ACCES Advocacy

ACCES advocates for policies, funding, and program structures that advance equitable access to energy and community services for low-income households across California. Through education, information-sharing, and direct engagement with policymakers, ACCES works to ensure that the voices of Local Service Providers (LSPs) and the communities they serve are reflected in legislative and regulatory decision-making. 



Guided by its Advocacy Committee, ACCES focuses on identifying priority issues affecting program delivery; developing coordinated legislative and governmental relations strategies; and building coalitions with partner organizations that share our mission. Our advocacy efforts include letters of support or opposition, joint sign-on efforts, and direct communication with elected officials and agency leadership.  .

Request Advocacy Action or Get Involved

Request ACCES Support or Opposition 


ACCES members may request that the Advocacy Committee consider taking action on specific legislative bills, budget proposals, or regulatory changes that impact energy and community services programs. 


Contact: 
Wilfredo Cruz Jr.
ACCES Board Vice President & Advocacy Committee Chair
wilfredocr@communityresourceproject.org 


Please include: 

  • Bill or regulation number (if applicable) 
  • Brief description of the issue 
  • Requested action (support, oppose, monitor, or information-sharing) 
  • Any relevant deadlines 

All requests are reviewed in alignment with ACCES policy and the Advocacy Committee Charter. 



Participate on the Advocacy Committee 


Staff from ACCES Local Service Provider member agencies who are interested in participating in advocacy discussions, strategy development, or coalition efforts are encouraged to reach out. Participation may include committee membership, issue-specific workgroups, or contributing agency-level perspectives. 


To express interest, contact Nichole Smith, ACCES Executive Director at nichole@acces.us. 


Recent Advocacy Actions

2025 Actions


  • Joint Letter to the Governor (November 2025)
    ACCES and CalCAPA jointly urged the State to provide interim California LIHEAP funding in response to delayed federal LIHEAP allocations caused by the federal government shutdown, enabling CSD to begin contracting without further disruption to services. 


  • Letter of Support for SB 647 – Home Energy Savings Expansion Act (September 2025)
    ACCES supported SB 647 to strengthen coordination, oversight, and equitable implementation of California’s clean energy, energy efficiency, and electrification programs serving low-income households. ACCES issued full support for SB 647 after previously expressing conditional support contingent on amendments;         Section 6 was subsequently removed, allowing ACCES to support the bill’s final form. 


  • Letter of Support for AB 13 (August 2025)
    ACCES expressed strong support for AB 13, which advances reforms at the California Public Utilities Commission to improve transparency, accessibility, accountability, and public trust in regulatory decision-making. 




Guiding Documents

These documents guide ACCES’s advocacy priorities, decision-making processes, and engagement with policymakers.