Bill Aims to Lower Electricity Costs, Make Wildfire Survivors Whole

The proposed legislation would require the CPUC to find ways to cut rates and ensure full restitution for victims of utility-caused fires before 2019.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:25am

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A serene, painterly image of a lone power line pole or electrical substation standing tall against a backdrop of warm, golden light and deep shadows, conveying a sense of the political and economic tensions surrounding energy policy in California.As California grapples with the aftermath of devastating wildfires and rising electricity costs, a new bill seeks to address both issues through utility reform and victim restitution.Today in Sacramento

A new bill making its way through the California Statehouse aims to lower electricity rates for residents and ensure full compensation for victims of wildfires caused by utility equipment prior to 2019. Assembly Bill 2700 would require the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to generate a report with recommendations to cut ratepayers' electricity costs by 30% by 2028 and audit restitution shortfalls for victims of utility-caused wildfires before July 2019, with recommendations to make those victims whole.

Why it matters

Californians have faced rising electricity costs in recent years, while many victims of devastating wildfires caused by utility equipment have struggled to receive full restitution. This bill seeks to address both issues, providing rate relief for consumers and ensuring that wildfire survivors are properly compensated, even for incidents that occurred before the establishment of the California Wildfire Fund in 2019.

The details

AB 2700, authored by Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Chico), would require the CPUC to audit restitution shortfalls for victims of utility-caused wildfires prior to July 2019 and make recommendations to ensure those victims receive full compensation. This is significant because the California Wildfire Fund, established in 2019, only covers fires started after that date, leaving earlier victims without the same financial support. The bill also aims to lower residential electric rates by 30% by 2028 through CPUC-recommended actions.

  • AB 2700 passed through the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy on April 9, 2026.
  • The CPUC would be required to generate the report with rate reduction and restitution recommendations by January 1, 2028.

The players

Assembly Bill 2700

A bill making its way through the California Statehouse that aims to lower electricity rates for residents and ensure full compensation for victims of wildfires caused by utility equipment prior to 2019.

James Gallagher

The Republican Assemblymember from Chico who authored AB 2700.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

The state agency that oversees California's major investor-owned utilities, including PG&E, and would be required to generate a report with recommendations under AB 2700.

PG&E

The major investor-owned utility in California that formally admitted its equipment caused the deadly 2018 Camp Fire, leading to its bankruptcy filing in 2019.

Utility Wildfire Survivor Coalition

An advocacy group led by Will Abrams that is pushing for full restitution for all victims of utility-caused wildfires in California.

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What they’re saying

“We've struggled from the day after the fire: losing our cars - having to replace the cars, having to move different places with family members or whether it was living up in FEMA trailers. All that took a lot of money from us; we had to survive.”

— Cody Knowles, Camp Fire Survivor

“There are people who are still on couches. There are people in trailers. There are people waiting for their houses and their lives to get going.”

— Doreen Zimmerman, Camp Fire Survivor

“Who burned down our homes? The utilities. If I went ahead and I had burned somebody's house down, they would be holding me accountable. They'd be garnishing my wages. They would be making sure I paid my victims. We are not asking anything less than that.”

— Will Abrams, Utility Wildfire Survivor Coalition Leader

“We need rate relief now and we need to make sure victims are compensated.”

— James Gallagher, Assemblymember

What’s next

AB 2700 must now pass through additional legislative committees and votes before reaching the governor's desk for potential signature into law.

The takeaway

This bill represents a comprehensive effort to address the dual challenges of high electricity costs and inadequate restitution for wildfire victims in California, aiming to provide relief for both ratepayers and those impacted by utility-caused disasters.