FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 14, 2026
CONTACT: Sam Villaneda, Samantha.Villaneda@asm.ca.gov, (760) 269-9391
Tom Steel, Tom.Steel@asm.ca.gov, (530) 713-7783
Asm Harabedian's Wildfire Home Safety Measure Heads to Assembly Floor After Key Committee Vote
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – AB 1642, authored by Assemblymember John Harabedian (D - Pasadena), has advanced out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and now moves to the Assembly Floor, marking a major step forward in strengthening protections for wildfire survivors returning to their homes.
As communities continue to recover from the Eaton and Palisades fires, many residents are still facing a difficult and often invisible challenge: uncertainty about whether their homes are safe to reoccupy. In areas impacted by wildland urban interface (WUI) fires, smoke and residue can carry complex health risks, yet California still lacks consistent, enforceable standards for post-fire home testing and clearance.
AB 1642 seeks to close the gap by establishing a uniform, science-driven framework for evaluating and clearing homes after wildfire exposure. The legislation centers public health expertise and engineering science in re-occupancy decisions, replacing today’s patchwork of private assessments and inconsistent practices with clear statewide standards.
“Moving out of Appropriations is a critical milestone,” said Assemblymember John Harabedian. “Families deserve clear, reliable answers about whether their homes are safe. This bill ensures those decisions are grounded in science and public health.”
Without a statewide system in place, many survivors have been left to navigate complex testing and remediation decisions on their own, often while under financial strain and emotional stress.
AB 1642 now advances to the Assembly Floor for a vote in the coming two weeks.
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Assemblymember John Harabedian represents the 41st District composed of the cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Oak Hills, Piñon Hills and Phelan.
