Bay Area official introduces bill that would allow wildfire victims to sue oil companies
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A Bay Area elected official has introduced a bill that could allow California residents impacted by wildfires and other climate-related disasters to sue oil companies. Senate Bill 222 was introduced Monday by State Sen. Scott Weiner.
ICE agents were in downtown SF Friday, according to local official
SB 222, according to Weiner, would ensure that oil companies pay for 'the climate-fueled disasters that are burning and flooding California.'
'Californians are bearing these costs with explosive insurance premium increases that make CA less affordable,' Weiner added. 'That has to change.'
The bill would allow victims of fires and other climate disasters to seek damages from fossil fuel companies in court. It would also allow insurance companies to seek damage from oil companies 'so that increasing premiums isn't the only way to recoup losses.'
Finally, SB 222 would allow California's FAIR Plan, state-sponsored insurance that is a last resort for many homeowners in fire-prone areas, to seek damages from fossil fuel companies.
'Californians shouldn't be the only ones to pay the costs of devastating climate disasters,' Weiner said on X, formerly Twitter. 'From last year's floods to the fires in LA, we know that the fossil fuel industry bears ultimate responsibility for fueling these disasters.'
'The fossil fuel companies knew this was going to happen,' Weiner continued. 'They had the studies decades ago, suppressed them and obstructed policy changes to transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy.'
The bill, according to Weiner, would force fossil fuel companies 'to be part of the solution instead of dumping this burden on policyholders.' It will also help make people whole from losses from climate disasters and improve insurance affordability, Weiner said.
SB 222 was co-authored by State Sen. Sash Renee Perez (D-Pasadena) among others.
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