Bills

SB 1182: General plan: safety element: very high fire hazard severity zones: insurance.

Session Year: 2025-2026
House: Senate
Latest Version Date: 2026-04-15

Current Status:

In Progress

(2026-05-14: May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.)

Introduced

In Committee

Awaiting First Chamber Vote

Passed First Chamber

In Committee

Awaiting Second Chamber Vote

Passed Second Chamber

Enacted

What does this bill do?

The bill requires city and county safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028 to report whether insurance is available for existing and planned uses inside very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas (areas where the state handles wildfire protection). It also directs the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to update its fire‑planning guidance before 2028 to list sources local governments can use to find that insurance information. If the Commission on State Mandates finds the law creates state‑mandated costs, the state must reimburse local agencies under existing rules.

Version:

The Planning and Zoning Law requires the legislative body of a city or county to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan that includes various elements, including, among others, a housing element, as provided, and a safety element for the protection of the community from specified risks. Existing law requires, upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2014, the safety element to be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas and land classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, as defined. Other existing law requires the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to update a specified guidance document to include specific land use strategies to reduce fire risk to buildings, infrastructure, and communities.

This bill would, for safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028, require the safety element to include the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas. The bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2027, to update the guidance document described above to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy the above requirement.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, requires each public agency to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information that will be required from any applicant for a development project.This bill would require a developer, prior to seeking all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of a building permit for a proposed development project in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone, as defined, to make a good faith effort to obtain a minimum of 2 insurance quotes, as provided, that contain estimates of the cost to insure the structures or units that will be built as part of the development project. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to require a developer to submit those insurance quotes as part of the applications for all the required land use approvals or entitlements, or to report that it was not able to obtain those insurance quotes. The bill would also require a developer to submit those insurance quotes to the Department of Real Estate and the Department of Insurance.Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, continues into existence the California Building Standards Commission and requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code.This bill, on and after June 1, 2031, would require a developer of a new development that is unable to obtain the insurance quotes described above to ensure that a structure or unit located in a high fire hazard severity zone area meets the applicable building standard requirements adopted by the commission for a very high fire hazard severity zone and that a structure or unit located in a very high fire hazard severity zone area meets the applicable highest level of wildfire building standards adopted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.By imposing new duties on local governments relating to the approval of new developments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.This bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This bill would require a developer, prior to seeking all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of a building permit for a proposed development project in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone, as defined, to make a good faith effort to obtain a minimum of 2 insurance quotes, as provided, that contain estimates of the cost to insure the structures or units that will be built as part of the development project. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to require a developer to submit those insurance quotes as part of the applications for all the required land use approvals or entitlements, or to report that it was not able to obtain those insurance quotes. The bill would also require a developer to submit those insurance quotes to the Department of Real Estate and the Department of Insurance.

Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, continues into existence the California Building Standards Commission and requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code.

This bill, on and after June 1, 2031, would require a developer of a new development that is unable to obtain the insurance quotes described above to ensure that a structure or unit located in a high fire hazard severity zone area meets the applicable building standard requirements adopted by the commission for a very high fire hazard severity zone and that a structure or unit located in a very high fire hazard severity zone area meets the applicable highest level of wildfire building standards adopted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

By imposing new duties on local governments relating to the approval of new developments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law establishes the California FAIR Plan Association, a joint reinsurance association in which all insurers licensed to write basic property insurance participate to administer a program for the equitable apportionment of basic property insurance for persons who are unable to obtain that coverage through normal channels. Existing law authorizes the association to formulate and administer the program to, among other things, establish maximum limits of liability to be placed through the program, as specified.This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to reduce the future liabilities under the California FAIR Plan.

Version:

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1.Section 65302 of the Government Code is amended to read:65302.

The general plan shall consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals. The plan shall include the following elements:

(a)A land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty, education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, greenways, as defined in Section 816.52 of the Civil Code, and other categories of public and private uses of land. The location and designation of the extent of the uses of the land for public and private uses shall consider the identification of land and natural resources pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (d). The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various districts and other territory covered by the plan. The land use element shall identify and annually review those areas covered by the plan that are subject to flooding identified by flood plain mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources. The land use element shall also do both of the following:

(1)Designate in a land use category that provides for timber production those parcels of real property zoned for timberland production pursuant to the California Timberland Productivity Act of 1982 (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 51100) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5).

(2)Consider the impact of new growth on military readiness activities carried out on military bases, installations, and operating and training areas, when proposing zoning ordinances or designating land uses covered by the general plan for land, or other territory adjacent to military facilities, or underlying designated military aviation routes and airspace.

(A)In determining the impact of new growth on military readiness activities, information provided by military facilities shall be considered. Cities and counties shall address military impacts based on information from the military and other sources.

(B)The following definitions govern this paragraph:

(i)Military readiness activities mean all of the following:

(I)Training, support, and operations that prepare the members of the military for combat.

(II)Operation, maintenance, and security of any military installation.

(III)Testing of military equipment, vehicles, weapons, and sensors for proper operation or suitability for combat use.

(ii)Military installation means a base, camp, post, station, yard, center, homeport facility for any ship, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 2687 of Title 10 of the United States Code.

(b)(1)A circulation element consisting of the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, any military airports and ports, and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan.

