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Dec. 2025 Legislative Update

Picture of Anika Kimme

Anika Kimme

Gov. Affairs Assitant

General Legislative Updates

Following the adjournment of the legislative session in September, SBC’s Government Affairs team is now preparing for the second year of the two-year session. In 2026, SBC intends to focus on four key policy issues:

  • Expanding the influence of the Wildfire Solutions Coalition, with an emphasis on allocating Prop 4 funding, discretionary appropriations from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, creating long-term funding pathways for wildfire resilience, and cultivating California’s next Wildfire Governor
  • Advancing California’s climate and energy policies, including the state’s carbon neutrality by 2045 goal and its commitment to regional energy efficiency programs
  • Codifying a regional approach to economic development that integrates a new generation of climate policy focused on building opportunity and resilience simultaneously
  • Increasing the availability and affordability of housing, including a potential 2026 housing bond

These policy issues all carry significant consequences for the Sierra and will also draw broader statewide attention in the coming year, especially amid funding cuts and increasing hostility from the federal government.

Wildfire Solutions Coalition

The Wildfire Solutions Coalition has had an active December, meeting with gubernatorial candidates and legislators and holding an end-of-year event in Sacramento. 

Last week, the Coalition met with gubernatorial candidate Xavier Beccera’s team and will meet with candidate Betty Yee this week. These meetings are part of the Coalition’s efforts to educate gubernatorial candidates about the need to scale targeted investment in wildfire resilience to avert the skyrocketing costs of inaction and ensure the next Governor of California is prepared to invest in wildfire resilience on day one in office. 

California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force

Our Director of Government & Community Affairs, Emily Blackmer, presented at the quarterly California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force meeting on Friday in Sacramento. Her presentation focused on the recommendations developed by SBC and the Watershed Research and Training Center on how California can grow and sustain the skilled workforce needed to protect communities and restore healthy landscapes in the face of wildfire.

To learn more about our recommendations on growing and supporting the wildfire resilience workforce, read the full report here.

Read More Recent Blogs

2026 Legislative Session: What It Means for Wildfire & Climate Resilience

September 22, 2026 No Comments

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.