CA SB396

Allows electrical corporations to traverse private land and fell, cut, or trim trees around electrical transmission and distribution lines to maintain required clearances or remove hazardous trees, after providing notice and an opportunity to be heard to the landowner.

Requires tree felling, cutting, and trimming activities to comply with California Public Utilities Commission vegetation management rules, the California Coastal Act of 1976, and forest practice regulations adopted by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Trees felled or cut on property without existing easement rights or express permission must remain on the landowner's property unless the landowner timely requests the electrical corporation to treat or remove the wood, with woody material trimmed within 150 feet of structures or infrastructure treated to a maximum depth of 9 inches.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop standardized notice content and delivery methods by January 1, 2025, and requires electrical corporations to make good faith efforts to communicate processes to landowners before tree work on non-easement property.

Exempts electrical cooperatives from these provisions and repeals the bill's requirements on January 1, 2028, unless a later statute extends or deletes that date.