State senators convened in Pasadena on Friday to introduce a legislative package aimed at wildfire recovery and prevention, addressing issues such as renter protections, firefighter staffing, and assistance for displaced students in both K-12 schools and community colleges.
The 13-bill package, which lawmakers described as a plan to build a more fire-resilient California, seeks to provide immediate relief for those impacted by recent wildfires in Los Angeles while implementing long-term mitigation strategies.
“This is one of the most challenging periods Los Angeles has faced in nearly a century,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) outside Pasadena First United Methodist Church. He emphasized the urgency of these measures, stating, “We need to move these bills swiftly through the Legislature and get them on the governor’s desk within the next 60 days.”
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Key Proposals in the Wildfire Recovery Package
Among the bills in the package, one co-authored by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) focuses on both reducing wildfire risks and ensuring that affected residents receive the support they need.
Another bill, led by Sens. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), would impose civil penalties against landlords and businesses that engage in price gouging on housing and lodging for wildfire evacuees. It also grants the state attorney general the authority to pursue legal action against violators.
A separate proposal aims to provide temporary mortgage relief for homeowners and allow renters forced to evacuate due to wildfires to recover a portion of their rent payments. Additionally, mobile homes in emergency-declared areas would be subject to temporary rent controls.
To strengthen wildfire resilience, Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) and her colleagues proposed establishing a centralized commission focused on wildfire mitigation efforts, including measures to make homes and buildings more resistant to fire damage.
Another bill from Rubio and Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) calls for an extension of the one-year moratorium on insurance non-renewals for properties in wildfire-affected ZIP Codes. This protection, currently available only for residential policies, would be expanded to cover small businesses and condominiums as well.
Enhancing Firefighting Capabilities
Earlier this week, McGuire introduced the “Fight for Firefighters Act of 2025,” which aims to convert approximately 3,000 seasonal firefighters—who typically work for nine months before being laid off in the winter—into full-time, year-round employees.
“Wildfires don’t take three months off, and neither should our firefighting force,” McGuire stated.
The proposal also seeks to keep state vegetation management crews and Cal Fire engines operational year-round. While the plan is expected to cost the state around $185 million annually, supporters argue that the investment is necessary as California continues to face record-breaking wildfires.
Additional Legislative Efforts
Democratic lawmakers in the Assembly have introduced housing-related bills aimed at assisting displaced residents. Proposals include easing restrictions on homeowners who want to add accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in coastal areas, temporarily preventing evictions for wildfire survivors, and allowing mortgage deferrals of up to one year for those who lost their homes.
Republican lawmakers have also introduced bills aimed at addressing wildfire-related crimes. Some proposals would increase penalties for looting, making it a felony to commit burglary during a wildfire or other disaster. One bill from Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) seeks to criminalize impersonating law enforcement or firefighters during an emergency.
Additionally, legislators are pushing for stricter penalties against those who interfere with emergency operations. A proposed law would make it a felony to fly a drone over an active emergency scene, following a recent case in which a drone collided with a firefighting aircraft battling the Palisades fire. Another measure seeks harsher sentencing for aggravated arson in cases where a wildfire burns more than 500 acres.
With wildfire season becoming more intense and unpredictable, lawmakers are racing to implement these policies to better protect California residents and communities.
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