AB 2700 would require
AB 2700 orders the California Public Utilities Commission to produce a report that spells out specific recommendations to reduce the cost per kilowatt-hour by at least 30% by Jan. 1, 2028, and to calculate verified restitution shortfalls for wildfires caused by electrical corporations before July 12, 2019, as summarized in the Assembly analysis. The bill instructs the CPUC to audit wildfire mitigation spending, review public-purpose programs for cost-effectiveness, and suggest reforms that could deliver those cuts without approving rate recovery for restitution payments. The committee tagged AB 2700 as "keyed fiscal" and sent it to the Appropriations Committee for a cost review.
Author and advocates at the Capitol
Gallagher has said he is not satisfied with simply slowing rate hikes - he wants to see electricity prices move in the other direction - and has argued that existing programs and bill credits could be reshaped to produce real savings for households. He has framed AB 2700 as a response to rising bills and to survivors who say they are still shortchanged after earlier settlements. KCRA covered his comments and the committee's vote to advance the measure.
Survivors press for restitution
Camp Fire survivors who lost homes in 2018 told reporters the proposal could help plug gaps left by earlier payouts, describing long waits and partial compensation. One survivor who said she lost her childhood home called the effort "encouraging" after years of pushing lawmakers, while others described spending days at the Capitol knocking on office doors to keep their stories in front of legislators. Those first-hand accounts were reported by Action News Now, and public radio coverage by KALW/CapRadio also noted Camp Fire survivors as visible backers of the bill.
Utilities, costs and context
PG&E has told reporters it is focused on delivering safe, reliable and clean energy service at the lowest possible cost and has highlighted recent reductions in some bundled rates. Critics respond that wildfire-related surcharges and assorted fees have still pushed many customers' monthly bills sharply higher over the last several years. Wildfire liabilities and recovery programs are now baked into customer bills and have cited past audits that found gaps in wildfire-prevention spending.
Where it goes next
The Assembly Daily File places AB 2700 on the Appropriations Committee agenda for today at 9 AM, where lawmakers will weigh the bill's fiscal impact before deciding whether it heads to the Assembly floor. That stop is a crucial one, since the Assembly analysis marked the proposal as fiscal and said its overall cost is still unknown.
Legal and fiscal questions to watch
Unresolved issues include how the CPUC might propose addressing remaining restitution shortfalls. The Assembly analysis notes that some victims of pre-2019 fires received only pro-rata payments from trust funds and directs the CPUC to recommend ways to make survivors whole without shifting those costs to ratepayers. Other pending measures that target audits of wildfire spending and possible changes to how public-purpose programs are financed could influence whether large rate cuts are realistic and how they might be structured.
Whether AB 2700 can balance meaningful rate relief, tougher utility accountability, and a stable power grid will be decided in the coming weeks as survivors, utilities, and lawmakers argue their case in Sacramento.
