The California Assembly advanced a package of data-center transparency bills Thursday, approving AB 1577 on a 48-11 vote after debate over energy use, grid impacts, local planning and ratepayer costs.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan carried AB 1577, which was described in the floor session as an energy-transparency measure for data centers. Assemblymember Tangipa opposed the bill, while Assemblymember Soria spoke in support and said communities in the Central Valley should not bear the costs of data-center growth without more information.
Two related measures also moved forward the same day. AB 2619, described in the Assembly session as a bill on data centers’ water-use disclosure, passed 48-4, and AB 2124, which would require the California Council on Science and Technology to evaluate projected impacts of legislative mandates on electricity and gas customers, passed 59-0.
The votes put a spotlight on how California lawmakers are trying to balance data-center growth with concerns about power demand, water use and local impacts. The Assembly floor record identifies the vote totals and bill descriptions, but not the final enrolled text for the measures.
Assembly floor session records the concurrence votes and debate.
