SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SR 61
Office of Senate Floor Analyses
(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478
THIRD READING
Bill No: SR 61
Author: Pérez (D), et al.
Introduced: 8/18/25
Vote: Majority
SUBJECT: Building Resiliency
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This resolution declares its support for strengthening building
resiliency as a key strategy to reduce risk from wildfires, earthquakes, extreme
heat, sea level rise, and other hazards intensified by climate change
ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1) Building resiliency involves a broad spectrum of strategies, including
defensible space, home hardening, land use planning, energy performance, fire-
resistant design, and the use of noncombustible materials that are durable and
less likely to contribute to ignition or structural loss during disasters.
2) As the conditions for wildfires and other extreme events such as droughts,
floods, heat waves, and sea level rise intensify due to climate change, California
must enhance the resiliency of its built environment to protect lives, safeguard
communities, ensure the integrity of infrastructure, and reduce recovery costs.
3) California continues to experience the devastating impacts of wildfires, with 9
of the 10 largest fires in state history occurring in the past decade, including the
2020 August Complex Fire, which burned over 1 million acres.
4) The economic and social costs of wildfires are staggering, with the 2017 and
2018 California fire seasons alone causing more than $40 billion in damages,
including over $25 billion in insured losses, as well as long-term disruptions to
communities, housing markets, public health, and the state’s insurance system.
5) Improving building resiliency through code updates, material choices, home
hardening measures, and incentives for risk-reducing construction practices will
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not only reduce losses and save lives, but also support long-term housing
stability, affordability, and climate adaptation.
This resolution encourages public and private stakeholders to adopt resilient
construction practices, including the use of noncombustible materials, particularly
in high-risk and Wildland-Urban Interface areas, to reduce structural loss, improve
insurance viability, and enhance community safety.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
SUPPORT: (Verified 8/27/25)
None received
OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/27/25)
None received
Prepared by: Hunter Flynn / SFA / (916) 651-1520
8/27/25 16:11:04
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