Two of Senator Dave Cortese’s Bills Dealing With California’s Destructive Wildland Fires Passed in Two Separate Committee Hearings

SACRAMENTO – Two of state Senator Dave Cortese’s bills that were developed as a result of California’s highly destructive wildland fires today were passed in two separate committees. They would help stabilize the state’s property insurance market for homeowners and balance wildfire risk reduction with environmentally sensitive vegetation management.

Joint authored by Senators Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley), Susan Rubio (D-Los Angeles) and Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles), SB 616 was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 616 establishes the Community Hardening Commission to develop new wildfire mitigation standards that reduce fire risk and improve insurance access. By aligning policies across state agencies, streamlining home hardening efforts, and enhancing data-sharing on wildfire risks, this bill helps protect homes, businesses, and public safety while making communities more insurable. 

“By creating one set of bedrock standards with the homeowner complying with those hardening standards, homeowners, developers, and builders can more easily comply with mitigations. This will finally allow homeowners a simpler path forward to access insurance or keep their standard homeowners insurance policy,” said Senator Dave Cortese.

Additionally, the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee passed SB 653, Senator Cortese’s bill that supports environmentally sensitive vegetation management (ESVM) by guiding the implementation of funding for ESVM projects. ESVM will preserve biodiversity, prevent habitat degradation, and improve wildfire resilience, so that the state’s wildfire prevention strategies protect both communities and ecosystems. The bill is sponsored by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

“This approach focuses on reducing wildfire risk while also supporting native wildlife and protecting native plant health,” said Senator Dave Cortese.

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