CSDA has adopted a Neutral position on SB 492 (Becker), the wildfire utility liability legislation introduced early Saturday, August 29, 2026 following negotiations that extended late Friday between legislative leadership and the Newsom Administration. The measure is joint authored by Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee Chair Cottie Petrie-Norris.
Before SB 492 can receive its final vote to pass out of the Legislature, the State Constitution mandates it must be in print for at least 72 hours. Given the bill includes an urgency clause requiring a two-thirds vote it may be taken up after the Legislature’s scheduled August 31 end of session. Therefore, it is anticipated the Legislature will conduct its final floor vote Tuesday, September 1 to send SB 492 to the Governor for his signature.
Governor Gavin Newsom originally proposed shifting wildfire liability away from investor owned utilities, drawing strong opposition from local governments, victims organizations, and others. In Governor Newsom’s “Wildfire Recovery Reform: Survivors First” fact sheet, his administration stated, local governments were “competing against their own residents who lost their homes.”
CSDA’s Legislative Committee held an emergency meeting August 13, 2026 to adopt an Oppose position on Governor Newsom’s proposal and CSDA immediately initiated advocacy urging the Legislature to:
1. Remove any provision that would limit public entity claims to diminution in value for public infrastructure.
2. Remove any provision that would limit cost-recovery for emergency response and mutual aid.
3. Remove any provision that would limit subrogation for cost-recovery from investor-owned utilities.
4. Remove any provision that would limit cost-recovery of lost local property tax funding.
SB 492 upholds all four of CSDA’s four key requests. CSDA values the Legislature’s consideration of the full implications of wildfire liability reform and looks forward to the continued work ahead for all forms of public agencies to collaborate on best protecting and serving our communities.
As Paradise Irrigation District General Manager and CSDA Board Member Kevin Phillips shared on KFBK radio August 28, the slower our local governments recover, the slower the recovery is for our residents.