Residential property insurance: wildfire risk.

Assembly Member Connolly's residential property insurance legislation requires the California Department of Insurance to conduct periodic reviews of its Safer from Wildfires regulations, potentially expanding the wildfire mitigation measures that insurers must consider in their rating plans. The department must evaluate these regulations by January 1, 2030, and every five years thereafter, to determine whether additional building hardening requirements and community-wide wildfire protection programs should be incorporated.

The bill establishes a structured review process requiring the department to consult with multiple state agencies, including the Office of Emergency Services, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Public Utilities Commission, and Office of Planning and Research. These consultations aim to identify new mitigation measures for both individual properties and broader community protection efforts. The department must also implement public participation procedures, including holding public meetings to gather input on proposed measures and publishing preliminary and final lists of potential new requirements before initiating formal rulemaking.

The legislation responds to current conditions where approximately one in four California residential structures exist within or near high fire hazard zones, and many homeowners face challenges obtaining insurance coverage. The measure specifically directs the department to consider incorporating construction materials listed by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and those complying with California Building Standards Code requirements during its first regulatory review. When the department finalizes new mitigation measures for inclusion, it must begin the Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking process within 30 days.