Energy: Equitable Building Decarbonization Program: Low-Income Oversight Board: membership.

Section 383 now requires the Low-Income Oversight Board to conduct an assessment of state and ratepayer-funded energy efficiency incentives for low-income and low-to-moderate income residents, including recommendations on stacking incentives, options for households exceeding existing low-income thresholds, opportunities for small and diverse businesses, and potential rate impacts. The board must publish its final assessment on its website by July 1, 2027.

The selection authority for two Low-Income Oversight Board seats changed: one seat is now selected by the Executive Director of the Energy Commission (previously 'the Energy Commission') and one by the Executive Director of the State Air Resources Board (previously 'the State Air Resources Board'). The board size is confirmed at 13 members.

Section 383 now includes a sunset clause: the section remains in effect only until January 1, 2030, and is repealed as of that date. A new deadline of January 1, 2027 is set for the board to complete its integration work and assessment.

Throughout Sections 382, 382.1, and 2790, redundant 'low-income' language was removed and eligibility language was standardized to 'low-to-moderate income.' For example, Section 382(a) now reads 'customers of low-to-moderate income' instead of 'low-income electricity customers, customers of low-to-moderate income.' Section 2790(f) removes the prior definition of low-income as 250 percent of the federal poverty level and replaces it with a cross-reference to Section 25665 of the Public Resources Code.

The Low-Income Oversight Board's advisory role in Section 382.1 was expanded from 'low-income electric, gas, and water customer issues' to 'low-to-moderate income electric, gas, and water customer issues,' broadening the board's mandate to cover a wider income range.

The term 'community service providers' was replaced with 'community-based organizations' in Section 381.5 and Section 382.1, changing the legislative intent language about which entities the law aims to protect and strengthen.

The fiscal note changed the state-mandated local program designation from 'yes' to 'no,' indicating the bill no longer imposes obligations on local agencies that would trigger reimbursement requirements under the California Constitution.

The formal enrolled bill header (Secretary of the Senate, Chief Clerk of the Assembly, Governor's receipt line) was replaced with web page navigation elements (skip to content, home, FAQ, search bar, version history list) and a status timeline showing passage dates.

Sections were renumbered: the performance metrics provision (adding Section 383.1) changed from SEC. 4 to SEC. 3, and the no-reimbursement provision changed from SEC. 5 to SEC. 4. Empty placeholder section numbers (SEC. 4 and SEC. 5) were left in the text, suggesting a prior section was removed in an earlier amendment.

Fixed a duplicated word typo in Section 382.1: 'section Section 25665.5' was corrected to 'Section 25665.5.'

The legislative counsel's digest was updated to add 'performance metrics' to the summary line, and the amendment date was updated from June 25 to July 14, 2025 with the prior date retained as history.

The state-mandated local program determination was corrected from the contradictory 'no yes' to simply 'yes,' confirming that the bill does impose a state-mandated local program because a program administrator's failure to collect and report data in violation of a PUC action would constitute a crime.

Removed amendments to Public Utilities Code Sections 381.5 (legislative intent on community-based organizations), 382 (low-to-moderate income program funding and PUC duties), 2790 (weatherization requirements), and 2790.1 (program administrator qualifications and workforce development requirements). These sections had been the core of the bill's expansion of energy assistance eligibility.

Low-Income Oversight Board size reduced from 13 members to 12 members in Section 382.1.

Reverted all references in Section 382.1 from 'low-to-moderate income' back to 'low-income,' eliminating the expansion of program eligibility to moderate-income households that was a central feature of the prior version.

Section 383 no longer requires the Low-Income Oversight Board to integrate administration of the Energy Savings Assistance Program and the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program. The integration mandate (with detailed provisions on aligning rules, streamlining processes, and leveraging economies of scale) was removed, leaving only the assessment requirement.

New Section 25665.1 added to the Public Resources Code requiring the Energy Commission to establish a mechanism to notify Equitable Building Decarbonization Program applicants that they may also be eligible for PUC-authorized building energy efficiency and decarbonization incentives. Also includes a provision allowing the Energy Commission to evaluate changes if program funds remain unspent after two years.

State-mandated local program designation changed from 'yes' to 'no,' and the corresponding fiscal note section (Section 7 regarding reimbursement under Article XIIIB of the California Constitution) was removed entirely.

Removed the entire Section 383 of the Public Utilities Code, which required the Low-Income Oversight Board to conduct an assessment of energy efficiency incentives for low-income and low-to-moderate income residents by January 1, 2027, and publish findings by July 1, 2027. The assessment would have covered stacking opportunities, gaps for households above existing program thresholds, small business support, and rate impacts.

Section 383.1 (standardized statewide performance metrics) renumbered from SEC. 4 to SEC. 3, and the no-reimbursement provision renumbered from SEC. 5 to SEC. 4, reflecting the removal of the old Section 3.

Digest language changed from 'low-income electric, gas, and water customer issues' to 'low-income electric, electrical, gas, and water customer issues,' adding the word 'electrical.'

Throughout the bill, eligibility is expanded from 'low-income' to 'low-to-moderate income,' defined by reference to Section 25665 of the Public Resources Code. This broadens the population covered by rate assistance, weatherization, and energy efficiency programs.

New Section 2790.1 requires utilities to appoint a program administrator for the Energy Savings Assistance Program. The administrator must be a state-based entity (51%+ in-state operations), cannot be a subsidiary of a multinational corporation or financial institution, must hold small business or disabled veteran business enterprise certification, and must have at least 5 years of experience serving under-resourced communities.

New Section 383 requires the Low-Income Oversight Board, PUC, and Energy Commission to integrate administration of the Energy Savings Assistance Program and the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program to align rules, eliminate redundancies, streamline processes, and simplify participation for eligible households.

Section 2790.1 requires subcontractors hired by the program administrator to also be state-based, hold small business or nonprofit status, have 5+ years of experience in under-resourced communities, and commit to equitable workforce development including local hiring preferences.

The Low-Income Oversight Board is expanded from 11 to 13 members. Two new seats are added: one selected by the Energy Commission (a commissioner or designee) and one selected by the State Air Resources Board (a board member or designee). The board's advisory scope is also broadened to cover low-to-moderate income customers.

A new provision in Section 2790 states that the commission shall not increase authorized budgets for the Energy Savings Assistance Program based on the expansion of income eligibility, capping the fiscal impact of the broader eligibility criteria.

The term 'community service providers' is replaced with 'community-based organizations' in multiple sections. A new definition of 'under-resourced community' (tied to Section 25665 of the Public Resources Code) is added to Sections 2790 and 2790.1.

The Low-Income Oversight Board is reduced from 13 members to 12 by removing the seat selected by the Executive Director of the State Air Resources Board. The Energy Commission seat remains.

New Section 383.1 requires the PUC, in consultation with the Low-Income Oversight Board, to establish standardized statewide performance metrics for low-income energy programs. Metrics must cover: energy burden reductions, participation rates disaggregated by income/housing/location/hard-to-reach status, scope and depth of services, customer satisfaction, contractor and workforce diversity, payment timeliness, and small business support.

Section 383.1 requires the PUC to mandate that program administrators collect and report data related to the performance metrics in a standardized format, and to incorporate the metrics into annual evaluations with periodic revisions allowed.

The state-mandated local program finding changes from 'no' to 'yes' because the new data collection and reporting requirement on program administrators constitutes a state mandate. A new Section 5 provides that no reimbursement is required under Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs incurred by local agencies stem from the creation of a new crime or infraction.