Tougher anti-looting laws and better tax credits? Here’s what lawmakers want after LA fires
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
GREETINGS FROM THE CAPITOL BEAT
To get introductions out of the way: My name is Kate Wolffe and I’m The Bee’s new legislative reporter. I come to The Bee by way of public radio (if you live in Sacramento, you may have heard me reporting on CapRadio, or KQED-FM). I grew up in the Bay Area and am a proud UC Berkeley graduate (Go Bears!). While I’ve covered California politics before, I’m excited to be diving in headfirst to the world of the Capitol. But I can’t do it without you. Add my number to your phone: (916) 326-5545, and feel free to text or call me with tips or feedback. I’m also reachable by email: kwolffe@sacbee.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
PARTIES CHART PATHS FORWARD AFTER WILDFIRES
Last month, state lawmakers came together in a rare show of partisan unity to send $2.5 billion of aid to help the Los Angeles area recover after the wildfires.
Now, each side is staking its claim as to what’s important in the aftermath. And there are a lot of potential remedies.
Senate Democrats have put forward their priorities in a 13-bill package they’re calling the “Golden State Commitment.” Some of the measures include stronger enforcement of price gouging for housing during emergencies, streamlined approval of housing development rebuilds after emergencies and increasing penalties for first responder impersonators and looters.
Punishing bad actors is an area of overlap with Senate Republicans. Two bills introduced by Sen. Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, would make it a felony to commit burglary during a state of emergency and a possible felony to impersonate a police officer or firefighter during a state of emergency.
Other bills by Senate Republicans include streamlining underground power line projects, giving tax credits to homeowners who perform home hardening, and excluding property damage settlement money from taxable income.
Speaking of…
WHO PAYS FOR INSURANCE AFTER EMERGENCIES?
Another partisan squabble emerged with this week’s news that the state’s insurer of last resort, The FAIR Plan, will be charging insurance companies up to $1 billion so it can continue paying out for wildfire recovery, with ratepayers likely to pay half of the $1 billion.
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, says it’s an example of the necessity of his proposed bill, SB 222, which would allow people who are harmed by climate related disasters and insurers who must pay claims for after such disasters to sue fossil fuel companies like Exxon Mobil or Chevron for their contributions to climate change.
Meanwhile, among Republicans, Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, has proposed AB 586, which would cap insurance rate increases to no more than 7% per year for the next four years, and require any additional insurance costs to come out of the state budget.
Still other Republicans are using the news to bring attention to their failed bid to authorize $1 billion in wildfire prevention spending.
“Forcing working families to pay for the failures of California’s insurance market is not a real solution,” said Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-Yuba City. “The real fix starts with reducing wildfire risk—clearing excess fuel, improving forest management, and hardening homes. Until the state takes wildfire mitigation seriously, we’ll continue to see insurers leave and costs rise for Californians.”
CALIFORNIA REPS PROTEST RFK JR’s CONFIRMATION
Via David Lightman...
“I believe he is fundamentally unfit and unprepared — and Americans will be less healthy if he is confirmed.”
That was Sen. Alex Padilla’s plea to Senate colleagues as they prepared to vote on whether to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Health and Human Services secretary.
Kennedy was confirmed Thursday 52 to 48, with all Republicans except for Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voting to put him in the job. Padilla, D-Calif., and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., along with the other 45 senators who caucus with Democrats, opposed the nomination.
Democrats staged a marathon on the Senate floor offering reasons why Kennedy was a bad choice.
Among the Kennedy positions of the past that troubled Padilla was the claim that vaccines caused autism and saying “there’s no vaccine that’s safe and effective.”
Kennedy, though, last month told a congressional committee he is not anti-vaccine, but is “pro-safety.” He said his children are vaccinated.
Padilla was disturbed by Kennedy’s history of vaccine skepticism.
“Look — I get the fear. I’m proud to represent California in the Senate. I’m proud to have an engineering background. But I too am a parent of three boys.” Padilla told Senate colleagues.
“I remember what it was like to hold a baby in your arms, and to worry every time there was a sniffle and a cough. I’d do anything to protect my children, just as you would do anything to protect yours,” he said.
Schiff spoke after midnight Thursday. He called Kennedy a “man who has dedicated the better part of his career to attacking science.”
But, Schiff warned, “Let’s not pretend this is some harmless contrarian at play here, that this is some cocktail party eccentric…When a man tells millions not to vaccinate their children, and they listen, children die.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“With a troubling history of supporting health policies based on conspiracies, I find it hard to believe Mr. Kennedy was the best-suited American for the job. It is my hope as Secretary, Mr. Kennedy will focus on unifying and common-sense priorities such as combating chronic disease, addressing toxic pollution, and supporting access to healthy food,”
- Assemblymember Mia Bonta, Chair of the California State Assembly Health Committee, responding to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Best of the Bee:
Long barred by Democrats from California’s Latino Caucus, GOP lawmakers create their own group via Nicole Nixon
Another poll predicts high support for Kamala Harris in 2026 for governor. Will she run? via Lia Russell
Trump ban puts Sacramento-area Afghan refugees in limbo. ‘An incredibly difficult time’ via Jake Goodrick
Federal judge sides with California AG, blocks Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship via Andrew Sheeler
Kash Patel nears confirmation. Adam Schiff calls that a ‘tragedy’ for the FBI’ via David Lightman