CPUC Voting Meeting April 9 2026

April 9, 2026

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” (Carrier of Last Resort) obligation-an essential policy that ensures all Californians, especially vulnerable and rural communities, maintain access to reliable basic utility services regardless of profitability.

Speaking on behalf of Ratepayers United, Bay Area leaders Kevin Holden, Starneisia Hooper, and Jamila Woods highlighted how weakening COLR protections could leave many residents without critical communications and energy infrastructure.
In addition, RU leaders from Southeast Los Angeles called in by phone, sharing stark accounts of poor service quality and in some cases limited to no access at all-underscoring the real-world consequences of regulatory gaps.

Together, these testimonies reinforced the responsibility of the CPUC to prioritize public interest, equity, and universal service access, making clear that regulatory decisions must safeguard-not erode-the foundational systems that millions of Californians depend on every day.