AB 226 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California FAIR Plan Association.

Summary
The California FAIR Plan Association is a joint reinsurance association in which all insurers licensed to write basic property insurance participate in administering a program for the equitable apportionment of basic property insurance for persons who are unable to obtain that coverage through normal channels. Existing law requires the association's plan of operation and any amendment to the plan to be approved by the Insurance Commissioner. Existing law establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank and authorizes it to issue bonds to provide funds for the payment of costs of a project for a participating party or upon request by a state entity. This bill would authorize the association, if granted prior approval from the commissioner, to request the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds, and would authorize the bank to issue those bonds to finance the costs of claims, to increase liquidity and claims-paying capacity of the association, and to refund bonds previously issued for that purpose. The bill would specify that the association is a participating party and that financing all or any portion of the costs of claims or to increase liquidity and the claims-paying capacity of the association is a project for bond purposes. The bill would authorize the bank to loan the proceeds of issued bonds to the association, and would authorize the association to enter into a loan agreement with the bank and to enter into a line of credit agreement or other agreement This bill would require the association, if the above-described bonds, loan agreements, or lines of credit received the prior approval of the commissioner, and if the association is unable to timely and fully meet its repayment obligation, to assess members in the amounts and at the times necessary to timely pay in full all obligations of the association with respect to those bonds, loan agreements, lines of credit, and other agreements, as specified. The bill would authorize the association to secure those bonds, loan agreements, lines of credit, and other agreements by a statutory lien, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for the purpose of implementing the objectives of the bank. To the extent that the bill would result in additional revenues being deposited into the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Aug 2025
Assembly Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Sep 2025
Signed into Law
Oct 2025
Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Signed Oct 9, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

05/29/25 - Amended Senate 06/16/25 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · Jun 16, 2025
MODERATE
The June 16 amendment to AB 226 makes several substantive refinements to the FAIR Plan financing authority. Most notably, it broadens the types of entities that can provide lines of credit to the association (removing the prior limitation to institutional lenders and broker-dealers) and adds member assessments as available collateral for securing those financial instruments. The urgency clause justification was also rewritten to be more concise.
ELIGIBILITY

Lines of credit may now be entered into with 'one or more entities' rather than being limited to institutional lenders (as defined in Financial Code Section 22600) or broker-dealers (as defined in Corporations Code Section 25004). This significantly broadens the pool of potential credit providers.

REQUIREMENT

The list of assets that can be pledged as collateral for loan agreements, lines of credit, and other agreements now explicitly includes 'assessments' (i.e., amounts assessed from member insurers), in addition to premiums, revenues, receivables, and other assets. This gives lenders a direct security interest in future member assessments.

In Section 10100.3(c)(1), the phrase 'including those relating to assessment' was removed from the provision that protects approved repayment terms from being altered by subsequent amendments to the plan of operation, slightly narrowing the explicit protection around assessment-related terms.

FISCAL

In Government Code Section 63049.75(d), the language describing what bonds are payable from was changed from 'the fund and other revenues and assets securing the bonds' to simply 'the revenues and assets securing the bonds,' removing the explicit reference to the bank's fund as a repayment source.

TECHNICAL

The urgency clause justification was rewritten. The old version described the FAIR Plan's financial capacity as 'unlikely' to survive a catastrophic fire and discussed the nonadmitted market in detail. The new version is more concise, emphasizing the growing number of policies, wildfire risk, and the need for the FAIR Plan to have access to financial tools at all times.

Senator Strickland was added as a coauthor of the bill.

Floor votes · Senate Sep 13, 2025 · Assembly Apr 1, 2025

How they voted

370
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 40
Sep 13, 2025
D Democratic30
29 Yea 1
96% Yea
R Republican10
8 Yea 2
80% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
35
Key actions
13
Committee
11
Amendments
6
Oct 9, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Sep 13, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (37-0-3)
senate
Sep 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 3494.).
lower
Sep 13, 2025
Introduced
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
lower
Sep 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 3047.).
upper
Aug 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
upper
Aug 18, 2025
Committee
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
upper
Jul 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
upper
Jun 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Jun 16, 2025
Introduced
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on INS.
upper
Jun 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on INS. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on INS.
upper
May 29, 2025
Introduced
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
upper
May 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and INS.
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Assembly · Passed
Assembly Vote: pass (76-0-3)
assembly
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 951.).
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (March 19).
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Committee
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 5). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Committee
Referred to Com. on INS.
lower
Jan 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee February 9.
lower
1 primary · 17 co-sponsors

Sponsors