HomeMy WebLinkAboutAB 2313 (Berman) - The Home Energy Choice Act - City of SLO - SUPPORTCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114,
slocity.org
April 21, 2026
The Honorable Marc Berman
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 8130
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 2313 (Berman) – The Home Energy Choice Act – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Berman,
On behalf of the City of Luis Obispo, I write to express our strong support for AB 2313 (Berman), the
Home Energy Choice Act. This legislation will provide Californians, including households in our
community with the option to voluntarily transition to clean, electric appliances rather than having
aging gas service pipelines replaced by default. By redirecting funds that gas utilities would otherwise
spend on replacing gas service lines, the Act will reduce barriers to electrification, improve public
health and air quality locally, and advance California’s climate goals while reducing long-term costs
and risks for all gas customers.
Gas service lines connect main pipelines running beneath streets to individual buildings. As one of
the oldest cities in California, the City of San Luis Obispo has many historic neighborhoods with
service lines are increasingly approaching the end of their useful life. These replacements are funded
by ratepayers and recovered over 55 to 60 years, meaning infrastructure installed today could remain
on the books well beyond 2080, far past California’s 2045 carbon neutrality target. This creates a
significant risk of stranded assets and unnecessary costs for residents in our region.
Similar to programs already underway in New York, the Home Energy Choice Act would require gas
utilities to offer customers facing service line replacement the option of financial incentives to
transition to electric appliances instead. This approach aligns with our local sustainability and climate
action efforts, allowing households to modernize their homes while avoiding disruptive and costly
gas infrastructure replacements.
Participation would remain entirely voluntary. Eligible customers would have the opportunity to
access incentives to upgrade to efficient electric technologies such as heat pumps, improving indoor
air quality and providing both heating and cooling, an increasingly important benefit as the Central
Coast experiences more frequent heat events. All gas customers would benefit from avoiding long-
term investments in infrastructure that may soon become obsolete.
Importantly, the bill includes provisions to ensure equitable access, including outreach to
disadvantaged communities and coordination with low-income electrification and energy efficiency
programs. These measures are critical for communities across San Luis Obispo County, where
affordability and energy burden remain key concerns. The Home Energy Choice Act represents a
thoughtful, locally relevant, and forward-looking step toward a more affordable, resilient, and
climate-ready energy system for residents of San Luis Obispo and across California. We respectfully
urge your support for this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
cc: Members of the San Luis Obispo City Council
Senator John Laird
Assemblymember Dawn Addis
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org