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AB-1404 • 2026

Electrical corporations: connections: affordable housing projects.

Electrical corporations: connections: affordable housing projects.

Crime Education Energy Housing
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Ortega
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 material does not specify the exact penalties for non-compliance with the bill's requirements.

Electrical Companies Must Connect Affordable Housing Projects Quickly

The bill requires electrical companies to connect affordable housing projects to electricity within 60 days and allows the Public Utilities Commission to review and streamline connections for projects that have been waiting longer than 60 days.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires electrical corporations to connect affordable housing projects to electricity within 60 days of receiving a request, unless there are special reasons why it can't be done.
  • Allows the Public Utilities Commission to review and streamline connections for affordable housing projects that have been waiting longer than 60 days.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Electrical corporations that serve new residential areas including affordable housing projects.
  • The Public Utilities Commission, which oversees electrical companies and reviews their actions.
  • Affordable housing developers waiting for electricity connections.

Terms To Know

Public Utilities Commission
A government agency that regulates public utilities like electricity to make sure they follow rules and provide good service.
Affordable Housing Projects
Buildings or homes built specifically for people who earn less money than others in the area, making housing more affordable for them.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to electrical corporations and does not cover other utilities like water or gas.
  • Some parts of the bill will stop working on January 1, 2029.
  • It is unclear how many projects this law will affect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-31 California Legislative Information

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  4. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 2025-03-13 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on U. & E.

  8. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  9. 2025-02-22 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

  10. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1404, as amended, Ortega.
Electrical corporations: connections: affordable housing projects.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to enforce the rules governing the extension of service by a gas or electrical corporation to new residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial customers.
This bill would require an electrical corporation to connect an affordable housing project, as defined, to the electrical distribution grid within 60 days, except as specified. The bill would require the commission to streamline any necessary review on an affordable housing project that is ready to connect but sitting vacant and that has not been connected by an electrical corporation within the required 60 days. The bill would delay the effective date of a rate increase approved by the commission for the greater
of either the amount of time the electrical corporation took, beyond 90 days from receipt of the project building plans, to provide a final contract, or the amount of time the electrical corporation took, beyond the 60 days allowed, to connect the most recently completed affordable housing project within the electrical corporation’s service area.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.
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 requirements would be a part of the act, and a violation of a commission action implementing the above-described provisions would be a crime, this 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