Even with the proposed amendments, AB 1139 – Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez's utility profit grab bill –does the bidding of big investor-owned utilities by changing the rules in their favor so they can profit off the energy created by solar consumers and eliminate a growing competitor in the energy market. AB 1139 still adds new fees on all rooftop solar consumers and severely reduces the credit they receive for excess energy sent back to the grid – beyond what even the utilities have proposed at the CPUC. AB 1139 still threatens to break a promise to existing solar users after the state encouraged their rooftop solar investment – especially targeting moderate- and low-income consumers. Rooftop solar remains extremely popular with voters. This unprecedented attack would take California from leading the nation in expanding solar in working- and middle-class neighborhoods to a solar unfriendly state where clean energy is accessible only to the rich. AB 1139 will increase energy bills for hundreds of thousands of consumers, hurt local small businesses, and kill jobs at a time when California's economy needs a boost.
We will be sharing more details on the amendments shortly and ways you can take action to stop this Bill. Stay tuned.