(2)(A)Commencing January 1, 2011, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element, the legislative body shall modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan.

(B)Upon any substantive revision of the circulation element on or after January 1, 2025, the legislative body shall do all of the following:

(i)Incorporate the principles of the Federal Highway Administrations Safe System Approach, in the circulation element by including policies that aim to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users through a holistic view of the roadway system, including provisions that account for human error, recognize vulnerable road users, and promote redundant and proactive safety measures.

(ii)Develop bicycle plans, pedestrian plans, and traffic calming plans based on the policies and goals in the circulation element that shall address all of the following for any urbanized area within the scope of the general plan:

(I)Identify safety corridors and any land or facility that generates high concentrations of bicyclists or pedestrians.

(II)Use evidence-based strategies, including strategies identified in the United States Department of Transportations Strategic Highway Safety Plan to develop safety measures specific to those areas that are intended to eliminate traffic fatalities, with an emphasis on fatalities of bicyclists, pedestrians, and users of any other form of micromobility device in the areas identified in subclause (I).

(III)Set goals for initiation and completion of all actions identified in the plans within 25 years of the date of adoption of the modified circulation element based upon projected development activities within urbanized areas within the scope of the general plan and projected availability of revenues.

(C)(i)A county or city shall begin implementation of the modified circulation element plan specified in subparagraph (B) within two years of the date of adoption of the plan.

(ii)A county or city shall regularly review the progress towards and identify impediments to completing implementation of the plan for a multimodal transportation network, including all bicycle plans, pedestrian plans, and traffic calming plans iterated in the modified circulation element, and the construction of any related infrastructure.

(iii)A county or city shall consider revising the circulation element if, following the review under clause (ii), the county or city determines it will not reach the goals of the bicycle, pedestrian, or traffic calming plans within 25 years of the date of adoption of the modified circulation element.

(D)For the purposes of this paragraph, the following definitions shall apply:

(i)Business activity district has the same meaning as defined in Section 22358.9 of the Vehicle Code.

(ii)Land facilities that generate high concentrations of bicyclists or pedestrians has the same meaning as described in Section 22358.7 of the Vehicle Code.

(iii)Micromobility device means a bicycle, electric bicycle, or motorized scooter as those terms are defined and described in Division 1 (commencing with Section 100) of the Vehicle Code.

(iv)Safety corridor has the same meaning as defined in Section 22358.7 of the Vehicle Code.

(v)Urbanized area has the same meaning as defined in Section 21071 of the Public Resources Code.

(E)For purposes of this paragraph, users of streets, roads, and highways mean bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors.

(c)A housing element as provided in Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580).

(d)(1)A conservation element for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, including water and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters, harbors, fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other natural resources. The conservation element shall consider the effect of development within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on natural resources located on public lands, including military installations. The conservation element shall consider the effect of development within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on the movement of wildlife and habitat connectivity. That portion of the conservation element including waters shall be developed in coordination with any countywide water agency and with all district and city agencies, including flood management, water conservation, or groundwater agencies that have developed, served, controlled, managed, or conserved water of any type for any purpose in the county or city for which the plan is prepared. Coordination shall include the discussion and evaluation of any water supply and demand information described in Section 65352.5, if that information has been submitted by the water agency to the city or county.

(2)The conservation element may also cover all of the following:

(A)The reclamation of land and waters.

(B)Prevention and control of the pollution of streams and other waters.

(C)Regulation of the use of land in stream channels and other areas required for the accomplishment of the conservation plan.

(D)Prevention, control, and correction of the erosion of soils, beaches, and shores.

(E)Protection of watersheds.

(F)The location, quantity, and quality of the rock, sand, and gravel resources.

(3)Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2009, the conservation element shall identify rivers, creeks, streams, flood corridors, riparian habitats, and land that may accommodate floodwater for purposes of groundwater recharge and stormwater management.

(4)Upon the adoption or next revision of one or more elements on or after January 1, 2028, the conservation element shall be updated to:

(A)Identify and analyze connectivity areas, permeability, and natural landscape areas within the jurisdiction, as those terms are defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(B)Identify and analyze existing or planned wildlife passage features, as defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code, including, but not limited to, wildlife passage features included in the inventory of connectivity needs on the state highway system, as described in Section 158.1 of the Streets and Highways Code, to ensure that planned development does not undermine the effectiveness of existing and potential wildlife passage features, as defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(C)(i)Consider the impacts of development and the barriers caused by development to wildlife and habitat connectivity.

(ii)For the purposes of this subparagraph, wildlife has the same meaning as defined in Section 89.5 of the Fish and Game Code.

(D)Avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts and barriers to wildlife movement to the extent feasible.

(E)Analyze and consider opportunities to remediate existing barriers to wildlife connectivity and restore degraded habitat and open space.

(5)If a city, county, or city and county has already included policies in existing plans, including its certified local coastal plan, that meet the requirements of paragraph (4), the city, county, or city and county may incorporate the plan by reference into the general plan to comply with this section.

(6)In preparing to update the conservation element, the city, county, or city and county may do any of the following:

(A)Consider incorporating appropriate standards, policies, and feasible implementation programs such as wildlife-friendly fencing and lighting, buffers from sensitive resources, prohibitions on invasive plants, habitat connectivity overlay zones, and compact development standards, or consider whether adoption of ordinances is necessary to feasibly implement these standards, policies, and implementation programs, and include goals to adopt any necessary ordinances.

