California State Assembly Democratic Caucus

01/23/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/23/2025 21:39

Speaker Robert Rivas, California Lawmakers Approve Bipartisan Wildfire Package, Deliver Billions In Immediate Aid to Los Angeles

For immediate release:
Thursday, January 23, 2025

PASADENA - Speaker Robert Rivas joined community leaders, state legislators and emergency responders in Pasadena on Thursday as Governor Newsom signed a $2.5 billion package to provide immediate aid L.A. wildfire recovery.

The legislation, which passed with bipartisan support by the State Legislature earlier on Thursday, will:

  • Provide $2.5 billion in state funding for wildfire response and recovery to supplement the Governor's authority to respond to this disaster.
  • Include reporting requirements for both the public and the Legislature on wildfire-response spending.
  • accelerate planning for rebuilding damaged schools, and expedite building inspections and permits for rebuilding residences.

What Speaker Robert Rivas Says

"California leaders from both political parties are united and working together to provide L.A. with the immediate assistance and support they need. Today, we approved billions of dollars to help clean-up devastated neighborhoods, rebuild schools and put communities on a path to recovery. I thank the Governor, Pro Tem and my colleagues for moving with urgency. This is a first step, but we are committed to a full recovery and will stand with Angelenos until this work is done."

What Assembly Budget Committee Chair Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) Says

"Today, we are acting with urgency to deliver $2.5 billion in emergency aid to Southern California. Given the scale of the devastation, this is only the first of many actions that will be necessary to rebuild these communities. But we are committed to standing with impacted communities every step of the way. I am grateful to the Governor, the Speaker, the Assembly, and our colleagues in the Senate for working together to swiftly deliver these important resources. We remain entirely grateful to the firefighters and first responders who have worked tirelessly to protect our homes and families."

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