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Assembly committee advances Smoke Damage Recovery Act to standardize testing and remediation
Summary
The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee advanced AB 17 95 to require statewide, science-based standards for inspecting, testing and remediating residential smoke damage from wildfires; the Department of Insurance and survivor witnesses urged the measure after inconsistent insurer practices left households in limbo.
Assemblymember Gibson introduced AB 17 95, the Smoke Damage Recovery Act, telling the committee the bill would establish a “science‑based, health‑driven” statewide standard for inspections, testing and restoration when wildfire smoke contaminates homes. The measure would create uniform insurance‑claims handling practices, set timelines for inspections and payments, and designate state and local agencies to implement and enforce the standards.
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara testified in strong support, calling smoke damage “a health and safety issue” and describing a task force that identified gaps in sampling protocols and claims practices. Lara said his…
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