(B)Consult with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, any California Native American tribe that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission and that has traditional lands located within the city, county, or city and countys jurisdiction, and any open-space district that owns lands designated for conservation within the city, county, or city and countys jurisdiction. Upon receiving a request for consultation, the department, tribe, or district may, in its sole discretion, accept or refuse to consult, based on the priority of natural resources impacted or other factors.

(C)Consider relevant best available science as appropriate, including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed literature, citable publicly available datasets, publicly sourced online datasets, and information and reports from government agencies, California Native American tribes, and academic institutions.

(D)Consider the most appropriately scaled scientific information on linkages, corridors, and other locations that are essential to maintain landscape connectivity, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(i)Habitat linkages and wildlife corridors, such as those identified and summarized in the Areas of Conservation Emphasis, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 1851 of the Fish and Game Code, and in regional habitat connectivity assessments.

(ii)Wildlife corridors, such as migration corridors identified by global positioning system collar studies.

(iii)Wildlife movement barriers, such as connectivity areas, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 158 of the Street and Highways Code, and barriers identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlifes Restoring Californias Wildlife Connectivity report.

(iv)Other connectivity considerations, such as those outlined in the State Wildlife Action Plan, habitat conservation plans approved pursuant to Section 1539 of Title 16 of the United States Code, natural community conservation plans approved pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code, regional conservation investment strategies approved pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1850) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code, and other relevant plans, policies, and ordinances adopted by neighboring jurisdictions.

(7)In preparing to update the conservation element, the city, county, or city and county may consult with other appropriate local, state, or federal agencies, or academic institutions, as deemed appropriate by the city or county.

(8)The city, county, or city and county may meet the requirements in paragraphs (4) through (6), inclusive, in a separate component or section of the general plan entitled a wildlife connectivity element.

(e)An open-space element as provided in Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 65560).

(f)(1)A noise element that shall identify and appraise noise problems in the community. The noise element shall analyze and quantify, to the extent practicable, as determined by the legislative body, current and projected noise levels for all of the following sources:

(A)Highways and freeways.

(B)Primary arterials and major local streets.

(C)Passenger and freight online railroad operations and ground rapid transit systems.

(D)Commercial, general aviation, heliport, helistop, and military airport operations, aircraft overflights, jet engine test stands, and all other ground facilities and maintenance functions related to airport operation.

(E)Local industrial plants, including, but not limited to, railroad classification yards.

(F)Other ground stationary noise sources, including, but not limited to, military installations, identified by local agencies as contributing to the community noise environment.

(2)Noise contours shall be shown for all of these sources and stated in terms of community noise equivalent level (CNEL) or day-night average sound level (L_dn). The noise contours shall be prepared on the basis of noise monitoring or following generally accepted noise modeling techniques for the various sources identified in subparagraphs (A) to (F) of paragraph (1), inclusive.

(3)The noise contours shall be used as a guide for establishing a pattern of land uses in the land use element that minimizes the exposure of community residents to excessive noise.

(4)The noise element shall include implementation measures and possible solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise problems, if any. The adopted noise element shall serve as a guideline for compliance with the states noise insulation standards.

(g)(1)A safety element for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; and other seismic hazards identified pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 2690) of Division 2 of the Public Resources Code, and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body; flooding; and wildland and urban fires. The safety element shall include mapping of known seismic and other geologic hazards. It shall also address evacuation routes, military installations, peakload water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards.

(2)The safety element, upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2009, shall also do the following:

(A)Identify information regarding flood hazards, including, but not limited to, the following:

(i)Flood hazard zones. As used in this subdivision, flood hazard zone means an area subject to flooding that is delineated as either a special hazard area or an area of moderate or minimal hazard on an official flood insurance rate map issued by FEMA. The identification of a flood hazard zone does not imply that areas outside the flood hazard zones or uses permitted within flood hazard zones will be free from flooding or flood damage.

(ii)National Flood Insurance Program maps published by FEMA.

(iii)Information about flood hazards that is available from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

(iv)Designated floodway maps that are available from the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.

(v)Dam failure inundation maps prepared pursuant to Section 6161 of the Water Code that are available from the Department of Water Resources.

(vi)Awareness Floodplain Mapping Program maps and 200-year flood plain maps that are or may be available from, or accepted by, the Department of Water Resources.

(vii)Maps of levee protection zones.

(viii)Areas subject to inundation in the event of the failure of project or nonproject levees or floodwalls.

(ix)Historical data on flooding, including locally prepared maps of areas that are subject to flooding, areas that are vulnerable to flooding after wildfires, and sites that have been repeatedly damaged by flooding.

(x)Existing and planned development in flood hazard zones, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.

(xi)Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for flood protection, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.

(B)Establish a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (A), for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risks of flooding, including, but not limited to:

(i)Avoiding or minimizing the risks of flooding to new development.

(ii)Evaluating whether new development should be located in flood hazard zones, and identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if new development is located in flood hazard zones.

(iii)Maintaining the structural and operational integrity of essential public facilities during flooding.

(iv)Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of flood hazard zones, including hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, fire stations, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in flood hazard zones.

