AB-1222 • 2026

Public utilities: judicial review.

Crime Education Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Bauer-Kahan
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify whether utilities must track and report costs separately, only that they cannot charge customers for such costs.

Public Utilities: Judicial Review

AB-1222 extends the time limit for filing judicial reviews of Public Utilities Commission decisions and prohibits utilities from charging customers for legal costs related to these reviews.

What This Bill Does

Extends the time limit for filing a review of a decision or order from 30 days to 90 days.
Requires courts to presume that a final decision is valid unless the commission can demonstrate that deviations were necessary due to state or federal law.
Prohibits utilities like electricity and gas companies from charging customers for costs related to legal reviews of decisions made by the Public Utilities Commission at federal agencies or in court.

Who It Names or Affects

People who are affected by decisions made by the Public Utilities Commission
Electricity and gas companies

Terms To Know

Public Utilities Commission: A government agency that regulates public utilities like electricity and gas.
Judicial review: The process of reviewing a decision made by an administrative body in court.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify the exact penalties for violating these new rules.
Does not provide details on how utilities will track and report costs separately.
Does not explain how the changes will affect current cases or decisions already made by the Public Utilities Commission.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2026-01-31 California Legislative Information
Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 12. Noes 3.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-13 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and JUD.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2025-02-22 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1222, as amended, Bauer-Kahan.
Public utilities: judicial review.
Existing law authorizes a party aggrieved by a decision or order of the Public Utilities Commission to file a petition for a writ of review in the court of appeal or the Supreme Court for purposes of reviewing the decision or order within 30 days after the commission issues its decision denying the application for a rehearing, or, if the application was granted, within 30 days after the commission issues its decision on the rehearing, or at least 120 days after the application is granted if no decision on rehearing has been issued.
This bill would extend the 30-day time periods to 90 days. For a petition challenging a final decision of the commission
in which
on the grounds that
the final decision
significantly modifies the proposed decision issued in the proceeding,
substantially deviated from a proposed decision of a commission administrative law judge,
the bill would require the court to presume the
proposed
final
decision to be
valid and lawful and to issue
the writ
arbitrary and unlawful
unless the commission
rebuts the presumption
can demonstrate
to the satisfaction of the court
in justifying the final decision.
that the deviations were necessary to comply with state or federal law.
Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for public utilities, including electrical
and gas
corporations, and
requires those rates to be just and reasonable.
This bill would prohibit the commission from authorizing electrical
or gas
corporations to recover from their ratepayers the costs associated with seeking judicial review of a
commission’s
commission
decision
from a federal agency, or
by
a state or federal
court.
court or
requesting relief from a commission decision at a federal agency.
The bill would require the electrical
and gas
corporation to track those costs.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because the above provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing this bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF