Affordability & Accountability Bill Package
Join TURN in advocating for affordability, accountability, and transparency in California!
SB 24 (McNerney)
Prohibits the use of ratepayer money for corporate political lobbying against local governments trying to establish a municipal utility and strengthens public advocates’ power to investigate violations.
SB 24 gives the CPUC and the Public Advocates Office authority to inspect the accounting of public utilities to ensure appropriate use of ratepayer money.
SB 24 creates front-end accounting requirements to protect ratepayers from inappropriate corporate spending to oppose the municipalization of electric and gas services.
Sponsored By
AB 1167 (Berman & Addis)
Prohibits the use of ratepayer money for promotional advertisements and political lobbying activity.
AB 1167 creates front-end accounting requirements to protect ratepayers from inappropriate corporate spending.
AB 1167 prevents utility corporations from spending ratepayer dollars on national trade associations, lobbying, and other excessive expenses.
AB 1167 gives the CPUC discretion to impose sliding scale penalties based upon the severity of utility violations.
Sponsored By
Source: The Frisc | By Adam Brinklow
There is room for nuance, however, as the Oakland-based environmental group The Utility Reform Network acknowledges. TURN is backing several state bills to regulate data center expansion, including extra company taxes to help reinforce the public electric grid. TURN spokesperson Lee Trotman says sites already in SF aren’t on their radar: “We don’t have much to say about them other than they use less energy and water than AI data centers.”
Last month Sup. Connie Chan, who’s running for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat, released a campaign ad excoriating San Francisco’s AI boom. “AI data centers are driving up our utility costs, displacing our community, and jeopardizing our environment,” she said, standing in front of a public library. Chan’s not the only one raging against the machines. If elected, she’ll support a moratorium on new AI data centers penned by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Source: SF Gate | By Anabel Sosa
Mark Toney, the executive director of the Utility Reform Network, a nonprofit legal advocacy network, told SFGATE in an email that there are still questions about the specifics of Becerra’s plan but that it is “encouraging” to see the candidate’s commitment to bringing down the price of electricity. “While we are unsure how much ratepayers might benefit from two free hours of electricity, we are eager to learn more about the proposal,” Toney said.
During midday in California, the state’s solar grid produces so much energy that, sometimes, it can’t even use it all. It’s a good problem to have, and one that the leading Democratic candidate governor thinks could be a boon to low-income households. At a recent summit hosted by Politico, Xavier Becerra said he wants to offer free electricity from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for those who qualify, possibly saving them upward of $1,000 annually.
Source: Communications Daily | By Philip Athey
Alexandra Green, a telecom and regulatory attorney for The Utility Reform Network, told us her organization also favored the Ormond proposal and was disappointed that the CPUC didn't require enough consumer protections in the merger agreement.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously approved the $34.5 billion Charter/Cox merger with some conditions in a Thursday vote, clearing the way for the resulting company to become the largest ISP and cable provider in the nation. The merger was previously approved by the FCC and DOJ, as well as regulators in New York and Connecticut. California was the final regulatory hurdle.
Source: The Plumas Sun |
If the FCC grants AT&T’s petition, the company could move forward with abandoning universal service obligations that millions of Californians rely on, particularly those living in rural communities. RCRC joined a coalition of organizations, such as The Utility Reform Network, California Alliance for Digital Equity, California State Association of Counties and the Communications Workers of America, in submitting comments to the FCC on July 7 and July 22.
The Rural County Representatives of California reports that, in coordination with a broad coalition of consumer, local government, labor, agricultural and public interest organizations, it has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission opposing a threat to universal telephone service protections.
Source: Canary Media | By Jeff St. John
SB 905 represents an important, if somewhat incremental, next step on those efforts, said Matthew Freedman, senior staff attorney at The Utility Reform Network (TURN), one of the state’s most vocal utility ratepayer advocacy groups and a sponsor of the bill. Among the bill’s provisions, a “lower return on equity is a pretty big one,” he said. Utilities earn guaranteed rates of profit on capital investments, which puts upward pressure on customer rates. Anything that can reduce that rate of “return on equity,” or ROE, could help limit those increases, he said. A number of states are targeting utilities’ ROE to combat rising rates — and utilities are, not surprisingly, fighting back against the idea.
California lawmakers are once again contending with how to curb the state’s high energy costs as they hurtle toward the end of this year’s legislative session on Aug. 31. So what’s on the table for utility rate reform in the final stretch? Enter Senate Bill 905, a complicated package of proposals that are likely to face intense opposition from utilities, which tend to reflexively resist rules that could crimp their profits.