(v)Establishing cooperative working relationships among public agencies with responsibility for flood protection.

(C)Establish a set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives established pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(3)Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2014, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas, as defined in Section 4102 of the Public Resources Code, and land classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, as defined in Section 51177. This review shall consider the advice included in the Office of Planning and Researchs most recent publication of Fire Hazard Planning, General Plan Technical Advice Series and shall also include all of the following:

(A)Information regarding fire hazards, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(i)Fire hazard severity zone maps available from the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

(ii)Any historical data on wildfires available from local agencies or a reference to where the data can be found.

(iii)Information about wildfire hazard areas that may be available from the United States Geological Survey.

(iv)General location and distribution of existing and planned uses of land in very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities. The location and distribution of planned uses of land shall not require defensible space compliance measures required by state law or local ordinance to occur on publicly owned lands or open-space designations of homeowner associations.

(v)Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for fire protection, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.

(vi)For safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028, availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas. On or before July 1, 2027, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation shall update the guidance document entitled Fire Hazard Planning General Plan Technical Advice Series to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy the requirements of this clause.

(B)A set of goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire.

(C)A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (B), including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(i)Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with new uses of land.

(ii)Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of high fire risk areas, including, but not limited to, hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in a state responsibility area or very high fire hazard severity zone.

(iii)Designing adequate infrastructure if a new development is located in a state responsibility area or in a very high fire hazard severity zone, including safe access for emergency response vehicles, visible street signs, and water supplies for structural fire suppression.

(iv)Working cooperatively with public agencies with responsibility for fire protection.

(D)If a city or county has adopted a fire safety plan or document separate from the general plan, an attachment of, or reference to, a city or countys adopted fire safety plan or document that fulfills commensurate goals and objectives and contains information required pursuant to this paragraph.

(4)Upon the next revision of a local hazard mitigation plan, adopted in accordance with the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), on or after January 1, 2017, or, if a local jurisdiction has not adopted a local hazard mitigation plan, beginning on or before January 1, 2022, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county. This review shall consider advice provided in the Office of Planning and Researchs General Plan Guidelines and shall include all of the following:

(A)(i)A vulnerability assessment that identifies the risks that climate change poses to the local jurisdiction and the geographic areas at risk from climate change impacts, including, but not limited to, an assessment of how climate change may affect the risks addressed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3).

(ii)Information that may be available from federal, state, regional, and local agencies that will assist in developing the vulnerability assessment and the adaptation policies and strategies required pursuant to subparagraph (B), including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(I)Information from the internet-based Cal-Adapt tool.

(II)Information from the most recent version of the California Adaptation Planning Guide.

(III)Information from local agencies on the types of assets, resources, and populations that will be sensitive to various climate change exposures.

(IV)Information from local agencies on their current ability to deal with the impacts of climate change.

(V)Historical data on natural events and hazards, including locally prepared maps of areas subject to previous risk, areas that are vulnerable, and sites that have been repeatedly damaged.

(VI)Existing and planned development in identified at-risk areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.

(VII)Federal, state, regional, and local agencies with responsibility for the protection of public health and safety and the environment, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.

(B)A set of adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and objectives based on the information specified in subparagraph (A) for the protection of the community.

(C)A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives identified pursuant to subparagraph (B), including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(i)Feasible methods to avoid or minimize climate change impacts associated with new uses of land.

(ii)The location, when feasible, of new essential public facilities outside of at-risk areas, including, but not limited to, hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in at-risk areas.

(iii)The designation of adequate and feasible infrastructure located in an at-risk area.

(iv)Guidelines for working cooperatively with relevant local, regional, state, and federal agencies.

(v)The identification of natural infrastructure that may be used in adaptation projects, where feasible. Where feasible, the plan shall use existing natural features and ecosystem processes, or the restoration of natural features and ecosystem processes, when developing alternatives for consideration. For purposes of this clause, natural infrastructure means using natural ecological systems or processes to reduce vulnerability to climate change related hazards, or other related climate change effects, while increasing the long-term adaptive capacity of coastal and inland areas by perpetuating or restoring ecosystem services. This includes, but is not limited to, the conservation, preservation, or sustainable management of any form of aquatic or terrestrial vegetated open space, such as beaches, dunes, tidal marshes, reefs, seagrass, parks, rain gardens, and urban tree canopies. It also includes systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes, such as permeable pavements, bioswales, and other engineered systems, such as levees that are combined with restored natural systems, to provide clean water, conserve ecosystem values and functions, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.

(D)(i)If a city or county has adopted the local hazard mitigation plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that fulfills commensurate goals and objectives and contains the information required pursuant to this paragraph, separate from the general plan, an attachment of, or reference to, the local hazard mitigation plan or other climate adaptation plan or document.

(ii)Cities or counties that have an adopted hazard mitigation plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that substantially complies with this section, or have substantially equivalent provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision, and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety element the other general plan provisions, climate adaptation plan or document, specifically showing how each requirement of this subdivision has been met.

(5)Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2020, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to identify residential developments in any hazard area identified in the safety element that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes.

(6)After the initial revision of the safety element pursuant to paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5), the planning agency shall review and, if necessary, revise the safety element upon each revision of the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than once every eight years, to identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county that was not available during the previous revision of the safety element.

