Republican state Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, vice chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, introduced a comprehensive set of targeted legislative measures designed to provide financial relief to rural communities and hold the government accountable for protecting people living in the wildland-urban interface.
The Wildfire Risk Reduction and Affordability package of bills aim to reduce personal wildfire liability risks and strengthen home resilience. Property owners with structures in high-risk areas are often forced on the California FAIR Plan, an insurer of last resort offering basic fire coverage at increasingly higher costs with little to no ability to reduce premiums.
“These are sound legislative solutions that put prevention, resilience, and financial recovery first—targeting vegetation management, offering tax incentives, and speeding up the rebuilding process” said Senator Alvarado-Gil. “California families deserve real tools to protect their homes and businesses. No more big government regulations or poor excuses from a lame duck Insurance Commissioner.”
The package of bills authored by Alvarado-Gil includes the following:
SB 1162: Directs the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to prioritize state-funded vegetation management projects in high-density FAIR Plan areas, reducing wildfire risk, lowering liability exposure, and helping stabilize insurance markets in vulnerable communities.
SB 1084: Provides a personal income tax credit to offset costs of qualified home hardening projects, such as fire-resistant roofing, ember-resistant vents, and defensible space enhancements, to make homes more resilient and potentially qualify for insurance discounts.
SB 1118: Offers a tax credit for the purchase of backup electricity generators or solar battery storage systems (capped for broad access), enabling families to maintain essential power for medical devices, refrigeration, lighting, and communication during extended outages.
Senator Alvarado-Gil is also co-authoring these companion measures:
AB 1936 (Sanchez): Strengthens oversight of California's insurance system by requiring candidates for State Insurance Commissioner to have at least five years of supervisory or management experience in the private insurance sector within the past ten years, ensuring practical expertise to address the insurance crisis for wildfire-impacted homeowners.
Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-Temecula) introduced AB 1936 to fix this problem. "It’s unacceptable that the person in charge of managing California’s insurance market need not meet a single experience requirement to demonstrate competency in the field," Sanchez said. "I introduced AB 1936 to fix that, requiring the next Insurance Commissioner to have significant experience in the private insurance market or regulating it from a public agency. This is not amateur hour for career politicians. This is a serious situation that requires an expert.”
SB 904 (Seyarto): Requires expedited cleanup, permitting, and rebuilding processes after a Governor-declared wildfire emergency. It directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to recommend waivers of burdensome state permitting requirements, coordinate with local governments for rapid approvals, and submit timely reports to facilitate swift, safe rebuilding.