Government watch: May 22, 2024

This heightened enforcement will create stronger incentives for cities to comply with state housing laws. SB 1037 passed 23-9 and heads next to the Assembly, where it must pass by Aug. 31. 

SB 1037 enhances the attorney general’s ability to seek civil penalties in court against local governments that violate state housing law. Currently, when a court finds a locality in violation of state housing law, monetary penalties can only be imposed 60 days, or in some cases up to a year, after a court has ordered compliance, according to Wiener’s office. 

 • The California Senate passed Senate 1374, authored by state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park. 

This bill restores the ability for utility customers with on-site solar generation to be credited for self-consuming that electricity in the same way as single family homeowners, even when the solar generation and electricity consumption are split between separate meters on the same property. For example, a school may have solar generated over its parking lot that is separately metered from the electricity being used by the classrooms. Today, that solar energy is considered “exported” to the utility and compensated at only a very low price while the electricity for the classroom is simultaneously being purchased from the utility at a much higher price. SB 1374 will make sure that the school is fairly compensated by netting out generation and consumption occurring during the same time period across the multiple meters at that same school site, rather than treating all the solar energy as exported. By doing so, the bill will ensure that all utility customers, including apartment buildings, schools, community colleges, universities, water agencies, city facilities, farms and shopping centers with on-site generation are given fair and equal treatment for the energy that they self-consume, according to Becker’s office.

It now heads to the Assembly for consideration.

• The California Assembly approved Assembly Bill 1827, authored by Assemblymember Diane Papan, D-San Mateo, also known as the Low-Water User Protection Act, to protect water consumers.

The bill ensures water rates remain fair and proportional for all water users by addressing the growing need to protect low-water users from bearing the financial burden of higher water usage costs. Water infrastructure costs related to sourcing, distribution and treatment systems are a significant driver of water rates and require regular maintenance and capacity expansion if demand increases yet the necessity for such investments are not necessarily proportional to use. Assembly Bill 1827 affirms that water suppliers can factor such costs in developing rate structures so that low-water users are not unfairly penalized, according to Papan’s office.

The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.