"Of the dozens of wildfire-related bills that legislators were quick to introduce in the wake of the wildfires that ravaged greater Los Angeles in January, roughly half of the ones tracked by Southern California News Group have passed out of the legislature and are awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom 's signature in order to become law. The topics of these bills run the gamut, from home hardening measures meant to reduce the likelihood of a house catching on fire, to streamlining home construction permit approval processes,"
"Newsom has already made some decisions. Late last month, he signed AB 493, by Assemblymember John Harabedian, D-Pasadena, to ensure that homeowners recovering after a disaster receive at least 2% interest on home insurance payouts held in escrow, thus closing a loophole that had allowed banks to keep the interest. The new law took effect immediately. Overall, we monitored nearly four dozen wildfire-related bills this legislative session."
Nearly four dozen wildfire-related bills were tracked this legislative session, with roughly half passing the legislature and awaiting the governor's signature. The measures cover home hardening, streamlined construction permit approvals, mortgage forbearance, and added compensation and incentives for inmate firefighters. Some actions have already taken effect, including a law requiring at least 2% interest on disaster-era home insurance payouts held in escrow. The governor has until Oct. 13 to sign remaining measures. The state's rising wildfire risk has reduced insurance availability, prompting proposals such as a grant program to help homeowners install fire-resistant roofs and clear vegetation.
Read at The Mercury News
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