AB-615 • 2026

Power facilities: emergency response and action plans.

Energy

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Davies
Last action: 2026-01-22
Official status: Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify what happens if an applicant fails to comply with emergency response plan requirements.

Emergency Plans for Power Facilities

This law changes how power facility applications are made by removing certain requirements and adding emergency response plans.

What This Bill Does

Removes the requirement to include maps, descriptions of transmission lines, justifications for routes, and environmental impact assessments in an application for a new power plant or transmission line.
Requires applicants to create an emergency response plan that covers how they will handle emergencies and work with local agencies.
Makes sure energy storage system applications also have emergency plans reviewed by local emergency management groups.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to build power plants or transmission lines
Companies proposing energy storage systems

Terms To Know

Emergency response plan: A plan that explains how a company will deal with emergencies and work with local agencies.
Energy storage system: A system used to store energy, like batteries or other devices.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the consequences if an applicant fails to include an emergency response plan.
It is unclear how much it will cost applicants to create these plans.
The governor vetoed this bill, but lawmakers might still override the veto.

Bill History

2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2025-10-06 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2025-10-06 California Legislative Information
Vetoed by Governor.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 2917.).
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2462.).
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-19 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7).
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on E., U & C.
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1739.)
2025-05-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 21).
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-05-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 30).
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
2025-03-13 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on E.M and U. & E.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
2025-02-13 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 615, Davies.
Power facilities: emergency response and action plans.
Existing law requires an application to be filed with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission for certification of a site and related facility that includes an electrical transmission line or thermal powerplant, or both. Existing law requires the application to contain, among other
information, a description of any electrical transmission lines, a map of the proposed route and existing transmission lines, justification for the proposed route, and a preliminary description of the effect of the proposed electrical transmission lines on the environment, ecology, and scenic, historic, and recreational values, as specified.
This bill would remove the requirement that the application include the information described above, and would require that
the application also contain an emergency response and action plan, to be paid for by the applicant, that incorporates
impacts to the surrounding areas in the event of an emergency and that would be conducted and coordinated with local emergency management agencies, unified program agencies, and local first response agencies.
Existing law authorizes a person proposing an energy storage system to file an application for certification with the commission in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency, as provided.
The bill would require that
an application for an energy storage system also contain an emergency response and action plan, to be paid for by the applicant, that includes analysis and feedback from a
local emergency management agency. The bill would require the commission to ensure an energy storage system that submits an application after January 1, 2026, complies with setback requirements that are at least as protective as the most recently published edition of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF