CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

99

Introduced by Assembly Member Hoover

February 21, 2025

An act to add Section 2034 to the Insurance Code, relating to insurance.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law generally regulates classes of insurance, including residential fire and property insurance. Existing law defines the measure of indemnity for a loss under a property insurance policy. Existing law requires a person who controls a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a specified wildfire-prone area to, among other things, maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure.

This bill would exempt a residential property insurance policyholder from state and local laws, ordinances, fees, and fines associated with the removal of a tree if their insurer identifies the tree as a fire risk and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirms that the tree is a fire risk.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 2034 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:

2034.

If an insurer identifies a tree on an insured residential property as a fire risk that requires removal, and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirms that the tree is a fire risk, the policyholder shall be exempt from state and local laws, ordinances, fees, and fines associated with the removal of the tree.