[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6674749,"mediaKeyId","2351987-1b19dc72c988c5c85145fc5cd43398a1","parentId",2351987,"title","Senate Rules Committee confirms PUC Commissioner Matt Baker after hearing on rates, wildfire costs and battery safety","audioSeconds",4640,"startMs",3598000,"endMs",8238000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2351987-1b19dc72c988c5c85145fc5cd43398a1&start=3598&end=8238","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2351987-1b19dc72c988c5c85145fc5cd43398a1/thumbnail_3598000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6674749/California/Senate-Rules-Committee-confirms-PUC-Commissioner-Matt-Baker-after-hearing-on-rates-wildfire-costs-and-battery-safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674749-e9be96e6626ca058bb077bd35938f47f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703462&Signature=MLGBrThoFa7XsjDn4FC5ZhfrHUEnrK~yHVp7YDFUsUAKIqydwlpheBek5d~HbO9VUPsd5ACR4DxasJRNTyTv3nShJBjWSW3Z4jLq9vICOA6Y-mNgpdDKHBCC1dWqrEKP3QvocpgiazSO~ocHzP4DphzmK673dSsHWQoctDHhZXUN-LQYospOxK0BfD-PBSvB6eoEXnKkvmoh0uvA4eyQ0JO-Tb3JThKksef~G4xRDcTB31p4QeG~vpec-VDkh4UtGwqxNg3ZqwH1gJa71n277rXa6oHUkO4TobsyJQ5iDk5yVQ1wrsxTqNycn0qPMRoRZU215RM7fekHS2bGEl9nPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Senate","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","The California Senate Rules Committee voted 5‑0 to advance Matt Baker for continued service on the California Public Utilities Commission after a confirmation hearing in which senators questioned him about utility affordability, wildfire mitigation costs, battery storage safety and other regulatory priorities.

Baker, a one‑time public advocate and deputy natural‑resources official, told the committee his priorities are “reliable, safe, accessible service, that is affordable to all,” and he said affordability would be his top priority on the commission. He outlined steps he said the commission should take to control costs, including examining whether ratepayers are funding programs that no longer deliver value and looking for lower‑cost ways to perform required work.

Why it matters: The PUC regulates investor‑owned utilities and infrastructure decisions that affect rates, grid reliability and safety. Senators focused on the causes of recent rate increases, wildfire‑related costs now carried on ratepayers’ bills, and the regulatory response to recent battery‑storage incidents.

Committee members asked about several near‑term and structural issues. On wildfire and grid hardening, Baker said regulators should balance “how quickly you can get protections in place” against permanence and cost; he contrasted faster measures such as covered conductors with more permanent undergrounding and said policymakers should weigh speed, durability and cost. On the Moss Landing battery storage fire, Baker said the facility used an older chemistry and that newer chemistries and forthcoming PUC rules will reduce the risk of runaway fires. He said new enforceable standards under proceedings linked to recent legislation will broaden safety, require emergency‑planning consultations with local officials and expand the safety‑enforcement division’s inspection authority.

Senators pressed Baker on affordability, noting that utility bills in many parts of California have risen substantially in recent years. Baker said primary drivers of recent rate increases are wildfire‑related costs and pandemic‑era inflation; he pointed to studies and agency reports showing billions of dollars in added wildfire‑related costs that have been reflected in utilities’ cost of service. He said the commission should seek ways to spread unusually large, storm‑ and wildfire‑related costs across more ratepayers or time and to scrutinize what should be included in rates.

On battery‑storage safety, Baker referenced regulatory work following the Moss Landing fire and said the PUC’s upcoming rules (cited in committee with reference to SB 38 and related measures) will set enforceable operation and maintenance standards and require emergency planning and inspections. He said some developers assume project risk in contracts, but where costs fall to ratepayers the commission should consider that exposure when it evaluates utility proposals.

Law enforcement and security questions were raised: senators asked about cybersecurity warnings from federal agencies. Baker said the larger utilities coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security and FBI and that the commission’s staff is working with smaller utilities that may need attention or help meeting federal guidance.

On broadband and telecommuting infrastructure, Baker said the commission has approved close to $1 billion in last‑mile grants in the past year and moved federal and state funds to get service to more than a million people; he said additional work remains to match middle‑mile and last‑mile projects and to keep low‑income rates affordable.

Committee vote and public support: The committee voted 5‑0 to move Baker’s nomination to the Senate floor. Supporters who spoke during public comment included trade and clean‑energy groups, water associations and environmental groups; no organized opposition was reported in the hearing record.

Ending: With committee approval, Baker’s nomination will go the Senate floor for final confirmation. Senators asked commission staff to provide follow‑up on hydrogen blending pilots, cybersecurity readiness and a short paper on nuclear power options.

Direct quotes (selected): \"It is very important for us to be engaged in public service, and I believe public service is especially important in times when times are tough,\" Baker said. \"My top priority is affordability,\" he told senators. Commissioner Baker also said the Moss Landing fire involved an older battery chemistry and that new rules will make battery storage facilities safer.

