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    SB-616
    Energy & Environment

    Community Hardening Commission: wildfire mitigation program.

    Introduced
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    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 Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    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
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 19 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Henry SternD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sabrina CervantesD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    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
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    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

    Dave Cortese
    Dave CorteseD
    California State Senator
    Susan Rubio
    Susan RubioD
    California State Senator
    Henry Stern
    Henry SternD
    California State Senator
    Sabrina Cervantes
    Sabrina CervantesD
    California State Senator
    Lena Gonzalez
    Lena GonzalezD
    California State Senator
    Melissa Hurtado
    Melissa HurtadoD
    California State Senator
    Sasha Renee Perez
    Sasha Renee PerezD
    California State Senator
    Eloise Reyes
    Eloise ReyesD
    California State Senator
    Laura Richardson
    Laura RichardsonD
    California State Senator
    Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
    Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
    California State Senator
    Tom Umberg
    Tom UmbergD
    California State Senator
    Scott Wiener
    Scott WienerD
    California State Senator
    Co-Author
    John Laird
    John LairdD
    California State Senator
    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    May 23, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6017PASS

    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

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

    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Senate Insurance Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    May 23, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6017PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    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
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 19 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 4
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Henry SternD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sabrina CervantesD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    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
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lola Smallwood-CuevasD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sasha Renee PerezD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Bill Author