Source: Yahoo!Finance | By Kim LaCapria
Mark Toney, executive director of nonprofit consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network, described electricity bills as having "high volatility," according to the newspaper.
Forecasters expected the Central Valley to get close to 110 degrees and parts of the Bay Area to climb into the low 100s. In a state that already has some of the highest electricity prices in the country, that kind of heat can make air conditioning a major financial burden for families trying to stay safe.
Source: Broadband Breakfast | By Jake Neenan
The Utility Reform Network, a California advocacy group that did not settle and has opposed the deal, wanted the CPUC to go even further. The group generally supported the agency adopting Ormond’s proposal over Baker’s, as did another set of in-state advocacy groups like Digital Equity Los Angeles. TURN attorney Alexandra Green wrote that the number appeared to come from a filing in which Charter said there were 6,000 un- or underserved locations in its footprint, but that the number should be increased to account for the addition of Cox locations.
Charter and Cox Communications want California regulators to approve their $34.5 billion merger with fewer strings attached than consumer advocates. The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on approving the deal at its Aug. 13 meeting. Unusually for recent telecom mergers, the agency will have two proposed decisions to choose from.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle | By Jessica Roy
California has the second-highest electricity costs of any state in the U.S. Mark Toney, the executive director of nonprofit consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network, said high rates and fluctuating weather patterns can make monthly bills unpredictable. Electricity bills “have high volatility,” he said. “They can go up very quickly, before you know it, based on the weather that you really have very little control over.”
If you or another full-time resident in your home relies on energy for a medical need — for instance, if you use a respirator, oxygen generator, powered wheelchair, dialysis machine or apnea monitor, or if you need a refrigerator to keep medicine such as insulin cold, or depend on heating or cooling for conditions like multiple sclerosis or scleroderma — you are eligible to receive an extra monthly allotment of energy at the lower baseline price. Eligibility is based on medical need, not income.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle | By Mark Toney, Executive Director of TURN (contributor)
PG&E is seeking to charge California ratepayers billions for outstanding costs, which will soon show up on our electricity bills. The utility has also requested and is expected to collect on several additional pending proposals to raise rates over the coming years and has $1.05 billion sitting in memorandum accounts that will be billed to ratepayers. This includes billions of dollars for wildfire mitigation, grid upgrades and other investments — as well as the hefty profit margins the utility is allowed to collect.
PG&E claims its rates are stabilizing. The numbers say otherwise. According to an independent assessment by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office, the state’s advocate for ratepayers, the average PG&E customer could pay $840 more annually by 2030, on top of the 69% rate increase during the past decade.
Source: Benton Institute for Broadband and Society | By Kevin Taglang
During the 2026 proceeding, AARP and TURN argued that the telephone remains a preferred channel for older adults, lower-income households, and consumers with limited digital literacy—and, as TURN noted, for people who do not yet have broadband and are calling to find out what it costs. TURN cited 2023 American Community Survey data showing that "80 percent of adults with vision difficulty own a smartphone, against 62.7 percent with home broadband service."
If you shop for home internet service in the coming months, something on the screen may look different. For the past two years, providers have had to show you a standardized "broadband label"—a black-and-white box modeled on the nutrition panel on a cereal box, listing the monthly price, what happens when the introductory rate expires, the typical speeds, the latency, the data allowance, and each fee added on top. The label had to sit right next to the advertised plan.
Source: Washington Watch | By NECA
TURN, et al. said comments in this record show AT&T’s application to relinquish its ETC designation will not have positive effects for California consumers. They said if the FCC grants AT&T’s petition before the CPUC can finish its investigation, consumers will be left with inadequate or nonexistent replacement services. all replies available | public notice | order
In addition to reply comments listed in a previous edition of Washington Watch, replies were filed on July 22, 2026, on AT&T’s petition seeking forbearance from Section 214(e) eligible telecommunications carrier requirements within its California service territory.
Source: WAshington Watch | By NECA
TURN said this area of policy has been left to the states and Section 253 delegates to the states the authority to regulate to preserve and advance universal service.
The Utility Reform Network met with Commissioner Gomez’s advisors on July 16, 2026, regarding AT&T’s petition for a ruling that any California regulation that interferes with its ability to discontinue POTS is preempted by the FCC and petition for forbearance from Section 214(e) ETC requirements in California.
Source: Daily Caller News Foundation | By Dylan Kresak
“It is disappointing, but perhaps not surprising, that the same tech companies signing the Ratepayer Protection Pledge are simultaneously opposing efforts at the state level to force them to deliver on their promises,” Matthew Freedman, a staff attorney for the Utility Reform Network told the AP.
