Bill Would Require Additional Reporting of Expenditures Related to Fire Prevention Fees; County Feedback Requested

AB 211 (Bigelow)  would require an itemized accounting of all expenditures from the fire prevention fee fund; this reporting would occur annually with no sunset date. Under current law, the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board) charges a fire prevention fee not to exceed $150 per habitable structure on parcels within a state responsibility area (SRA). The revenue from this fee can be spent in certain limited ways for fire prevention activities, as well as costs incurred in the collection of the fee and other administrative purposes. Under current law, the Board is required to submit an annual written report with information on how the fee money is being used, but the requirement sunsets on January 31, 2017. AB 211 would extend the requirement in perpetuity and would add a requirement for itemized accounting of all expenditures.

CSAC opposed the fire prevention fee and requested a veto when it was passed in 2011 as ABX 1 29 (Blumenfield). Now that the SRA fees have been in place for several years, AB 211 would make a minor adjustment to require more detailed accounting of expenditures from the fund, and to ensure that the reporting continues. CSAC would like your feedback on this measure. Please contact Cara Martinson (cmartinson@counties.org) or Betsy Hammer (bhammer@counties.org) with any comments or suggestions.

Tree Mortality Task Force Offers Workshop on Insurance Considerations

The CA Tree Mortality Task Force (TMTF), led by the Governor’s Office, CAL FIRE and Cal OES, will host a workshop  on February 9 to address concerns surrounding insurance coverage related to tree morality issues. The workshop will provide information on the legal requirements and responsibilities surrounding homeowners insurance regulations; an overview of fire risk models and their use in developing underwriting guidelines; identify opportunities for counties to work with landowners and insurers to identify mitigating factors or considerations in underwriting standards that could broaden eligibility; and provide an opportunity for insurance company representatives and consumer groups to offer a perspective on underwriting.

The TMTF is comprised of state and federal agencies, local governments, utilities, and various stakeholders to coordinate emergency protective actions, and monitor ongoing conditions to address the vast tree mortality resulting from five years of unprecedented drought and the resulting bark beetle infestations across large regions of the State. CSAC is an active participant on the task force and will keep counties apprised of developments or additional opportunities for participation.