California 2021-2022 Regular Session Status: In Committee

AB 1522 — The Catastrophic Wildfire Insurance Act.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law generally regulates classes of insurance, including residential and commercial property insurance. Existing law requires an admitted insurer with written California premiums totaling $10,000,000 or more, as specified, to submit a biennial report to the Insurance Commissioner on its residential property experience data for the previous 2 years for policies written in California and to include in the report information on fire- or wildfire-incurred losses, as specified. Existing law prohibits an insurer, for one year after the declaration of a state of emergency, from canceling or refusing to renew a residential property insurance policy solely because the property is in an area in which a wildfire occurred. This bill would create the California Wildfire Insurance Authority to serve as a marketplace for catastrophic wildfire insurance. The bill would require the authority to be formed as a nonprofit entity that is privately funded and publicly managed. Under the bill, the authority would be governed by a 3-member governing board consisting of the Governor, the Treasurer, and the Insurance Commissioner, or their designees. The bill would also require the Speaker of the Assembly and the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, or their designees, to serve as nonvoting, ex officio members of the board. The bill would require the authority to be advised by an advisory panel consisting of members appointed by the Governor, the commissioner, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Insurance to promulgate regulations to govern the approval and regulation of catastrophic wildfire insurance policies and would prohibit, on and after January 1, 2023, a policy of residential or commercial property insurance from being issued, amended, or renewed by an insurer unless the named insured is offered coverage for loss or damage caused by a catastrophic wildfire. The bill would require an insurer to provide a discount of up to 20% on catastrophic wildfire insurance policy premiums to a residential or commercial property owner who hardens their property and would authorize the policy to contain a deductible. The bill would require the commissioner to approve all catastrophic wildfire insurance policy rates, discounts, and deductibles. This bill would establish the Catastrophic Wildfire Insurance Fund to provide a stable and ongoing source of reimbursement to participating insurers for their catastrophic wildfire losses. Under the bill, the fund would be financed by state contributions, revenue bonds, assessments, and other investment strategies approved by the commissioner. This bill would establish the California Wildfire Protection Program to provide home inspections for residential property owners who own homes located in high fire risk areas, and to provide recommendations on how to harden those homes to protect against wildfires. Under the bill, the program would offer grants to residential property owners for costs associated with the recommended home hardening improvements.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. Re-referred to Com. on INS.

  4. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on INS. Read second time and amended.

  5. Referred to Com. on INS.

  6. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on INS.

  7. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  8. Referred to Com. on INS.

  9. Read first time.

  10. From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  11. Introduced. To print.

Sponsors

  • Levine · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Levine

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 5000
Republican 1001
Unaffiliated 0001
Total 6002
% of votes cast 75%0%0%25%
How each member voted (8)
Member Party Vote
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety housing environment
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 1522 do?
Existing law generally regulates classes of insurance, including residential and commercial property insurance. Existing law requires an admitted insurer with written California premiums totaling $10,000,000 or more, as specified, to submit a biennial report to the Insurance Commissioner on its residential property experience data for the previous 2 years for policies written in California and to include in the report information on fire- or wildfire-incurred losses, as specified. Existing law prohibits an insurer, for one year after the declaration of a state of emergency, from canceling or refusing to renew a residential property insurance policy solely because the property is in an area in which a wildfire occurred. This bill would create the California Wildfire Insurance Authority to serve as a marketplace for catastrophic wildfire insurance. The bill would require the authority to be formed as a nonprofit entity that is privately funded and publicly managed. Under the bill, the authority would be governed by a 3-member governing board consisting of the Governor, the Treasurer, and the Insurance Commissioner, or their designees. The bill would also require the Speaker of the Assembly and the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, or their designees, to serve as nonvoting, ex officio members of the board. The bill would require the authority to be advised by an advisory panel consisting of members appointed by the Governor, the commissioner, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Insurance to promulgate regulations to govern the approval and regulation of catastrophic wildfire insurance policies and would prohibit, on and after January 1, 2023, a policy of residential or commercial property insurance from being issued, amended, or renewed by an insurer unless the named insured is offered coverage for loss or damage caused by a catastrophic wildfire. The bill would require an insurer to provide a discount of up to 20% on catastrophic wildfire insurance policy premiums to a residential or commercial property owner who hardens their property and would authorize the policy to contain a deductible. The bill would require the commissioner to approve all catastrophic wildfire insurance policy rates, discounts, and deductibles. This bill would establish the Catastrophic Wildfire Insurance Fund to provide a stable and ongoing source of reimbursement to participating insurers for their catastrophic wildfire losses. Under the bill, the fund would be financed by state contributions, revenue bonds, assessments, and other investment strategies approved by the commissioner. This bill would establish the California Wildfire Protection Program to provide home inspections for residential property owners who own homes located in high fire risk areas, and to provide recommendations on how to harden those homes to protect against wildfires. Under the bill, the program would offer grants to residential property owners for costs associated with the recommended home hardening improvements.
Who sponsors AB 1522?
AB 1522 is sponsored by Levine.
What is the current status of AB 1522?
This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 1522?
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