California Governor-Wildfire Liability
FILE - Fire crews watch the devastation from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 11, 2025.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking state lawmakers to shield utilities from financial trouble if their equipment sparks a wildfire by limiting the amount they have to pay victims and attorneys. He's pushing the plan in the final days of his last legislative session as governor. Property insurers and fire victims say utilities should continue to cover the cost of damages from blazes they spark. But the state's major utilities are urging lawmakers to pass Newsom's plan. The plan could ensure victims get paid more quickly after a blaze. The issue has loomed large throughout his nearly eight years in office.
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