Trump expanded his voluntary, nonbinding Ratepayer Protection Pledge on Thursday, the Associated Press reported. Signed by 23 governors, 55 utility companies and 27 data center companies, the pledge asks tech companies to cover their own power costs, according to the White House’s official Ratepayer Pledge page.
Source: CalMatters | By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde
Mark Toney is executive director of the Utility Reform Network, a policy group that advocates for ratepayers. He argues ratepayer money shouldn’t pay for this kind of program at all. “The fact that schools need new HVAC systems has nothing to do with producing electricity, delivering electricity, or generating electricity,” Toney said.
In 2020, California gave schools an enticing opportunity: A ratepayer-funded grant program would let them assess the condition of their heating and cooling systems, then pay for upgrades based on that review. But in 2024, the California Energy Commission, which administers the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency, or CalSHAPE program, decided tocut it short two years earlier than planned. As a result, only 172 of more than 4,500 schools whose assessments turned up heating and cooling systems in disrepair actually got money to upgrade them.
Source: Associated Press | By Josh Boak
In California, however, the industry opposes legislation designed to protect consumers from electricity price increases attributable to data centers, said Matthew Freedman, a staff attorney for the Utility Reform Network. "It is disappointing, but perhaps not surprising, that the same tech companies signing the Ratepayer Protection Pledge are simultaneously opposing efforts at the state level to force them to deliver on their promises," Freedman said.
President Donald Trump on Thursday had governors and electricity companies join a voluntary pledge to shield U.S. consumers from higher utility bills from data centers — a sign how the artificial intelligence build-out has become a lightning rod of controversy before the midterm elections.
Source: Washington Watch | By NECA
TURN said this area of policy has been left to the states and Section 253 delegates to the states the authority to regulate to preserve and advance universal service. TURN also said while AT&T Phone- Advanced has been approved in other states, none have a comparable topographical range or similar extreme weather events to California. Additionally, TURN said it had some preliminary concerns about the June 2026 E-Rate NPRM and urged the FCC not to let E-Rate become a victim of its own success.
The Utility Reform Network met with Commissioner Gomez’s advisors on July 16, 2026, regarding AT&T’s petition for a ruling that any California regulation that interferes with its ability to discontinue POTS is preempted by the FCC and petition for forbearance from Section 214(e) ETC requirements in California.
Source: Communications Daily | By Matt Daneman
In a docket 22-2 filing last week recapping meetings with the offices of Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Olivia Trusty, the Utility Reform Network said labels will be less effective if the FCC drops the requirement to display them online in full next to a plan that a consumer could purchase. Cutting the machine-readability requirement, meanwhile, hurts people who rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies, the group said. It also urged the commission to keep fees and state and local taxes broken out into their own line items.
Consumer advocacy groups and others are expressing concern that the FCC's proposed changes to its broadband consumer label rules focus heavily on easing the requirements for providers when the greater problem is their widespread lack of compliance.
Source: Fierce Network | By Linda Hardesty
Johnston said, “There are people that get paid a lot more than me to read those tea leaves, and at this point, it is going to be very difficult to say.” He said the FCC will have to take more comments and write an order and get it published in the Federal Register before it can then be challenged. And the two current lawsuits in California are only just beginning.
Petitions and appeals are flying between AT&T and government groups as AT&T accelerates its agenda to get out of the landline telephone business in California. But AT&T hasn’t provided data to prove that its alternative connectivity solution will definitely work in the most remote locations of the state, according to a consumer advocacy group.
Source: ARS Technica | By Jon Brodkin
California told the FCC that AT&T is lying when it claims that state rules prevent it from replacing copper with fiber. The Utility Reform Network, an advocacy group in California, told the FCC that AT&T’s wireless home phone service is “an ill-suited replacement for existing legacy infrastructure.”
California can keep enforcing rules that require AT&T to offer basic phone service to new customers in its wireline territory, following a federal judge’s ruling last week. AT&T sued California in May in a bid to end the state’s Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) rules that require it to offer telephone service to any potential customer in its territory. AT&T asked for a preliminary injunction that would prevent California from enforcing the COLR rules while the litigation continues.
Source: Sebastopol Times | By Roger Coryell
There’s a new turn in the fight over AT&T’s plan to shut off its old copper phone lines. On July 15, four groups asked a federal judge in San Diego to let them join AT&T’s lawsuit and fight on California’s side. The four are a group that speaks for the state’s rural counties, a consumer group called TURN, another that speaks for all of California’s counties, and the union for phone workers. Sonoma County is one of the 40 counties the rural group represents.