(7)Cities and counties that have flood plain management ordinances that have been approved by FEMA that substantially comply with this section, or have substantially equivalent provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision, and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety element the other general plan provisions or the flood plain ordinance, specifically showing how each requirement of this subdivision has been met.

(8)Before the periodic review of its general plan and before preparing or revising its safety element, each city and county shall consult the California Geological Survey of the Department of Conservation, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, if the city or county is located within the boundaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, as set forth in Section 8501 of the Water Code, and the Office of Emergency Services for the purpose of including information known by and available to the department, the agency, and the board required by this subdivision.

(9)To the extent that a countys safety element is sufficiently detailed and contains appropriate policies and programs for adoption by a city, a city may adopt that portion of the countys safety element that pertains to the citys planning area in satisfaction of the requirement imposed by this subdivision.

(h)(1)An environmental justice element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, that identifies disadvantaged communities within the area covered by the general plan of the city, county, or city and county, if the city, county, or city and county has a disadvantaged community. The environmental justice element, or related environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, shall do all of the following:

(A)Identify objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means that include, but are not limited to, the reduction of pollution exposure, including the improvement of air quality, and the promotion of public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity.

(B)Identify objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in the public decisionmaking process.

(C)Identify objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.

(2)A city, county, or city and county subject to this subdivision shall adopt or review the environmental justice element, or the environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives in other elements, upon the adoption or next revision of two or more elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.

(3)By adding this subdivision, the Legislature does not intend to require a city, county, or city and county to take any action prohibited by the United States Constitution or the California Constitution.

(4)For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms shall apply:

(A)Disadvantaged communities means an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code or an area that is a low-income area that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.

(B)Public facilities includes public improvements, public services, and community amenities, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 66000.

(C)Low-income area means an area with household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or with household incomes at or below the threshold designated as low income by the Department of Housing and Community Developments list of state income limits adopted pursuant to Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SECTION 1.Section 51188.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:51188.5.(a)On and after June 1, 2031, a developer of a new development located in a high fire hazard severity zone or in a very high fire hazard severity zone that is unable to obtain the insurance quotes required by Section 65940.4 shall ensure that a structure or unit located in that development is built to meet the following requirements:(1)A structure or unit located in a high fire hazard severity zone area shall meet the applicable building standard requirements adopted by the California Building Standards Commission for a very high fire hazard severity zone.(2)A structure or unit located in a very high fire hazard severity zone area shall meet the applicable highest level of wildfire building standards adopted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, including, for an individual residential unit, the Wildfire Prepared Home Plus designation.(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (i) of Section 51177, for purposes of this section, the phrase high fire hazard severity zone or very high fire hazard severity zone means an area designated as a high fire hazard severity zone or as a very high fire hazard severity zone, as applicable, by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code or by a local agency pursuant to this chapter.SEC. 2.Section 65940.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:65940.4.(a)A developer, prior to seeking all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of a building permit for a proposed development project in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone, shall make a good faith effort to obtain quotes from a minimum of two private admitted insurance companies that contain estimates of the cost to insure the structures or units that will be built as part of the development project.(b)Notwithstanding any other law, a city, county, or city and county shall require a developer to submit any insurance quotes that it obtains as part of the applications for all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of the building permit for a development project proposed in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone. If the developer is not able to obtain insurance quotes from at least two private admitted insurance companies, the developer shall report that information on its applications for the development project.(c)If the developer makes any changes to the development project that would reasonably be considered to affect the cost of insurance for those structures or units, the developer shall obtain updated insurance quotes from private admitted insurers, if possible, and submit that information to the city, county, or city and county.(d)(1)The developer shall submit any insurance quotes that it receives pursuant to this section to the Department of Real Estate and the Department of Insurance.(2)The developer or owner shall also disclose the most recently updated insurance quotes, or the inability to obtain at least two quotes from admitted insurers, to a potential buyer or renter of a structure or unit prior to finalizing a sales or rental agreement.(e)For purposes of this section, the phrase high fire hazard severity zone or very high fire hazard severity zone means an area designated as a high fire hazard severity zone or as a very high fire hazard severity zone, as applicable, by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code or by a local agency pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 51175) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5.SEC. 3. The Legislature finds and declares that Sections 1 and 2 of this act adding Sections 51188.5 and 65940.4 to the Government Code address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, Sections 1 and 2 of this act apply to all cities, including charter cities.SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1.Section 51188.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:51188.5.

(a)On and after June 1, 2031, a developer of a new development located in a high fire hazard severity zone or in a very high fire hazard severity zone that is unable to obtain the insurance quotes required by Section 65940.4 shall ensure that a structure or unit located in that development is built to meet the following requirements:

(1)A structure or unit located in a high fire hazard severity zone area shall meet the applicable building standard requirements adopted by the California Building Standards Commission for a very high fire hazard severity zone.

(2)A structure or unit located in a very high fire hazard severity zone area shall meet the applicable highest level of wildfire building standards adopted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, including, for an individual residential unit, the Wildfire Prepared Home Plus designation.

(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (i) of Section 51177, for purposes of this section, the phrase high fire hazard severity zone or very high fire hazard severity zone means an area designated as a high fire hazard severity zone or as a very high fire hazard severity zone, as applicable, by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code or by a local agency pursuant to this chapter.

