Assemblymember Gibson’s AB 1795 drew testimony Tuesday in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, where supporters cast it as a response to post-fire smoke contamination and disputed insurance claims.
According to the committee hearing on April 14, the bill would establish guidance for testing homes for smoke contamination, set standards for when a home can be reoccupied, require qualified workers for remediation and create a 30-day inspection timeline. It would also require insurers to pay actual cash value within 30 days of inspection, with interest accruing after that point.
A fire survivor testified that her parents’ Altadena home remained contaminated after the Eaton Fire and described continuing struggles with insurance and remediation. The Personal Insurance Federation of California opposed the proposal, warning it could create billions of dollars in additional exposure per carrier and could push costs higher for policyholders.
The hearing did not establish final committee action in the materials provided, but it put AB 1795 on the record as part of California’s broader debate over how to document, clear and pay claims tied to fire smoke damage.
