Gov Newsom Signs CA Disaster Preparedness Bill – But Protects Water Agencies From Liability

Gov Newsom Signs CA Disaster Preparedness Bill – But Protects Water Agencies From Liability

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1153 into law on September 29, 2026. Why is this notable, you ask? SB 1153 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced), “requires all urban retail water suppliers that serve a high or very-high fire hazard severity zone to include incident-specific response procedures for wildfires as part of their disaster preparedness plans beginning on January 1, 2028,” according to the Governor’s Department of Finance. “Th…