San Diego City Wire

The Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee has rejected the Cost of Living Reduction Act, proposed by Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego), which aimed to repeal an uncapped, fixed charge on electricity bills in California. Leader Jones expressed disappointment at the committee's decision, stating, "It’s shameful that all 14 Democrats on the Senate Energy Committee refused to even cast a vote on the Cost of Living Reduction Act."

The measure sought to address concerns over the high fixed charge on electrical bills, which Jones believed was burdensome for renters and households. Despite recent adjustments by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to lower the charge to $24.15 per month, Jones argued that the fixed charge remained excessive and gave unchecked power to the CPUC to increase it arbitrarily.

Jones criticized the rushed passing of the Democrat Assembly Bill 205 in 2022, which mandated the fixed charge without proper vetting. He stated, "AB 205 represents everything wrong with the one-party Democrat rule: rushed and flawed legislation detrimental to hardworking Californians."

The rejection of the Cost of Living Reduction Act came in a 4-0 party-line vote in the Senate Energy Committee, with Senate Republicans supporting the measure and Democrats abstaining from voting. Despite the setback, Jones's SB 1326 had an urgency clause to take effect immediately upon being signed into law, aiming to stop the implementation of the fixed charge authorized by AB 205.

SB 1326 is coauthored by the entire Senate Republican Caucus, and despite the bill stalling in the committee, Jones and his colleagues remain committed to advocating for a reduction in the fixed charge on electricity bills in California.