The committee recessed after confirming Baker and moved to other business on the agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","California State Senate - Senate Rules Committee - Feb 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee advanced Public Utilities Commission nominee Matt Baker to the Senate floor after a hearing that focused on rising utility rates, wildfire mitigation costs, battery‑storage safety (including the Moss Landing fire), hydrogen blending pilots, cybersecurity and broadband deployment.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6674753,"Senate Rules Committee confirms four Board of Parole Hearings commissioners after hourlong questioning",3470,12000,3482000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2351987-1b19dc72c988c5c85145fc5cd43398a1&start=12&end=3482","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2351987-1b19dc72c988c5c85145fc5cd43398a1/thumbnail_12000.jpg","/articles/6674753/California/Senate-Rules-Committee-confirms-four-Board-of-Parole-Hearings-commissioners-after-hourlong-questioning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674753-47ce4da610da8c3ee47538d3b0c967f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703462&Signature=lbDUgslTrKyS13MAnStxxsv1g~dqlssuGjVVGsD5YZMdq8i2lUHyBF3u5Q6Ebr2skc-TRSm7usRVfuBktyv3k-se-3sUTcpLsT5pMfU9eO43LVL80l5zzny9kcxZHn-kW~dIHGnhYOvLmZU0Ib6qXvyF-fcq--0GMrwzU3nQX8J-9h~YohlB9WqGkG6Jr2NDCmuvRnfOXZDNlRuZYOM0uFh8VQgZWntVsolTxFJ53EeEDQ82P6RdaTxywO8B1dTusTDYGpv1gXQAbHUut7FC~J8QOof1UYgSis~L~c52O~RqRKyfjbtThHNfOjs22v7OXi3guhqy~dVxDPISDfYdQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California Senate Rules Committee advanced four gubernatorial appointees to the Board of Parole Hearings after a confirmation hearing that ranged from questions about rehabilitation program effectiveness to the handling of elderly-parole petitions.

The panel voted to approve Commissioner Heather Sheffield, Commissioner (first name not specified in record) Doudin, Commissioner Garland and Commissioner Dobbs; all four nominations will move to the full Senate. Sheffield, Doudin and Garland were approved unanimously by the committee. Dobbs was approved in a 3-1 roll call with one member not voting.

Committee members spent the hearing pressing nominees on how they evaluate in-prison rehabilitation programs, whether and how the board reviews cases of people who return to prison after being paroled, how disciplinary infractions factor into suitability findings and how remote hearings compare with in-person hearings. Senators also asked about the 2020 budget‑year change that lowered the age threshold for “elderly parole” from 60 to 50 and how commissioners apply that statutory change at hearings.

Why it matters: The Board of Parole Hearings determines suitability for parole in life‑term cases and its decisions carry public‑safety consequences for victims, incarcerated people and communities. The committee’s votes clear the nominees to be considered by the full Senate.

During opening remarks and later answers, each commissioner described how they assess programming and behavior. Commissioner Dobbs said she evaluates “the behavior that the person is displaying during their time in that prison community” as an indicator of whether programs are working. Commissioner Garland, who previously spent 25 years at the attorney general’s office, said serving on the board “and seeing it on a human level day in and day out is a very different experience.” Commissioner Doudin recounted prior experience as a deputy commissioner and nearly a thousand suitability hearings; Commissioner Sheffield described the role as “incredibly meaningful” and said colleagues had helped her transition into the job.

On program evaluation, commissioners said they look for both documented participation and internalization — not just course completion but the extent to which an individual applies program concepts to their own circumstances. “If they can talk about what they learned and apply it to their own experiences,” Sheffield said, “that’s really where the hard work is, and that’s where you see the programming really working.” Commissioners said inmate‑designed programs and mentorship can be meaningful when the person facilitating demonstrates pro‑social thinking and role‑model behavior.

The panel asked whether the board reviews cases in which a person granted parole later returns to prison. Dobbs said, “We actually do look at people who come back,” adding that the board examines the reasons and whether the panel missed a factor at the earlier hearing. Commissioners said such reviews help identify missed issues and occasionally prompt changes in decision‑making practice.

On elderly parole, senators noted the 2020 change that lowered the eligible age from 60 to 50. The panelists said the statute is another factor the board weighs; commissioners told senators they consider age together with incarceration length, institutional conduct and medical condition when assessing “current dangerousness.” Sheffield summarized the board’s role as determining the person’s present risk rather than implementing policy choices that set who will be eligible to appear.

Senators also raised victims’ privacy. Committee members said they had received stakeholder concerns that, in rare cases, victims’ full names had been read into the public hearing record. Commissioners responded that they train to avoid re‑victimization, give victims options to remain anonymous or use a Jane Doe identifier, and that they intervene if incarcerated people attempt to name victims during a hearing.

Votes at a glance:
• Commissioner Heather Sheffield — Motion to approve by Senator Laird; roll call: Maguire (aye), Grove (aye), Caballero (aye), Jones (aye), Laird (aye); outcome: approved, 5‑0.
• Commissioner Doudin — Motion by Madam Vice Chair; roll call: Maguire (aye), Grove (aye), Caballero (aye), Jones (aye), Laird (aye); outcome: approved, 5‑0.
• Commissioner Garland — Motion by Senator Caballero; roll call: Maguire (aye), Grove (aye), Caballero (aye), Jones (aye), Laird (aye); outcome: approved, 5‑0.
• Commissioner Dobbs — Motion by Senator Caballero; roll call: Maguire (aye), Grove (no), Caballero (aye), Jones (not voting), Laird (aye); outcome: approved, 3‑1 (one not voting).

Committee context and next steps: Each confirmation now moves to the full Senate for floor consideration. Senators asked nominees to follow up during implementation and for staff to provide additional information on program availability across institutions when appropriate.

The hearing included a brief and formal public‑comment period; no organized opposition surfaced during the comment segment. The committee recessed afterward and moved on to other agenda items.

Ending: The committee chair thanked the commissioners for their service and closed the confirmation segment, noting the nominees’ next stop is the Senate floor.","The California Senate Rules Committee held a confirmation hearing for four gubernatorial appointees to the Board of Parole Hearings, questioned nominees about rehabilitation programs, recidivism and remote hearings, and approved all four commissioners by recorded roll-call votes.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate Rules Committee confirms PUC Commissioner Matt Baker after hearing on rates, wildfire costs and battery safety

Senate Rules Committee confirms four Board of Parole Hearings commissioners after hourlong questioning