SB 876, Sen. Alex Padilla’s wildfire claims and disaster-recovery bill, advanced out of the Assembly Insurance Committee on Wednesday after Padilla accepted amendments that scaled back some of the measure’s insurer-facing provisions, according to a committee hearing summary and transcript.
The committee summary says Padilla removed a proposed 20% building-code-upgrade provision and changed a new-adjuster report deadline from five days to 15 calendar days in response to insurer objections. It also says the committee advanced the bill as amended to the Committee on Judiciary.
In presenting the bill, Padilla argued the proposal was meant to update wildfire claims handling, disaster recovery planning and other insurer obligations after major fires. The Department of Insurance supported SB 876, saying current law has not kept pace with longer wildfire seasons and post-fire claim delays, according to the hearing summary.
The summary says the California Fair Plan remained opposed pending review of the amendments, while some industry groups moved to neutral. It also says supporters included consumer and survivor advocates who argued stronger claims rules are needed after destructive wildfires.
A hearing audio recording posted by the Assembly shows the committee’s action and Padilla’s discussion of the amendments. The exact amended bill text was not included in the available material, so the full scope of the measure’s remaining obligations could not be independently verified from the sources provided.
