SB-616
Energy & Environment

Community Hardening Commission: wildfire mitigation program.

Engrossed
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a new Community Hardening Commission to develop statewide wildfire safety standards and improve fire insurance access.
  • Requires quarterly meetings starting January 2026 to create home hardening guidelines and community protection measures.
  • Mandates development of a wildfire data sharing platform by July 2027 to track and analyze community-level fire risks.
  • Creates an advisory council of scientists, fire chiefs, and industry experts to guide wildfire mitigation strategies.

Summary

Senators Rubio, Cortese, and Stern have proposed establishing a Community Hardening Commission within California's Department of Insurance to develop comprehensive wildfire mitigation standards and improve access to fire insurance coverage. The commission, chaired by the Insurance Commissioner, would include representatives from fire safety, natural resources, housing, emergency services, and energy infrastructure agencies, along with appointed legislative members.

The commission would create new community hardening standards addressing home protection guidelines, infrastructure improvements, evacuation routes, and vegetation management requirements. Working with an advisory council of scientific experts, insurance industry representatives, local officials, and fire chiefs, the commission would align existing regulations across state departments while developing data-sharing protocols to track wildfire risks and mitigation efforts. The commission must complete initial standards by July 2027 and conduct regular reviews incorporating current science and risk data.

The legislation authorizes the commission to investigate major fire events, analyze the performance of hardening measures, and issue recommendations for reducing future losses. To support these duties, the Department of Insurance would establish guidelines for aggregating parcel and community-level wildfire data, though participation in data sharing would remain voluntary. The bill requires legislative appropriation for additional mitigation program funding and includes provisions for reimbursing local agencies' implementation costs if determined necessary by the Commission on State Mandates.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Emergency Management
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Emergency Management
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate 3rd Reading SB616 Rubio et al
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Senate Insurance Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Insurance Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Sabrina CervantesD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 20 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Sabrina CervantesD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Melissa HurtadoD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Susan RubioD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Lena GonzalezD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Dave CorteseD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jasmeet BainsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Carl DeMaioR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sasha Renee PerezD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Bill Author

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Scott Wiener
Scott WienerD
California State Senator
Tom Umberg
Tom UmbergD
California State Senator
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
California State Senator
Laura Richardson
Laura RichardsonD
California State Senator
Eloise Reyes
Eloise ReyesD
California State Senator
Sasha Renee Perez
Sasha Renee PerezD
California State Senator
Melissa Hurtado
Melissa HurtadoD
California State Senator
Lena Gonzalez
Lena GonzalezD
California State Senator
Sabrina Cervantes
Sabrina CervantesD
California State Senator
Henry Stern
Henry SternD
California State Senator
Susan Rubio
Susan RubioD
California State Senator
Dave Cortese
Dave CorteseD
California State Senator
Co-Author
John Laird
John LairdD
California State Senator
40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/3/2025)

Latest Voting History

June 3, 2025
PASS
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
390140PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a new Community Hardening Commission to develop statewide wildfire safety standards and improve fire insurance access.
  • Requires quarterly meetings starting January 2026 to create home hardening guidelines and community protection measures.
  • Mandates development of a wildfire data sharing platform by July 2027 to track and analyze community-level fire risks.
  • Creates an advisory council of scientists, fire chiefs, and industry experts to guide wildfire mitigation strategies.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Scott Wiener
Scott WienerD
California State Senator
Tom Umberg
Tom UmbergD
California State Senator
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
California State Senator
Laura Richardson
Laura RichardsonD
California State Senator
Eloise Reyes
Eloise ReyesD
California State Senator
Sasha Renee Perez
Sasha Renee PerezD
California State Senator
Melissa Hurtado
Melissa HurtadoD
California State Senator
Lena Gonzalez
Lena GonzalezD
California State Senator
Sabrina Cervantes
Sabrina CervantesD
California State Senator
Henry Stern
Henry SternD
California State Senator
Susan Rubio
Susan RubioD
California State Senator
Dave Cortese
Dave CorteseD
California State Senator
Co-Author
John Laird
John LairdD
California State Senator

Summary

Senators Rubio, Cortese, and Stern have proposed establishing a Community Hardening Commission within California's Department of Insurance to develop comprehensive wildfire mitigation standards and improve access to fire insurance coverage. The commission, chaired by the Insurance Commissioner, would include representatives from fire safety, natural resources, housing, emergency services, and energy infrastructure agencies, along with appointed legislative members.

The commission would create new community hardening standards addressing home protection guidelines, infrastructure improvements, evacuation routes, and vegetation management requirements. Working with an advisory council of scientific experts, insurance industry representatives, local officials, and fire chiefs, the commission would align existing regulations across state departments while developing data-sharing protocols to track wildfire risks and mitigation efforts. The commission must complete initial standards by July 2027 and conduct regular reviews incorporating current science and risk data.

The legislation authorizes the commission to investigate major fire events, analyze the performance of hardening measures, and issue recommendations for reducing future losses. To support these duties, the Department of Insurance would establish guidelines for aggregating parcel and community-level wildfire data, though participation in data sharing would remain voluntary. The bill requires legislative appropriation for additional mitigation program funding and includes provisions for reimbursing local agencies' implementation costs if determined necessary by the Commission on State Mandates.

40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/3/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Emergency Management
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Emergency Management
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
Senate 3rd Reading SB616 Rubio et al
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Senate Insurance Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Insurance Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

June 3, 2025
PASS
Senate Floor
Vote on Senate Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
390140PASS

Contacts

Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Sabrina CervantesD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 20 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Sabrina CervantesD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Joaquin ArambulaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Melissa HurtadoD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Susan RubioD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Lena GonzalezD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Dave CorteseD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Lisa CalderonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jasmeet BainsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Carl DeMaioR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sasha Renee PerezD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Bill Author