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Survivors urge fast-pay relief and tighter oversight as Assembly examines CEA SB 254 report
Summary
Wildfire survivors told a California State Assembly committee they remain displaced and financially devastated, urging a utility-funded ‘‘fast pay’’ for victims, independent audits of mitigation spending and rejection of proposals that cap non-economic damages.
Will Abrams, a wildfire survivor and organizing advocate with the Utility Wildfire Survivor Coalition, and Joy Chen, executive director of the Every Fire Survivors Network, told the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy on Wednesday that survivors from multiple fire seasons remain waiting for full compensation.
They said the system of litigation financing, private intermediaries and complex settlement arrangements has prolonged recoveries and diverted resources. “We must strive for transparency,” Abrams said, urging “complete declarations and financial disclosures” from organizations or individuals that touch public programs tied to wildfire recovery. He told members the Legislature should also align utility incentives — for example linking return-on-equity to safety outcomes — so utilities are rewarded for preventing fires and paying victims promptly.
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