Sacramento, CA — Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) issued the following statement on Governor Newsom’s proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year:
"As families and businesses face rising energy costs and renewed federal attacks on clean energy, I applaud the Governor’s 2026–27 Budget for taking decisive action to lower energy costs while keeping California on track to meet its climate goals. This budget proposal demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that California’s energy and climate policies translate into lower energy bills for its citizens.
This budget demonstrates a commitment to effective implementation of last year’s energy and climate legislative package, including the reauthorization of cap and trade, the establishment of a western regional electricity market, and public financing of large transmission projects – all of which will deliver billions of dollars in annual savings to Californians.
The budget proposes a new $200 million electric vehicle incentive program to make clean vehicles more affordable for working Californians, stabilize the EV market, and reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel prices. California is the birthplace of the best electric vehicle makers in the world and is the leader of the clean vehicle revolution. We should not abdicate this role despite the best efforts of the federal government to take us backwards.
The budget further protects ratepayers by directing the California Public Utilities Commission rigorously assess the ratepayer impacts of large new electricity loads, including data centers. These safeguards will help prevent cost shifts onto households and small businesses and support fair electric rates as demand on the grid grows.
This budget makes clear that California will not back down from clean energy leadership or from the responsibility to keep energy affordable for the people who pay the bills. I look forward to working with Governor Newsom this year to uphold California’s commitment to clean energy leadership, affordability, and standing up to federal rollbacks that threaten progress."