Sacramento – – September 23, 2026 -- Ten California home insurers have requested $571 million in combined rate increases under Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara's climate-model rules while committing to sell only 12,000 new home insurance policies, according to an analysis of Department of Insurance filings by Consumer Watchdog.
Sacramento, Calif. – September 12, 2026 -- Consumer Watchdog has released a video accusing Pacific Gas & Electric of withholding $2 billion in already-funded infrastructure spending to pressure California lawmakers into approving liability relief legislation in a special session.
The advocacy group alleges PG&E is halting infrastructure work that customers have already paid for through approved rate hikes, after the state legislature declined to grant the utility liability protections during its regular session. Former California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) President Loretta Lynch calls the move "bailout blackmail" in the video, arguing PG&E CEO Patti Poppe misrepresented the company's financial position.