Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
California lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday on a bill aimed at supporting wildfire survivors after rejecting an ambitious proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would have limited electric companies' financial liability for blazes sparked by their equipment. The Democratic governor said the last-minute compromise he made with lawmakers will have some benefits for wildfire survivors, such as getting paid faster, but fails to make necessary, sweeping reforms to tackle the question of who covers the cost of fires ignited by utility equipment. His plan, which didn't rack up enough support in the Legislature's final days, would have reduced the amount utilities had to pay some victims and barred insurance companies from suing electrical companies to get reimbursed for damages paid out to homeowners. Newsom acknowledged the bill made some progress to address the contentious, high-stakes issue. "I could have easily walked away from it," he told reporters at the Capitol on Monday. "And that would have been a disservice to you and the people of this state."
KCRA 3 is your home for California breaking news and weather. For your latest California news and weather visit: kcra.com
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California lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday on a bill aimed at supporting wildfire survivors after rejecting an ambitious proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would have limited electric companies' financial liability for blazes sparked by their equipment. The Democratic governor said the last-minute compromise he made with lawmakers will have some benefits for wildfire survivors, such as getting paid faster, but fails to make necessary, sweeping reforms to tackle the question of who covers the cost of fires ignited by utility equipment. His plan, which didn't rack up enough support in the Legislature's final days, would have reduced the amount utilities had to pay some victims and barred insurance companies from suing electrical companies to get reimbursed for damages paid out to homeowners. Newsom acknowledged the bill made some progress to address the contentious, high-stakes issue. "I could have easily walked away from it," he told reporters at the Capitol on Monday. "And that would have been a disservice to you and the people of this state."
KCRA 3 is your home for California breaking news and weather. For your latest California news and weather visit: kcra.com
For licensing inquiries: kcra.com/licensing
