SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday on a bill aimed at supporting wildfire survivors. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Governor Gavin Newsom's ambitious plan to limit electric companies' financial liability for blazes sparked by their equipment was rejected. The Democratic governor said the last-minute compromise he made with lawmakers will have some benefits for wildfire survivors, such as getting paid faster, but fails to make necessary, sweeping reforms to tackle the question of who covers the cost of fires ignited by utility equipment.
His plan, which didn't rack up enough support in the Legislature's final days, would have reduced the amount utilities had to pay some victims and barred insurance companies from suing electrical companies to get reimbursed for damages paid out to homeowners.
Newsom acknowledged the bill made some progress to address the contentious, high-stakes issue.
"I could have easily walked away from it," he told reporters at the Capitol on Monday. "And that would have been a disservice to you and the people of this state."
Newsom's failure to get his full plan passed marked a rare loss for the governor who has often found support for his policy wishes in the Democratic-led Legislature. It comes as he wraps his final session before leaving office in January.
Fire survivors heavily criticized his proposal, even protesting outside the governor's mansion in Sacramento last week. They argued Newsom's plan would have placed the needs of utilities over victims.