SEC. 2.Section 65940.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:65940.4.

(a)A developer, prior to seeking all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of a building permit for a proposed development project in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone, shall make a good faith effort to obtain quotes from a minimum of two private admitted insurance companies that contain estimates of the cost to insure the structures or units that will be built as part of the development project.

(b)Notwithstanding any other law, a city, county, or city and county shall require a developer to submit any insurance quotes that it obtains as part of the applications for all the required land use approvals or entitlements necessary for the issuance of the building permit for a development project proposed in a high fire or very high fire hazard severity zone. If the developer is not able to obtain insurance quotes from at least two private admitted insurance companies, the developer shall report that information on its applications for the development project.

(c)If the developer makes any changes to the development project that would reasonably be considered to affect the cost of insurance for those structures or units, the developer shall obtain updated insurance quotes from private admitted insurers, if possible, and submit that information to the city, county, or city and county.

(d)(1)The developer shall submit any insurance quotes that it receives pursuant to this section to the Department of Real Estate and the Department of Insurance.

(2)The developer or owner shall also disclose the most recently updated insurance quotes, or the inability to obtain at least two quotes from admitted insurers, to a potential buyer or renter of a structure or unit prior to finalizing a sales or rental agreement.

(e)For purposes of this section, the phrase high fire hazard severity zone or very high fire hazard severity zone means an area designated as a high fire hazard severity zone or as a very high fire hazard severity zone, as applicable, by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code or by a local agency pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 51175) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5.

SEC. 3.

The Legislature finds and declares that Sections 1 and 2 of this act adding Sections 51188.5 and 65940.4 to the Government Code address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, Sections 1 and 2 of this act apply to all cities, including charter cities.

SEC. 4.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.

SECTION 1.It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to reduce the future liabilities under the California FAIR Plan.

Date	Status
May 14, 2026	May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
May 12, 2026	Set for hearing May 14.
May 11, 2026	May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
May 4, 2026	Set for hearing May 11.
Apr 27, 2026	Withdrawn from committee.
Apr 27, 2026	Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Apr 23, 2026	Withdrawn from committee.
Apr 23, 2026	Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
Apr 22, 2026	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Apr 22, 2026	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 4014.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Apr 15, 2026	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Apr 10, 2026	Set for hearing April 22.
Apr 8, 2026	Re-referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.
Mar 23, 2026	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
Feb 26, 2026	Referred to Com. on RLS.
Feb 19, 2026	From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
Feb 18, 2026	Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Date	Description	Location	Votes
May 11, 2026	Placed on suspense file	Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations	7 0 0 Passed
Apr 22, 2026	Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]	Senate Standing Committee on Local Government	5 1 1 Passed

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Sabrina Cervantes, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

SB 1182 (Allen) - General plan: safety element: very high fire hazard severity zones: insurance


Version:	Policy Vote:
Urgency:	Mandate:
Hearing Date:	Consultant:

Bill Summary:

SB 1182 would require cities and counties, when updating the safety element of the general plan on or after January 1, 2028, to include the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones (FHSZs) and in state responsibility areas (SRAs), as specified. The bill would also require the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) to update a specified guidance document to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy these requirements.

Fiscal Impact:

LCI estimates one-time costs of approximately $114,000 annually for two years for 0.5 PY of staff time to lead engagement with local agencies and the public, and to update the referenced guidance document and the safety element of the General Plan Update to ensure alignment with the bill’s requirements. Staff notes that the July 1, 2027 deadline for updating the specified guidance document may not be feasible. (General Fund)
Unknown state-mandated local costs for cities and counties to include information on availability of insurance in very high FHSZs and SRAs in the next update of their safety element that occurs on or after January 1, 2028. These costs are not state-reimbursable because local agencies have general authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees to cover their administrative expenses associated with new planning mandates. See Staff Comments. (Local funds)

Background:

The Planning and Zoning Law requires every county and city to adopt a general plan that sets out planned uses for all of the area covered by the plan. A general plan must include seven mandatory elements: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, and safety. The general plan must be “internally consistent,” meaning the elements cannot have conflicting information or assumptions. With the exception of the housing element, which must generally be updated every eight years, cities and counties are not required to regularly update the general plan. Existing law also requires LCI to adopt and periodically revise guidelines for the preparation and content of local general plans. LCI has published a guidance document entitled “Fire Hazard Planning General Plan Technical Advice Series” the goal of which is to provide a robust planning framework for addressing fire hazards, reducing risk, and increasing resilience across California’s diverse communities and landscapes.

Existing law specifies that the purpose of the safety element is to protect the community from unreasonable risks from geologic and seismic hazards, flooding, and wildland and urban fires. The goal of the safety element is to reduce the potential short and long-term risk of death, injuries, property damage, and economic and social dislocation resulting from fires, floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides, climate change, and other hazards. Cities and counties must update their safety element upon each revision of the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than every eight years, to identify any new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies. Additionally, cities and counties with areas of their jurisdiction in the very high FHSZ must incorporate into the safety element of their general plan goals, policies, and feasible implementation measures to reduce the unreasonable risk of wildfire in their communities.

