In February 2026, California Assemblymember Marc Berman introduced the Home Energy Choice Act (AB 2313), a bill that would require utilities to offer customers a financial incentive to electrify their homes rather than replace aging gas service lines. This non-pipeline alternative, or NPA, to retaining gas service would avoid the cost of repair or replacement of a gas service line by retiring the line and offering affected customers a voluntary payout instead.

This brief evaluates that proposal within the broader context of available tools for the clean energy transition, looks for lessons from pilot programs in other states — most notably New York — and offers some recommendations for implementation of the bill. This is the second brief in a series titled “Legal Insights for the Gas Transition” published by the Emmett Clean Energy Law & Leadership Project (E-CELL).

Download the brief