Rep. Josh Harder on Tuesday introduced new legislation aimed at curbing utility rate hikes by restricting post-government lobbying ties between state regulators and California’s largest power companies.
The proposal, titled the End PG&E Lobbying Act, would prohibit former commissioners of the California Public Utilities Commission from lobbying Pacific Gas and Electric or other California utilities for two years after leaving the commission.
Harder said weak ethics rules have allowed what he described as a “revolving door” between regulators and the utilities they oversee. According to data cited by his office, nearly half of CPUC commissioners who have served since 2015 later went on to lobby for PG&E or other utilities after leaving their posts.
The legislation comes amid growing public frustration over rising utility bills. PG&E raised customer rates six times in 2024, despite reporting $2.5 billion in profits, and has signaled plans to seek additional increases through 2030.
“For too long, Californians have watched regulators walk out the door and straight into high-paying lobbying jobs with the very companies they were supposed to oversee, all while Californians pay the price,” Harder said in a statement. “That revolving door undermines public trust and raises serious questions about whose interests are really being served when utilities win rate hikes or regulatory favors.”
The CPUC is responsible for approving rate increases, safety requirements, and operational rules for investor-owned utilities throughout California. Ethics advocates have long argued that allowing former commissioners to immediately lobby the agency creates conflicts of interest that disadvantage consumers and erode confidence in regulatory oversight.
Harder’s bill would establish a mandatory cooling-off period intended to reduce the influence of utility lobbying and restore trust in the state’s utility regulation process.
Some day this will be recognized for the scandal and grift that it is. PG&E is a terrible corporate citizen and somehow our elected officials have let them get away with effectively price gouging for decades. We pay the highest utility bills in the contiguous 48 states and there’s no valid reason for it. A public utility showing $2.5 billion in profit and paying its executives exorbitant salaries while 25% of its customers struggle to pay their pill is disgusting.
You are 100% right it is infinitely disgusting! We need alternate options to PG&E they are criminal and so are the politicians enabling them! All the fines are just rolled down to the consumer, kick them their faulty equipment and corrupt managent to the curb, it is beyond time!
These gangsters filed bankruptcy to keep from paying for destroying an entire town and dozens of its residents. And repeating the act in only lesser degree again and again over the next few years…. AND raised rates to everyone else to pay the legal expenses they couldn’t dodge.
On the other hand… they did lower their Triple-High electric rates ONE PENNY per kWh on the Jan bill. Not very many ACs running. 🙁
All lobbying should be banned. Until the money is taken out of policy and politics nothing will change for the better.
For one thing – PG&E should not be allowed as a “for profit” company – it’s a UTILITY! I sure hope this passes but I’ll bet 5 cents it’s gets squashed by the politicos that are benefitting from the current triad (Newsom, CPUC, PG&E)
Two whole years. Well golly gee!
I know. Yes. It’s better than nothing.
Thanks.
(CLM) Career Limiting Move, not giving pg&e what they ask for.
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“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession.
I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.”
–Ronald Reagan
Good Start! It’s not just PG&E, the state government has forced rates higher in an effort to restrain usage in the name of lowering “Global Climate Change” If we adopt the Federal standards our rates will drop in short order.
Correct! The CEO in either 2023 or 2024 attended the WEF Summit! The company is all set on “decarbonization”…..However – they have to make sure that legislation will prevent You from converting to propane once they stop offering natural gas.
Damn, should have gone into lobbying as a career.
The CPUC is just a big government facade that is in place to put money into the pockets of politicians.