Existing law requires cities and counties to submit a draft of any safety element amendments to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) and to local fire protection agencies at least 90 days before adoption. CalFire must review and recommend changes to the draft safety element within 60 days, and local agencies must consider those recommendations. If a city or county doesn’t adopt CalFire’s recommendations, it must explain its reasons. Existing law requires local agencies to meet with CalFire regarding its recommendations, upon request, but local agencies are not required to adopt those recommendations.

Private insurers have scaled back coverage in recent years to reduce risk exposure from increasing climate-driven wildfires, resulting in large-scale non-renewals of policies and restricted new coverage options. This has driven many homeowners and others to increasingly rely on the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan (FAIR Plan). The FAIR Plan is a “insurer of last resort” comprising all the licensed insurers in the state that provides basic property insurance where private insurance through licensed insurers cannot be obtained in the normal manner in the market. According to the FAIR Plan, as of March 2026, there are currently 684,388 policies in force, 2.5 times as many as the Plan underwrote in September 2022. The FAIR Plan’s total exposure is $750 billion, which is a 242% increase from September 2022.

Proposed Law:

SB 1182 would require safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028 to include, as part of the information regarding fire risks, the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high FHSZs and in SRAs. The bill would also require LCI to update the guidance document entitled “Fire Hazard Planning General Plan Technical Advice Series” by July 1, 2027 to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy these requirements.

Staff Comments:

The bill’s mandated local planning costs would not be subject to state reimbursement because local agencies have the authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees as necessary to cover administrative costs. Existing law authorizes planning and zoning fees to “include the costs reasonably necessary to prepare and revise the plans and policies that a local agency is required to adopt before it can make any necessary findings and determinations.” Case law and previous decisions by the Commission on State Mandates support the position that local governments’ planning costs are not reimbursable when the state imposes new planning mandates.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Senator María Elena Durazo, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No:	SB 1182	Hearing Date:	4/22/26
Author:	Allen	Fiscal:	Yes
Version:	4/15/26	Consultant:	Favorini-Csorba

General plan: safety element: very high fire hazard severity zones: insurance

Requires general plans in fire-prone areas to include information on insurance availability.

Background

Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) provides wildland fire protection on non-federal lands outside cities. To meet this duty, the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board) designates the State Responsibility Area (SRA) every five years. Within SRA lands, CALFIRE designates moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones (FHSZs). After the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley firestorm, the Legislature required CALFIRE to designate the very high FHSZ in the Local Responsibility Area (LRA). Following two devastating wildfire seasons in 2018 and 2020, which included the August Complex Fire that consumed over one million acres in 2020, the Legislature expanded the requirements for the LRA maps to include moderate and high FHSZs, consistent with the SRA. In 2024 and 2025, CALFIRE updated the SRA and LRA maps for the first time since 2007.

Requirements triggered by FHSZ designation. Landowners in the SRA and the very high FHSZ must follow specified fire prevention practices and meet standards developed by the Board (AB 337, Bates, 1992). These practices and standards include maintaining defensible space of 100 feet around structures, performing certain activities to reduce the amount of flammable material near and on structures, and meeting specific building standards developed by CALFIRE and the Department of Housing and Community Development that help a structure withstand ignition and reduce fire risk—known as WUI building code or “Chapter 7A.” AB 2911 (Friedman, 2018) required the State Fire Marshal to update these building standards to provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction by January 1, 2020. SB 63 (Stern, 2021) subsequently extended these standards to high FHSZs and required the State Fire Marshal to designate moderate and high FHSZs within the LRA.

Among other things, these regulations require:

Fire-resistant roofing, siding, and decking materials.
Ember-resistant vents and screened openings to prevent ignition.

By incorporating the requirements of the WUI building code, buildings are better protected against flying embers, which is one of the primary causes of wildfire-related structure loss. Some studies have found that homes built to the WUI building code are 40% more likely to survive a fire.

Several studies have compared the cost of building to the WUI building code in California relative to the building code that applies elsewhere in the state. Generally, these studies find that costs are not significantly greater to build to the WUI Building Code.^{^[1]}

AB 3074 (Friedman, 2020), established an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of a structure as part of revised defensible space requirements for structures located in FHSZs (known as Zone 0).

Additionally, cities and counties with areas of their jurisdiction in the very high fire hazard severity zone must incorporate into the safety element of their general plan goals, policies, and feasible implementation measures to reduce the unreasonable risk of wildfire in their communities.

Fire-specific planning requirements. Every county and city must adopt a general plan with seven mandatory elements: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, and safety. General plans must also either include an eighth element on environmental justice, or incorporate environmental justice concerns throughout the other elements. Most of cities’ and counties’ major land use decisions—subdivisions, zoning, public works projects, use permits—must be consistent with their general plans. Development decisions must carry out and not obstruct a general plan’s policies. The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) develops guidance on land use planning for local agencies to consider.

The Planning and Zoning Law says that the safety element’s purpose is to protect the community from unreasonable risks from geologic hazards, flooding, and wildland and urban fires. In 2012, the Legislature expanded the safety elements’ contents for fire risks on land classified as SRA and very high FHSZ (SB 1241, Kehoe, 2012). SB 1241 required safety elements to contain:

Specified information about fire hazards;
Based on that information, a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and objectives to protect against unreasonable fire risks; and
To carry out those goals, a set of feasible implementation measures.

