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Sen. Becker advances bill to notify fire agencies when home sales include defensible‑space agreements
Summary
SB 911 would require notice to local fire enforcement agencies or Cal Fire when buyer and seller agree that the buyer will bring a home into compliance with defensible‑space standards, with the author planning to implement the requirement through the preliminary change‑of‑ownership report; the committee passed the bill to Appropriations.
Sen. Becker asked the committee to pass SB 911, a bill that would close what he called a notification gap when sellers and buyers agree that the buyer will bring a home into compliance with defensible‑space standards in high wildfire‑severity zones. Becker said the measure would help fire agencies enforce commitments that current real‑estate‑transaction law does not make visible to enforcement authorities.
"Currently, there is no provision in law to alert the appropriate fire enforcement agency of an agreement between the seller and buyer," Becker said, urging that the committee move the bill forward while he works with stakeholders on a technical amendment to use the preliminary change‑of‑ownership report as the notification vehicle.
A representative of Fire Aside, a California wildfire resource‑management firm, told the committee the change is needed to protect homes and communities. "This is a fix that really needs to happen to help people protect their homes," the representative said.
Coby Pizzotti of the California Association of Realtors said the bill as drafted would place impractical notification burdens on sellers and that the association preferred the author’s plan to incorporate notice into the preliminary change‑of‑ownership report at closing. "Once these amendments are in print, we will remove our opposition," Pizzotti said.
Paul Ramey of the Personal Insurance Federation of California voiced support for measures that strengthen defensible‑space compliance and insurance market stability.
The committee adopted a motion to pass SB 911 to the Appropriations Committee. The clerk recorded the vote as 4‑0 on call; the bill advances as amended for further policy review.
What’s next: The author committed to filing the amendment that would add the notice to the preliminary change‑of‑ownership report; SB 911 moves to the Appropriations Committee for a fiscal review and additional policymaker consideration.