The same day, the judge, Linda Lopez, let the groups hand the court a brief with their views. AT&T had tried to block even that. Now the groups want more: the right to make their own arguments and to appeal if they lose, instead of leaving the defense to state officials. The judge hasn’t said yes or no yet.
Source: Broadband Breakfast | By Jericho Casper
Before being granted party status in the case, TURN and its coalition partners had previously filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the CPUC and California Attorney General Rob Bonta's position. In a brief filed June 26, the groups argued that the CPUC is acting within its authority to protect universal service, a policy they said is important at both the state and federal levels.
A federal judge Thursday rejected an effort by AT&T to temporarily stop California regulators from requiring the company to provide basic telephone service. AT&T had sought a preliminary injunction in its suit challenging the California Public Utilities Commission’s carrier of last resort rules. U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez of the Southern District of California denied AT&T’s request, allowing the rules to remain in effect while the case moves forward.
Source: The Hemet and San Jancinto Chronicle | By HSJC Newsroom
In a unanimous 4-0 vote Thursday, commissioners rejected the utilities’ plan, saying it failed to provide “sufficient health protections for customers.” The panel had originally set May 1 as the deadline for new rules to take effect. When utilities missed that deadline, consumer advocates filed emergency motions demanding action. By May, with utilities still lagging, The Utility Reform Network joined forces with the San Diego-based Utility Consumers’ Action Network, the National Consumer Law Center and the Center for Accessible Technology to formally ask the commission to step in.
California utility regulators have moved to strengthen protections for customers facing power shutoffs during dangerous heat waves, ruling this week that major electric companies failed to deliver on requirements to better shield vulnerable residents from disconnection when temperatures soar. The decision comes as another punishing heat wave grips much of the state, underscoring the real-world stakes of the debate. In rural areas, losing electricity can also mean losing access to water, since many wells rely on electric pumps. In cities, going without air conditioning or fans during a prolonged hot spell can pose serious health risks, and in extreme cases, prove fatal.
Source: Vanguard News Group | By Lily Kenrow
The Rural County Representatives of California, California State Association of Counties, The Utility Reform Network and the Communications Workers of America, filed an amicus curiae brief in June in support of the CPUC and the Attorney General in the lawsuit. While there are pending lawsuits and petitions, California rules remain in place and protect landline services till further decisions are made.
AT&T has announced that it plans to move away from copper-based services, including phasing out landline services, across California starting June 1, 2027.
Source: CalMatters | By Alejandro Lazo
By May, with utilities still behind schedule, The Utility Reform Network joined with the San Diego-based Utility Consumers’ Action Network, the National Consumer Law Center and the Center for Accessible Technology,asking the commission to intervene. This week the commission rejected the utilities’ proposal, siding with advocates. The path the utilities were proposing would be “no different” than prior practice. The resolution noted the extreme heat threshold is already below 100 degrees in 41 of California’s 58 counties.
California bars utilities from cutting off power to customers who fall behind on their bills when it’s dangerously hot outside – a basic safety protection. Losing power in some rural areas can also mean losing water, and in cities, having no way to cool down can be dangerous, even deadly, when hot weather spans several days.
Source: Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) has filed a motion to intervene in AT&T’s federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission and California Attorney General. TURN submitted this filing in partnership with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
AT&T’s lawsuit aims to have the federal courts determine that California’s Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) rules do not align with federal policy. If successful, California would be unable to enforce these rules against AT&T or any other designated COLR.
Source: Sierra Sun Times | By Gerd Altman
“Extreme heat and utility disconnections are a dangerous combination that can put lives at risk. Today's decision recognizes that access to electricity is essential for health and safety during increasingly frequent heat events,” said Lee Trotman, communications director at The Utility Reform Network (TURN). “By requiring utilities to use CalHeatScore and lowering the temperature threshold for disconnection protections, the CPUC has taken an important step to better protect Californians — especially seniors, families with young children, people with disabilities, and low-income households — from losing power when they need it most.”
The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday unanimously agreed to reduce the temperature that triggers a statewide ban on utility disconnections to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, rejecting corporate utilities’ proposal to keep the threshold at 100 degrees.
Source: Communications Daily |
The interveners, which include The Utility Reform Network (TURN), the California State Association of Counties, Rural County Representatives of California and the Communications Workers of America, have previously filed briefs in the case in support of California’s COLR requirements.
“California’s COLR rules are the cornerstone to ensuring that every California resident is able to access voice services,” TURN Executive Director Mark Toney said in a Thursday news release about the motion.
Source: Broadband Breakfast | By Jericho Casper
A federal judge Thursday rejected an effort by AT&T to temporarily stop California regulators from requiring the company to provide basic telephone service.
