Multiple Bills Authored By Senator Cortese Go to the Governor’s Desk Ranging from Wildfire Resilience, Insurance Reform, Transportation, Climate Resilience & Labor To Public Health & Workforce Protection

SACRAMENTO – At the end of the California legislative session today, Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) had a significant number of bills passed by both houses and sent to the Governor’s office ranging from protecting Californians and their property from wildfires to insurance reform, transportation & climate resilience.  

The bills authored by Senator Cortese and now on the Governor’s desk include:

Wildfire Resilience & Insurance Reform

  • SB 429 – As wildfires continue to break out throughout California, the bill will create the      nation’s first-of-its-kind public wildfire catastrophe model to help owners understand & assess wildfire risk. That, in turn, will help inform insurance rates and educate communities about wildfire risks. This bill is part of a legislative package addressing fire safety and insurance transparency following the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
  • SB 653 – The bill defines and promotes environmentally sensitive vegetation management to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk while protecting native plants and wildlife. The science-based bill guides how state agencies fund and implement projects. It makes sure they are ecologically sound and prevent invasive, fire-prone plants.
  • SB 616 (Joint-Author) – Establishes a Community Hardening Commission that will  establish a single set of "bedrock standards" for wildfire mitigation. This is intended to  make it easier for homeowners, builders, and developers to comply with fire-safety requirements. This bill is also part of a legislative package addressing fire safety and insurance transparency following the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
  • SB 581 - The Fight for Firefighters Act  was co-authored by Senator Cortese. It will phase out seasonal Cal Fire firefighters who work nine months out the year - typically laid off during the winter months - and transition these 3,000 firefighters to full-time status. This bill is also part of a legislative package addressing fire safety.  Senator Cortese also co-authored several other bills that are part of the legislative package addressing fire safety that are on the Governor’s desk. Those bills are mentioned at the bottom of this news release.

Transportation & Climate Resilience

  • SB 30 - The bill closes a loophole by prohibiting public entities from selling, donating, or transferring decommissioned, high-polluting on-track diesel trains for continued use outside of California. This prevents the state from exporting its air pollution problems to other countries or communities by ensuring that older diesel locomotives are not shipped elsewhere for continued operation after being retired in California.
  • SB 695 – (Joint-Author) Establishes a state program to support and prioritize infrastructure projects that enhance climate resilience, transportation infrastructure and regional safety.
  • SB 400 – This bill temporarily allows employers to make retroactive wage payments to workers on qualified renewable energy projects. This is intended to help these employers qualify for larger federal tax incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. 

Business

  • SB 791 – Updates document processing charges for vehicle dealers to reflect modern costs while increasing consumer protections.

Public Health & Safety

  • SB 753 – Empowers local governments to recover and return abandoned shopping carts more quickly, reducing blight and flood risk.
  • SB 551 – This bill has the goals of improving the prison stress and safety levels for correctional officers, and the rehabilitative environment for inmates so they can return to their communities and not re-offend. This bill is designed to increase access to educational programs. It will also help decrease the early death rate of our state’s prison guards.
  • SB 553 – Streamlines California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation access for officials and legislators to expedite oversight and efficiency.
  • SB 602 – This bill will expand opportunities for animals to get health services across the state of California by permitting a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) to conduct vaccine and parasite control wellness appointments in many animal shelters.
  • SB 683 – Allows individuals to seek the immediate removal of unauthorized materials including their name, voice or likeness for commercial purposes within two business days.

Labor & Workforce Protections

  • SB 597 – Holds general contractors accountable for wage theft violations by subcontractors on private projects.

Senator Cortese Labor Bills Already Signed by Governor Newsom:

  • SB 61 – Fair Pay for Contractors: Signed on July 14, 2025, this law accelerates payments to construction contractors and subcontractors for privately financed projects. It limits the amount of retention withheld on these projects from 10 percent to 5 percent matching the cap already in place for public works.
  • SB 693 – Keeping water utility workers on the job. This bill extends meal period flexibility to water utility employees, ensuring their break schedules are determined through collective bargaining agreements.

Senator Cortese’s Two-Year Bills & Joint Resolution  for 2025-2026 Legislative Session

Education & Student Support

  •  SB 685 – Establishes a pilot program at CSU campuses to provide financial assistance to students experiencing homelessness.
  • SB 33 - Provides $1,000 in direct support and guaranteed income to unhoused graduating high school seniors in California.

Infrastructure

  • SJR 6 – This resolution urges the federal government to maintain investments in infrastructure, technology, and economic development. It specifically calls on President Donald J. Trump and Congress to protect funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. 

Health

  • SB 700 - Will expand the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program to fund and administer a competitive grant program for research into the causes and prevention of cancer among firefighters. It expands on existing law by further supporting research into biomarkers of exposure and effect, which helps understand chemical exposure and cancer-promoting changes in firefighters. 

Additional Wildfire Resilience & Insurance Reform Bills Included in the Legislative Package of Bills that Senator Cortese Co-Authored:

  • SB 36 – Price Gouging
  • SB 663 – Provide Property Tax Relief Following The 2025 Southern California Fires
  • SB 625 – Speed-up Residential Rebuilds Following A State Of Emergency
  • SB 547 – Commercial Insurance Nonrenewal Moratorium
  • SB 676 – Extend California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Streamlining For LA Fires & Other Disasters
  • SB 582 – Rebuilding Health Facilities, Assisted Living and Child Care Facilities and other licensed Facilities
  • SB 571 – Strengthen Penalties Against Bad Actors During A State Of Emergency
  • SB 629 – Keeping Communities Safe From Wildfires
  • SB 641 – Consumer Protection And Business Recovery