Bill > SB429

This bill establishes the Wildfire Safety and Risk Mitigation Program to fund the development of a public wildfire catastrophe model through university grants. The program aims to create a research and educational center that can help state and local emergency planners better understand and mitigate wildfire risks. The Department of Insurance will administer competitive grants for projects that develop computer models simulating potential property damage from major wildfires, with priority given to proposals that benefit disadvantaged communities, assist government wildfire protection efforts, provide educational opportunities for students, and improve public understanding of wildfire risks. The bill creates a Wildfire Safety and Risk Mitigation Account within the Insurance Fund to support these efforts and requires the department to develop a framework and multiyear plan for the public wildfire catastrophe model, which must be published on their website. Grant projects must focus on developing modeling techniques, promoting publicly accessible information about wildfire risks, and supporting effective insurance risk assessments. The department will also be required to provide recommendations to the Legislature, Budget Committees, and the Governor for future budget allocations related to the program before September 1, 2026, with the entire program becoming operational upon legislative appropriation.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB429