California survivors of some utility-caused wildfires who say they’re still owed money could get another chance to recover it under a new bipartisan state bill.
AB 2700 would require the state to compare survivors’ wildfire damages with the settlements they received, and recommend ways utility companies could make up the difference.
The bill is nearing a possible Senate vote now. Paradise Mayor Steve Crowder recently travelled to Sacramento to advocate for it.
Crowder said the Fire Victim Trust — a fund established as part of PG&E’s bankruptcy to compensate survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire and others caused by the utility — still hasn’t fully paid out claims.
“Everybody was shorted about 30% off of their settlement, and you know a lot of them are still struggling to get on with their lives,” he said. “That 30% is really, really important.”
Crowder said AB 2700 could help wildfire survivors get much-needed closure.
“Prior to the fire, you could build a home in Paradise for $150 a square foot. Now it's $350 a square foot,” Crowder said. “Insurance costs didn't cover that, so you still have some people living in a trailer because they don't have the money to rebuild.”
Crowder pointed out that the bill is written to put responsibility on the utility company who caused the disaster rather than taxpayers.
The bill includes only utility-caused fires that started the day of July 12, 2019 or earlier.
It was introduced by Congressman James Gallagher when he was still in the state Assembly.
The bill is under review in the state Senate, and could soon be on the floor or fail to advance.
