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SB-1215 • 2026

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

Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily housing 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
2026-05-14
Official status
May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and digest do not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance, leaving these aspects unclear.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Multifamily Housing

The bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to set targets for electrical corporations to install electric vehicle charging stations at multifamily housing properties and submit annual progress reports.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish targets for each electrical corporation to install enough electric vehicle charging stations by December 31, 2037, to triple the amount of existing charging stations in its service territory as of January 1, 2027.
  • Directs electrical corporations to submit Tier 3 advice letters detailing plans and requirements for installing electric vehicle charging stations at multifamily housing properties.
  • Requires the commission to ensure these targets reduce costs for all ratepayers.
  • Directs electrical corporations to make annual progress reports and provide maps showing proposed locations with high usage based on distribution system planning.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Electrical corporations that provide electricity in California.
  • Multifamily housing property owners and residents who will benefit from more charging stations.
  • Ratepayers, as costs for installing the charging stations must be managed to reduce overall expenses.

Terms To Know

Public Utilities Commission
The state agency that regulates public utilities like electrical corporations in California.
Tier 3 advice letters
Documents submitted by electrical corporations to the Public Utilities Commission detailing plans for installing electric vehicle charging stations at multifamily housing properties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how costs will be covered if non-ratepayer funding is insufficient.
  • It remains unclear what specific requirements may be imposed on electrical corporations beyond the outlined targets and reporting obligations.
  • There are no details provided about enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 California Legislative Information

    May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. 2026-05-12 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 14.

  3. 2026-05-11 California Legislative Information

    May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  4. 2026-05-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 11.

  5. 2026-04-29 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. 2026-04-28 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 3.) (April 21).

  7. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  8. 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.

  9. 2026-03-04 California Legislative Information

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

  10. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

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

  11. 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
housing
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.
commission to establish strategies and quantifiable metrics to maximize the use of feasible and cost-effective electric vehicle grid integration, as defined, by January 1, 2030, as specified.
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
establish targets for each
electrical
corporations
corporation
to
submit Tier 3 advice letters to
install 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
housing properties. The bill would require the commission to ensure the targets reduce costs for all ratepayers, and to require electrical corporations to make annual progress reports and to provide to the commission corresponding maps that identify the proposed multifamily housing properties within its service territory where use will be highest based on distribution system planning and experience with electric vehicle charging station infrastructure. The bill would require the commission, in establishing the targets, to determine whether to impose certain requirements on an electrical corporation, including a requirement that
an electrical corporation recover all costs, to the extent not covered by nonratepayer funding, for deploying the electric vehicle charging
stations and associated equipment and facilities,
stations,
including the costs for administration and
implementation and for equipment, installation, and maintenance on the customer side of the meter,
implementation,
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