AT&T had sought a preliminary injunction in its suit challenging the California Public Utilities Commission’s carrier of last resort rules. U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez of the Southern District of California denied AT&T’s request, allowing the rules to remain in effect while the case moves forward.
Source: Imperial Valley Press | By Staff Reporting
The legal maneuver, filed in partnership with a broad coalition including The Utility Reform Network (TURN), the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA), seeks formal party status in the ongoing battle over California's telecommunications safety net. The lawsuit, brought by Pacific Bell Telephone Company (doing business as AT&T California) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, seeks to dismantle the state's Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) requirements.
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) has launched a legal bid to protect reliable phone services for millions of rural residents by filing a motion to intervene in AT&T’s federal lawsuit against the state’s utility regulators.
Source: Lost Coast Outpost | By LoCO Staff
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) has taken legal action to protect reliable communications service for rural Californians by filing a motion to intervene in AT&T’s federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Attorney General. RCRC conducted this filing in partnership with The Utility Reform Network (TURN), the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
COLR requirements play a critical role in ensuring access to communications services during emergencies, natural disasters, and power outages. For many rural residents, landline service remains one of the most dependable forms of communication when other networks fail.
TURN Newsroom
SAN FRANCISCO— The California Public Utilities Commission today agreed to reduce the temperature that triggers a statewide ban on utility disconnections to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, rejecting corporate utilities’ proposal to keep the threshold at 100 degrees.
Oakland, CA - Today, The Utility Reform Network (TURN) has filed a motion to intervene in AT&T’s federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission and California Attorney General. TURN submitted this filing in partnership with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
SACRAMENTO – Yesterday, Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Bills 886and 887, two measures designed to protect California ratepayers from the potential increased costs and environmental damage caused by data centers.
Oakland, CA — The Utility Reform Network (TURN) is calling on PG&E customers to raise their voices against PG&E’s proposed rate increases, which could drive monthly bills up by $42—totaling more than $500 annually—by 2030…
Sacramento, CA — California utility consumers are demanding lawmakers rein in skyrocketing rates and hold for-profit investor-owned utilities (IOUs) accountable…
Coalition applauds Senate’s SB 254 release; calls for swift passage alongside CAP’s affordability measures for both immediate relief and long‑term savings…
Los Angeles, CA — Southern California Edison (SCE) reported a record $1.619 billion in 2024 profits today, a 9.8% increase from the previous year. While profits increased, SCE customer’s rates have increased by 26% in the last three years…
San Diego, CA — San Diego Gas & Electric today reported near record profits of $891 million off the backs of customers. SDG&E’s earnings report follows over $1.6 million spent in 2024 by its parent company…
SAN FRANCISCO — Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) today reported a 10% increase in profits from 2023 to 2024, totaling $2.48 billion dollars.
Sacramento, Calif. — California’s four major investor-owned utilities (IOUs) — for-profit corporate utilities — spent a staggering $21,854,420 on lobbying and influence efforts in 2024.
TURN Press Releases
Adria Tinnin, Director of Race Equity and Legislative Policy, joined a roundtable of stakeholders to provide Congressman Mike Levin feedback and suggestions on what can be done at the federal level to achieve utility affordability in California.
TURN Executive Director Mark Toney briefs updates members at an August 2026 Wildfire Legislative Briefing.
Four Bay Area environmental leaders have been recognized for their outstanding dedication to building cleaner, healthier, and more resilient communities.
TURN's Legislative Champions Awards celebrated key legislators who championed affordable bills and corporate accountability, exercising courage to put the needs of residents and businesses over the greed of corporate profits.
As California races to break its dependence on fossil fuels and expand clean energy, a new power player is emerging: data centers.
TURN Telecom Policy Director Regina Costa, moderating a panel at a national policy conference in Seattle, with Washington State Commissioner Ann Rendahl, CPUC Commissioner John Reynolds, and North Carolina Commissioner Floyd McKissick.
Matt Freedman speaking at the 17th Annual Lesley K. McAllister Symposium on Climate & Energy Law.
Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, joins the agenda to explore how to rein in Californians' electric bills and promote energy justice.
Tom is presented with a plaque honoring his 35 years of dedicated service to TURN and the public interest from 1990 to 2025.
On Thursday, April 24, TURN - The Utility Reform Network and the Campaign for Affordable Power (CAP) hosted a high-energy campaign kickoff on the steps of the State Capitol building.
TURN In Action
At the recent voting meeting of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Ratepayers United emphasized the urgent imperative for regulators to uphold and protect the “COLR”.
