加州立法机构将投票表决妥协版野火改革法案

加州立法机构计划于周二投票表决一项野火改革法案，该方案是州长纽森与议员达成的妥协产物1。这一法案旨在加快对野火受害者的赔付程序1，并禁止对冲基金从野火索赔中获利，同时禁止电力公司高管在其设备引发火灾造成超过500栋建筑损毁时获得奖金1。

纽森最初提出的更为雄心勃勃的改革方案因缺乏议会支持而未能推进1。原计划将减少公用事业公司对部分受害者的赔付，并禁止保险公司向电力公司追偿损失赔款1。纽森在2019年其任职第一年曾签署法案，建立了一个210亿美元基金由电力公司股东和用户支付1，去年纽森和议员又同意再补充180亿美元1。太平洋煤气电力公司在2019年因其设备引发火灾后宣布破产1，而南加州爱迪生公司目前面临来自2025年大火的索赔，该大火造成19人死亡1。

California's legislature is set to vote Tuesday on a wildfire reform bill that represents a scaled-back compromise between Governor Newsom and state lawmakers.1 The legislation accelerates the processing of claims for wildfire victims while implementing new financial restrictions on utility companies and hedge funds.1

Newsom's original, more ambitious proposal—which would have limited utility companies' financial liability for fires caused by their equipment and prohibited insurance companies from recovering losses from power providers—failed to gain sufficient legislative support.1 The revised bill instead creates a streamlined claims procedure, bars hedge funds from profiting off wildfire claims, and prohibits utility executives from receiving bonuses when equipment failures cause fires that damage more than 500 buildings.1

California has already established substantial funding mechanisms for wildfire victims. In his first year in 2019, Newsom signed legislation creating a $21 billion fund financed by utility shareholders and customers.1 Last year, Newsom and lawmakers agreed to add another $18 billion to that fund.1 The reforms come as major utilities face mounting pressure: Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy in 2019 following fires sparked by its equipment,1 and Southern California Edison faces claims from a 2025 fire that killed 19 people.1