AB-615
Energy & Environment

Power facilities: emergency response and action plans.

Enrolled
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Mandates emergency response plans in facility and ESS applications funded by the applicant.
  • Requires coordination with local emergency management and unified program agencies.
  • Requires post-2026 ESS setbacks at least as protective as NFPA 855, with local agency feedback.
  • Maintains regulator authority over rates, services, and safety.

Summary

With Davies forging the path alongside coauthors Dixon and Strickland, the measure foregrounds emergency preparedness by mandating a formal emergency response and action plan as part of every energy project application, to be funded by the applicant and coordinated with local emergency management agencies, unified program agencies, and local first responders. This core change enshrines emergency planning as a defined element of project review, applicable to both traditional energy facilities and energy storage system proposals, and preserves the regulator’s existing authority over rates, services, and safety practices.

On the mechanisms side, the general facility application would be expanded to require the emergency plan alongside design, safety and reliability information, site data, and economic details, with explicit coordination obligations for the surrounding-area impacts. For energy storage systems, the measure creates a parallel requirement that also calls for analysis and feedback from a local emergency management agency on the plan, including whether greater setbacks might be advisable for the proposed facility; in both cases, the plan must be paid for by the applicant. Beginning after January 1, 2026, facilities meeting the ESS criteria would be subject to setback protections that align with the most current industry-standard guidance for stationary energy storage installations.

In terms of implementation and context, the changes would rely on the existing certification process to enforce the new requirements, without creating a new state appropriation, though they would likely increase regulatory and local-government workload and project-delivery considerations. By integrating local emergency capacity into project planning and tying post-2026 ESS siting to a standards-based setback benchmark, the measure broadens the regulatory framework governing energy infrastructure and strengthens coordination between developers and local responders, while preserving the regulator’s core oversight of utility rates and safety practices.

Key Dates

Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 615 Davies Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Assembly 3rd Reading AB615 Davies et al. By Laird
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Hearing
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 615 Davies Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass. To Consent Calendar
Assembly Utilities And Energy Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Utilities And Energy Hearing
Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Assembly Emergency Management Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Emergency Management Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Utilities and Energy]
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Tony StricklandR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Laurie DaviesR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 3 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 1
Select All Legislators
Profile
Tony StricklandR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Laurie DaviesR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Bill Author

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Laurie Davies
Laurie DaviesR
California State Assembly Member
Co-Authors
Diane Dixon
Diane DixonR
California State Assembly Member
Tony Strickland
Tony StricklandR
California State Senator
70% progression
Bill has passed both houses in identical form and is being prepared for the Governor (9/4/2025)

Latest Voting History

September 4, 2025
PASS
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
770279PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Mandates emergency response plans in facility and ESS applications funded by the applicant.
  • Requires coordination with local emergency management and unified program agencies.
  • Requires post-2026 ESS setbacks at least as protective as NFPA 855, with local agency feedback.
  • Maintains regulator authority over rates, services, and safety.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Laurie Davies
Laurie DaviesR
California State Assembly Member
Co-Authors
Diane Dixon
Diane DixonR
California State Assembly Member
Tony Strickland
Tony StricklandR
California State Senator

Summary

With Davies forging the path alongside coauthors Dixon and Strickland, the measure foregrounds emergency preparedness by mandating a formal emergency response and action plan as part of every energy project application, to be funded by the applicant and coordinated with local emergency management agencies, unified program agencies, and local first responders. This core change enshrines emergency planning as a defined element of project review, applicable to both traditional energy facilities and energy storage system proposals, and preserves the regulator’s existing authority over rates, services, and safety practices.

On the mechanisms side, the general facility application would be expanded to require the emergency plan alongside design, safety and reliability information, site data, and economic details, with explicit coordination obligations for the surrounding-area impacts. For energy storage systems, the measure creates a parallel requirement that also calls for analysis and feedback from a local emergency management agency on the plan, including whether greater setbacks might be advisable for the proposed facility; in both cases, the plan must be paid for by the applicant. Beginning after January 1, 2026, facilities meeting the ESS criteria would be subject to setback protections that align with the most current industry-standard guidance for stationary energy storage installations.

In terms of implementation and context, the changes would rely on the existing certification process to enforce the new requirements, without creating a new state appropriation, though they would likely increase regulatory and local-government workload and project-delivery considerations. By integrating local emergency capacity into project planning and tying post-2026 ESS siting to a standards-based setback benchmark, the measure broadens the regulatory framework governing energy infrastructure and strengthens coordination between developers and local responders, while preserving the regulator’s core oversight of utility rates and safety practices.

70% progression
Bill has passed both houses in identical form and is being prepared for the Governor (9/4/2025)

Key Dates

Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 615 Davies Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Assembly 3rd Reading AB615 Davies et al. By Laird
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Hearing
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 615 Davies Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass. To Consent Calendar
Assembly Utilities And Energy Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Utilities And Energy Hearing
Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Assembly Emergency Management Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Emergency Management Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Utilities and Energy]
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Latest Voting History

September 4, 2025
PASS
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
770279PASS

Contacts

Profile
Tony StricklandR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Laurie DaviesR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 3 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 1
Select All Legislators
Profile
Tony StricklandR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Laurie DaviesR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Diane DixonR
Assemblymember
Bill Author