RCRC Supported Bill Allocating Butte Fire Settlements Clears First Senate Committee

On Tuesday, Assembly Bill 524 by Assembly Member Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals) passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee by a unanimous vote.  The bill, which carries an urgency clause, and will need a two-thirds vote to pass off the floor, would allocate more than $8 million in penalties and settlements from utilities that were found negligent in contributing to the 2015 Butte Fire to wildfire prevention and tree mortality mitigation grant programs. 

The RCRC-supported measure’s next stop is the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, with the hearing date yet to be set.