Cities and counties must also submit a draft of any safety element amendments to the Board and to local fire protection agencies at least 90 days before adopting it. The Board must review and recommend changes to the draft safety element within 60 days of receiving it. If the Board provides recommendations within this timeframe, local governments must consider its recommendations. If they don’t adopt the Board’s recommendations, local governments have to explain why they didn’t to the Board. Local agencies must meet with the Board on its recommendations if the Board requests, but aren’t required to adopt the Board’s recommendations.

The safety element must also include similar information about risks due to climate change and goals, policies, objectives, and implementation measures to protect against those risks.

Many local governments have also adopted a local hazard mitigation plan (LHMP) to identify all of the natural hazards that threaten a community and strategies to mitigate those hazards. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reviews and approves every LHMP, and the LHMP expires five years after it’s approved, unless amended and recertified. Local governments with a compliant LHMP are eligible for proactive hazard mitigation grants from the federal government, as well as additional post-disaster assistance.

California’s insurance market. Private insurers have scaled back coverage in recent years to reduce risk exposure from increasing climate-driven wildfires, resulting in large-scale non-renewals of policies and restricted new coverage options. This has driven many homeowners and others to increasingly rely on the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan (FAIR Plan). The FAIR Plan is a “insurer of last resort” comprising all the licensed insurers in the state that provides basic property insurance where private insurance through licensed insurers cannot be obtained in the normal manner in the market. Specifically, according to the FAIR Plan, as of March 2026, the FAIR Plan currently has 684,388 policies in force, 2.5 times as many as the Plan underwrote in September 2022. The FAIR Plan’s total exposure is $750 billion, which is a 242% increase from September 2022.

The author wants to ensure consideration of insurance availability for land use decisions in fire-prone areas.

Proposed Law

Senate Bill 1182 requires a safety element updated on or after January 1, 2028, to include information regarding availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas. The bill also requires, on or before July 1, 2027, LCI to update the guidance document entitled “Fire Hazard Planning General Plan Technical Advice Series” to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy the requirements of the bill.

Comments

1. Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “SB 1182 recognizes that climate risk is no longer just an environmental issue—it is a housing and affordability crisis. Across California, families are facing skyrocketing insurance premiums or losing coverage altogether, putting homeownership and rental stability increasingly out of reach. When insurance becomes unavailable or unaffordable, the impacts ripple outward: higher housing costs, reduced property values, and increased risk of displacement—especially for low- and moderate-income households. Insurance availability offers a critical, real-time signal of risk. When coverage becomes unavailable or unaffordable, it reflects a market determination that the level of danger may be too high to insure. Ignoring that signal can leave communities exposed—not only to physical harm, but to housing instability, displacement, and economic loss. Yet current Safety Elements often fail to account for these economic realities, focusing narrowly on physical hazards without addressing how those risks translate into housing insecurity. SB 1182 ensures that local governments consider insurance availability as part of their safety planning, helping to identify communities where climate impacts are already driving up costs and limiting access to housing. This will better align land use decisions with long-term affordability and sustainability goals, while guiding investments in wildfire mitigation, climate resilience, and community protection. Such investments may in turn improve insurance availability and reduce our reliance on the FAIR Plan. By integrating environmental risk with housing and affordability considerations, SB 1182 helps California plan more responsibly—protecting not just where we build, but whether people can afford to live there safely.”

2. Square peg, round hole. The availability and affordability of insurance is a concern for many Californians. SB 1182 seeks to ensure that local government planning efforts consider insurance availability by incorporating them into the general plan. On one hand, this is consistent with the state’s overall approach to planning, which already requires specific contents for safety elements in areas with elevated fire risk. On the other hand, it is unclear to what extent general plan policies can affect the insurance market. First, most general plan policies emphasize requirements on new development. However, it is unclear that new development is driving the changes in the overall insurance market: new development is built to more protective building codes than existing development constructed years or decades ago. Additionally, insurance availability is dictated by much more than the characteristics of the structure itself: it can reflect the fire hazard present in the community, the needs for insurers to diversify risk across the state, and the characteristics of the person seeking to purchase insurance. Finally, insurance availability can fluctuate rapidly in response to market conditions. SB 1182 will ensure that general plans provide a snapshot of insurance availability, but is unlikely to materially change the insurance options for homeowners.

3. Mandate. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local governments for the costs of new or expanded state mandated local programs. Because SB 1182 adds to the duties of local planning officials, Legislative Counsel says the bill imposes a new state mandate. SB 1182 disclaims the state’s responsibility for providing reimbursement by citing local governments’ authority to charge for the costs of implementing the bill’s provisions.

4. Coming and going. The Senate Rules Committee has ordered a double referral of SB 1182: first to the Committee on Local Government to hear issues related to development, and second to the Committee on Housing. However, recent amendments to the bill removed references to housing. As a result, SB 1182 no longer needs to be heard in the Committee on Housing.

Support and Opposition

(4/17/2026)

Support: None submitted to the current version of the bill.

Opposition: None submitted to the current version of the bill.

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Headwaters Economics. (2018) “Building a Wildfire-Resistant Home: Codes and Costs.” ↑

Discussed in Hearing

21MIN

Senate Standing Committee on Local Government

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Amended Senate (4/15/2026)