Water rate assistance program.

Assembly Member Ransom's water rate assistance legislation authorizes public urban retail water suppliers to establish programs offsetting drinking water costs for low-income customers. The bill replaces California's expired federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program with a framework allowing water suppliers to develop locally tailored assistance initiatives.

Under the new provisions, suppliers may provide bill reductions, account credits, and arrearage assistance to residential customers with household incomes at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines. Water suppliers can fund these programs through available resources and voluntary ratepayer contributions, though they cannot use fees collected under Article XIII D of the California Constitution. The bill requires public meetings before establishing assistance programs and mandates that suppliers report annually to the State Water Resources Control Board on program participation, funding levels, and implementation progress starting in 2028.

The legislation maintains local control by allowing suppliers to determine eligibility criteria beyond income thresholds and to structure programs based on community needs. Suppliers may partner with third-party organizations to administer assistance and can expand eligibility to additional customer categories if doing so enhances program sustainability or better balances competing objectives like water quality, efficiency, and affordability. The State Water Board must conduct an initial voluntary survey of urban retail water suppliers by July 2026 to assess early implementation.