SACRAMENTO: On Wednesday, Assemblywoman Marie Waldron announced that the Assembly Republican Caucus is launching a massive effort to combat wildfires, just as the state appears to be headed into a drought.
“My colleagues and I are introducing a robust 16-bill legislative package offering critical solutions to address four main areas: Saving lives while protecting property and animals, securing funding, protecting the environment and allowing essential mitigation efforts through vegetation management,” Assemblywoman Waldron said..
• Saving lives, as well as protecting property and animals:
AB 497 (Waldron), provides grants for vegetation removal equipment to local fire agencies, fire protection districts and tribal fire entities located in high fire risk areas for use on back country roadways. AB 926 (Mathis), AB 952 (Mathis), AB 1103 (Dahle), AB 1154 (Patterson)
• Slowing the spread of wildfires and reducing their severity with proper vegetation management:
AB 267 (Valladares), AB 380 (Seyarto), AB 431 (Patterson), AB 522 (Fong), AB 910 (Bigelow), AB 912 (Bigelow)
• Protecting the environment and fighting climate change:
AB 575 (Fong), AB 1519 (Gallagher)
• Securing funding:
AB 297 (Gallagher), AB 648 (Fong), AB 1249 (Gallagher)
This multi-pronged effort includes a messaging campaign designed to inform the public and Sacramento insiders about the harmful effects of wildfires and to propose these common-sense fixes that will greatly mitigate wildfire destruction.
For questions about specific bills, please contact author offices.
Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R-Escondido, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the communities of Bonsall, Escondido, Fallbrook, Hidden Meadows, Rainbow, San Marcos, Temecula, Valley Center and Vista.
