Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The California Legislature ended its session without voting on Senate Bill 492, a proposal aimed at reforming the state’s wildfire liability and payout system for utility-caused wildfires. The Assembly did not have enough votes to pass the measure and did not bring it to the floor, effectively ending the bill’s progress during the regular session.
A key disagreement involved subrogation, which allows insurance companies to seek reimbursement from utilities responsible for losses. Gov. Gavin Newsom wanted to eliminate subrogation, while lawmakers kept it in the bill amid concerns about potential impacts on California’s insurance market.
The state’s three investor-owned utilities also warned that continued financial liability could affect their credit ratings. Newsom has not ruled out calling a special session to continue negotiations over wildfire liability reform.
#California #Wildfire #WildfireLiability #SB492 #CaliforniaLegislature
The California Legislature ended its session without voting on Senate Bill 492, a proposal aimed at reforming the state’s wildfire liability and payout system for utility-caused wildfires. The Assembly did not have enough votes to pass the measure and did not bring it to the floor, effectively ending the bill’s progress during the regular session.
A key disagreement involved subrogation, which allows insurance companies to seek reimbursement from utilities responsible for losses. Gov. Gavin Newsom wanted to eliminate subrogation, while lawmakers kept it in the bill amid concerns about potential impacts on California’s insurance market.
The state’s three investor-owned utilities also warned that continued financial liability could affect their credit ratings. Newsom has not ruled out calling a special session to continue negotiations over wildfire liability reform.
#California #Wildfire #WildfireLiability #SB492 #CaliforniaLegislature
