Assembly committee advances AB 888 to fund home hardening against wildfires

The Assembly Insurance Committee on a voice vote advanced AB 888, the California Safe Homes Act, sending the bill to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The measure would authorize the California Department of Insurance to establish a grant program to help homeowners pay for specified home hardening actions intended to reduce wildfire losses.

The bill’s sponsor, Assemblymember Cecilia Calderon, framed AB 888 as a targeted, evidence-driven effort to reduce insurance losses and expand access to coverage. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who testified in support, said the program would focus on a limited set of mitigation actions to lower risk and insurance costs. “Investing in mitigation is essential for addressing our insurance crisis. We are not powerless in this fight,” Lara said.

The proposed program would concentrate on measures identified by proponents as high-impact and cost‑effective: reinforcing roofs, clearing the first five feet of combustible materials around homes to create a noncombustible zone, and other “home hardening” steps. Lara said existing insurer discounts under the department’s Safer from Wildfires regulations do not fully address the upfront cost barrier homeowners face, and the grant program aims to fill that gap.

Alabama Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler spoke about his state’s Strengthen Alabama Homes program as a model. Fowler described Alabama’s multiyear, data-driven grant program, which his department reports has provided more than $86 million in grants and fortified more than 8,700 homes since the program began; he said private-sector adoption later outpaced the grant work. “When you align public funding with clear science based risk reduction standards, you can influence the broader market,” Fowler said.

Committee members from both rural and urban districts voiced support, noting local wildfire exposure and rising insurance costs. Several members asked about prioritizing rural residents and wildfire‑distressed areas; Lara said the program would be data driven and would prioritize areas the department designates as wildfire‑distress areas.

Supporters at the hearing included insurance trade associations, city representatives and community groups. Witnesses pointed to examples from other states, including a March 2025 audit of Louisiana’s Fortified Homes program that reported an average 22% decrease in annual premiums for grant recipients and a measurable reduction in uninsured losses.

The committee adopted the motion to pass the bill; the motion was made by Assemblymember William Harabedian and seconded by Assemblymember Devon Gibson. The secretary recorded the motion as “do pass” and noted the bill is fiscal and will be referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Proponents and the two insurance commissioners emphasized AB 888 is intended as a long‑term, multiyear effort rather than a one‑time fix. Supporters said the combination of state grants tied to clear standards and private market incentives could increase the number of fortified homes and stabilize insurance availability.

AB 888 will next be considered in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.