SB 1182 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

General plan: safety element: very high fire hazard severity zones: insurance.

Summary

The Planning and Zoning Law requires the legislative body of a city or county to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan that includes various elements, including, among others, a housing element, as provided, and a safety element for the protection of the community from specified risks. Existing law requires, upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2014, the safety element to be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas and land classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, as defined. Other existing law requires the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to update a specified guidance document to include specific land use strategies to reduce fire risk to buildings, infrastructure, and communities. This bill would, for safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028, require the safety element to include the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas. The bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2027, to update the guidance document described above to identify sources of information that a city or county may use to satisfy the above requirement. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 18, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/23/26 - Amended Senate → 04/15/26 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · Apr 15, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1182 was substantially restructured between the March 23 and April 15 Senate amendments. The bill now amends Section 65302 of the Government Code (general plan requirements) in addition to adding the two new sections on developer insurance quotes and building standards. Most significantly, it adds a requirement that safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028 must include information about the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses in very high fire hazard severity zones and state responsibility areas, with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation required to publish guidance by July 1, 2027. The bill's fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes' and it is now classified as a state-mandated local program.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Section 65302 of the Government Code (the general plan statute) in addition to adding Sections 51188.5 and 65940.4, broadening its reach into local government planning requirements.

The bill title no longer includes 'relating to insurance' as a standalone subject, reframing the legislation primarily as a land use measure rather than an insurance regulation.

REQUIREMENT

For safety elements updated on or after January 1, 2028, cities and counties must include information about the availability of insurance for existing and planned uses within very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas as part of their general plan safety element.

TIMELINE

The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation is required to update its 'Fire Hazard Planning General Plan Technical Advice Series' guidance document on or before July 1, 2027 to identify sources of information that cities and counties may use to satisfy the new insurance availability requirement.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now requires review by the Senate Fiscal Committee, indicating increased fiscal impact recognition.

ENFORCEMENT

The state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' formally recognizing that the bill imposes new duties on local governments relating to approval of new developments and general plan updates.

02/18/26 - Introduced → 03/23/26 - Amended Senate · 8 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1182 was transformed from a one-section bill stating only the Legislature's intent to reduce California FAIR Plan liabilities into a substantial bill imposing new requirements on developers in high and very high fire hazard severity zones. The amended version requires developers to obtain at least two private insurance quotes before seeking land use approvals, submit those quotes to local agencies and state departments, disclose them to potential buyers or renters, and - if unable to obtain quotes - build to elevated wildfire resistance standards starting June 1, 2031. The original FAIR Plan intent statement is retained but demoted to a final section.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a non-operative statement of legislative intent about reducing FAIR Plan liabilities to an operative act imposing specific duties on developers, local agencies, and state departments related to insurance quote requirements and elevated building standards in fire hazard severity zones. It now applies to all cities including charter cities via a statewide concern finding.

REQUIREMENT

Developers of new projects in high or very high fire hazard severity zones must make a good faith effort to obtain at least two insurance quotes from private admitted insurers before seeking land use approvals or entitlements for a building permit.

Cities, counties, and city and counties are required to mandate that developers submit those insurance quotes as part of their land use approval applications, or report if they were unable to obtain at least two quotes.

Developers must submit insurance quotes to the Department of Real Estate and the Department of Insurance, and disclose the most recent quotes (or inability to obtain them) to potential buyers or renters before finalizing a sales or rental agreement.

On and after June 1, 2031, developers who cannot obtain the required insurance quotes must build structures in high fire hazard severity zones to meet very high fire hazard severity zone building standards, and structures in very high fire hazard severity zones must meet the highest level of wildfire building standards adopted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, including the Wildfire Prepared Home Plus designation for individual residential units.

SCOPE

The bill now applies to all cities including charter cities, based on a legislative finding that the provisions address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair.

The bill's scope expanded dramatically from a single statement of legislative intent regarding the California FAIR Plan to a multi-section act adding two new Government Code sections (51188.5 and 65940.4) with operative requirements for developers, local agencies, and state departments.

FISCAL

A no-reimbursement provision is included, stating that local agencies have authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the mandated program.

TECHNICAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting the new obligations imposed on local governments.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 4014.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors