Convening the Sierra – Fall 2026
September 25, 2026
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Join SBC at these Upcoming Events Across the Region
As the second year of the legislative session enters full swing, SBC has been busy advocating in the Capitol for legislative and budget priorities related to wildfire resilience, climate bond funding, and housing. Here are some highlights from the past month:
SBC President Steve Frisch testified on AB 2513 (Petrie-Norris) at the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on April 6. AB 2513 would strengthen California’s wildfire resilience strategy by authorizing a number of state agencies to fund regional landscape block grants, and it would also expand state law to include chaparral and shrubland ecosystems in wildfire prevention and forest health programs, ensuring wildfire resilience resources reach landscapes across the state. AB 2513 passed through the Assembly Natural Resources Committee with no opposition and is now in the Appropriations Committee.
Wildfire Solutions Coalition Coordinator Brooke Rose provided public comment on behalf of the Coalition at recent hearings held by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation and the Senate Budget Subcommittee 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy. Brooke urged policymakers to recognize the importance of wildfire resilience by maintaining the $200 million dedicated to wildfire resilience in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and increasing Prop 4 appropriations to $500 million this year.
SBC has also been working closely on two bills to help the state address the wildfire crisis: AB 1666 (Rogers) and SB 1297 (Allen). AB 1666, also known as the Biomass Innovation Parks Act, would promote the sustainable use of wood waste by establishing biomass innovation parks. SB 1297 would expand opportunities for public-private partnerships to finance the implementation of wildfire resilience strategies for landscapes, communities, and buildings. Both bills are set for policy committee hearings this week; AB 1666 was referred to two committees and already passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
On the housing front, SBC spent a day in Sacramento on behalf of the Truckee Tahoe Workforce Agency (TTWHA), meeting with legislators and staff on the need to pass the Affordable Housing Bond (AB 736 and SB 417) to provide critical housing funding for the state and other TTWHA policy priorities, including the importance of expanding workforce and missing middle housing.
With bills advancing through policy and fiscal committees and the May budget revision around the corner, SBC remains actively engaged in representing Sierra Nevada priorities in Sacramento.
Join SBC at these Upcoming Events Across the Region
Two SNEW services that are often requested by Sierra Nevada public agencies are energy benchmarking (sometimes including AB 802 reporting for buildings
California’s 2026-27 legislative session wrapped up September 1 after a turbulent final week of negotiations over wildfire policy, funding, and the state budget. While a last-minute proposal on wildfire liability ultimately stalled, the Legislature did restore and increase funding for climate resilience through Proposition 4 and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)—a meaningful outcome for Sierra communities amid a challenging state budget year.
The final plan includes $329.5 million for wildfire and forest resilience through Prop 4 and $118 million for wildfire prevention through GGRF. While these investments are an improvement over the June budget, wildfire resilience funding remains near historic lows, with no clear plan for sustained investment in future years.
Read more about the final budget, Prop 4 and GGRF allocations, and what’s next for wildfire and climate resilience in the Sierra.