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SB-1215 • 2026

Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily residential properties.

Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily residential properties.

Crime Education Housing Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Cortese
Last action
2026-04-16
Official status
Set for hearing April 21.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

There is no information in the provided official source material about enforcement or penalties beyond stating violations would be considered a crime.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Multifamily Housing

The bill requires electrical corporations to submit advice letters and install electric vehicle charging stations in multifamily housing, with specific requirements for the number of stations by 2037.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the Public Utilities Commission's ability to change policies related to electric vehicle charging station installations after a general rate case cycle is completed.
  • Requires the commission to direct electrical corporations to submit Tier 3 advice letters for installing Level 2 and Level 3 electric vehicle charging stations in multifamily housing by March 1, 2027.
  • Requires each electrical corporation to install enough electric vehicle charging stations in multifamily housing to triple the number of existing stations by December 31, 2037.
  • Allows electrical corporations to recover costs for deploying and maintaining these charging stations as operations and maintenance costs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Electrical corporations
  • Multifamily residential property owners and tenants

Terms To Know

Tier 3 advice letters
Documents submitted by electrical corporations to the Public Utilities Commission detailing plans for installing electric vehicle charging stations.
Level 2 and Level 3 charging stations
Types of electric vehicle charging stations that provide faster charging than standard outlets, with Level 3 being the fastest.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how costs will be covered if nonratepayer funding is insufficient.
  • It is unclear what happens if electrical corporations do not comply with the requirements set by this bill.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  2. 2026-04-09 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.

  3. 2026-03-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on E., U & C.

  4. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  5. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1215, as amended, Cortese.
Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily residential properties.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires each electrical corporation, not later than February 28, 2021, to file an advice letter for, and requires the commission, not later than June 30, 2021, to approve, a new tariff or rule that authorizes each electrical corporation to design and deploy all electrical distribution infrastructure on the utility side of the customer’s meter for all customers installing separately metered infrastructure to support charging stations, other than those in single-family residences. Existing law requires the advice letter and the commission’s approval to provide that costs incurred by the electrical corporation between January 1, 2021, and the implementation date of rates approved in the next general rate case decision for that electrical
corporation, to be tracked in a memorandum account and recovered, subject to a reasonableness review, in the decision adopting the next general rate case revenue requirement for that electrical corporation. Existing law authorizes the commission to revise the policy after the completion of the general rate case cycle of the electrical corporation following the one during which the advice letter was filed if a determination is made that a change in the policy is necessary to ensure just and reasonable rates for ratepayers.
This bill would delete the authorization for the commission to revise the policy.
This bill would require the commission, on or before March 1, 2027, to direct electrical corporations to submit Tier 3 advice letters to install
Level 2 and Level 3
electric vehicle charging stations and associated equipment and facilities at
multifamily housing, with certain parameters, including, among other things, a requirement that each electrical corporation install enough electric vehicle charging stations, on or before December 31, 2037, to at least triple the amount of electric vehicle charging stations in existence, as of January 1, 2027, at multifamily housing in its service territory, and a requirement that an electrical corporation recover all
costs
costs, to the extent not covered by nonratepayer funding,
for deploying the electric vehicle charging stations and associated equipment and facilities, including the costs for administration and implementation and for equipment, installation, and maintenance on the customer side of the meter, as operations and maintenance costs rather than as capital 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 provisions of the bill would be a part of the act and therefore a violation of the bill’s requirements, or a violation of a commission action implementing the bill’s requirements, 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