Utilities: service outages and updates: alerts.

Assembly Member Garcia's proposal would require California utilities to automatically enroll customers in service outage alerts while preserving their ability to opt out of non-emergency notifications. The measure applies to electrical corporations, gas corporations, water corporations, and local publicly owned electric utilities throughout the state.

Under the bill's provisions, utilities must provide annual billing information explaining how customers can update their contact preferences. Customers would be able to modify their contact information through the utility's website or by phone. While customers may decline certain types of notifications, they cannot opt out of emergency and safety alerts.

The measure creates new obligations for local publicly owned utilities and establishes criminal penalties for violations of Public Utilities Commission directives implementing these requirements. The bill specifies that local agencies would not receive state reimbursement for compliance costs, as they retain authority to levy service charges and fees to cover any new expenses.