Assemblyman Tri Ta Celebrates Committee Passage of Utility Rate Cap Bill
Californians continue to face utility bills close to double the national average.
ORANGE COUNTY—Today, Assemblyman Tri Ta announced that Assembly Bill 99, a bill to prevent investor owned utilities from raising consumer bills beyond the rate of inflation, has passed the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy Committee with strong bipartisan support.
“Californians are tired of being burdened by ever-increasing utility bills,” said Assemblyman Ta. “AB 99 offers meaningful relief by ensuring that rate hikes don’t outpace inflation. For my constituents, affordability isn’t just a concern—it’s a crisis. This bill is a critical first step toward restoring fairness and accountability in how rates are set,” says Assemblyman Ta.
Bill proponent and member of the California Senior Legislature Jim Bohon told the committee, “[i]n my area where I live, our utility rates have gone up 50% in just the last four years. Millions of seniors in California rely on social security. With the existing utility rates reaching $300 per month for those seniors now, it’s really important that we support this bill,” Bohon concluded.
A report issued by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office earlier this year indicated that California has the second highest utility rates in the nation, with rates close to double the national average.
The bill now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee to evaluate fiscal considerations before moving to the Assembly Floor.