,i #aah? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ajebc ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,decemb] #ai1 #bjbd,mr4 ,curtis introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,transportation & ,infra/ructure1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$ ,a ,,bill ,to e/abli% & c>ry out a ,f$]al ,wildfire ,relief ,fund4 #a4 ,%ort ,title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,f$]al ,wildfire ,relief ,act ( #bjbd4 #b4 ,decl>ation ,! ,presid5t1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,f$]al ,em]g5cy ,managem5t ,ag5cy1 %all be requir$ to decl>e a wildfire z a cata/rophic wildfire1 = relief to be available "u ?is ,act4 #c4 ,e/abli%m5t ( ! f$]al wildfire relief fund 7a7 ,9 ,g5]al ,! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,f$]al ,em]g5cy ,managem5t ,ag5cy %all e/abli% & c>ry out a ,f$]al ,wildfire ,relief ,fund1 "u :i* ! ,adm9i/rator %all ensure-- 7#a7 ,! adjudication ( claims = comp5sation = damage by a qualify+ wildfire "u subsections 7d71 7e71 & 7f72 7#b7 ,comp5sation is provid$ 9 accordance ) subsections 7d71 7e71 & 7f72 & 7#c7 ,review1 p]iodically & aft] ! occurr5ce ( a cata/rophic wildfire1 ( ! compliance ( electric utilities 7z def9$ by section #c7d7 ( ! ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act ( #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfjb7d777 seek+ to access ! ,electricity ,transmission ,liability ,%ield4 7b7 ,claims = qualify+ wildfires 7#a7 ,au?ority ( ,adm9i/rator ,! ,adm9i/rator %all1 on behalf ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 inve/igate1 consid]1 asc]ta91 adju/1 det]m9e1 grant1 d5y1 or settle any claim = money damages ass]t$ by /ructure own]s1 insur]s1 & cov]$ utilities4 7#b7 ,indep5d5t ,claims ,manag] ,^u a det]m9ation by ! ,adm9i/rator t a p>ticul> wildfire qualifies z a cata/rophic wildfire1 ! ,adm9i/rator may appo9t an indep5d5t claims manag] to det]m9e ! appropriate comp5sation = ea* claim aris+ f su* cata/rophic wildfire & to di/ribute comp5sation4 7c7 ,cov]$ utility compliance ) a f$]al wildfire mitigation plan or /ate approv$ wildfire mitigation plan ,to qualify = comp5sation "u ?is ,act1 ! ,adm9i/rator %all det]m9e :e!r a claimant meets ! foll[+ requirem5ts3 7#a7 ,f$]al or ,/ate ,approv$ ,wildfire ,mitigation ,plans ,! cov]$ utility = :i* comp5sation is be+ s\ght 0 9 compliance ) ,/ate approv$ wildfire mitigation plans or a ,f$]al wildfire mitigation plan e/abli%$ "u subsection 7i74 7#b7 ,adequate ,insurance ,! damag$ /ructure = :i* comp5sation is be+ s\ght 0 adequately insur$ = n less ?an #ej p]c5t ( ! value ( ! /ructure4 7d7 ,comp5sation ( /ructure own]s 7#a7 ,v]ification process ,! ,adm9i/rator %all e/abli% a process = ! v]ification ( /ructure damage1 insurance cov]age1 & o!r relevant in=mation4 7#b7 ,claim ,am\nt ,! am\nt ( ea* claim %all n exce$ ! am\nt ( ! total /ructure1 less-- 7,a7 ! am\nt aw>d$ to a /ructure own] = su* damages by a ,/ate wildfire recov]y fund2 & 7,b7 ! am\nt aw>d$ to a /ructure own] = su* damage by a private insur] or cov]$ utility4 7#c7 ,comp5sation limits ,/ructure own]s %all be comp5sat$ up to #be p]c5t ( _! un9sur$ losses1 subject to a #ej p]c5t maximum ( _! insur$ losses up to #a1jjj1jjjj4 7#d7 ,deadl9e = ,comp5sation ,n lat] t #ahj days aft] ! date on :i* a claim is submitt$ "u ?is ,act1 ! ,adm9i/rator %all det]m9e & fix ! am\nt ( comp5sation1 if any1 to be paid = ! claim4 7#e7 ,advance paym5ts ,at ! reque/ ( a claimant1 ! ,adm9i/rator may make #a or m advance or p>tial paym5ts be=e ! f9al settlem5t ( a claim1 subject to a prelim9>y approval & a requirem5t t repaym5t %all be requir$ if ! claim is reject$4 7e7 ,comp5sation ( insur]s ,an insur] ( any /ructure own] receiv+ comp5sation "u ?is section may receive comp5sation ( up to #aj p]c5t ( ! insur]'s losses on insur$ /ructures meet+ ,f$]al or ,/ate approv$ wildfire mitigation plans "u subsection 7c74 7f7 ,comp5sation ( ,cov]$ ,utilities 7#a7 ,recov]$ ,a cov]$ utility s]vic+ any /ructure receiv+ comp5sation "u ?is section may receive comp5sation f ! ,fund ( su* am\nt z ! ,adm9i/rator det]m9es = ! losses incurr$ by ! cov]$ utility = ! paym5t ( /ructure own] claims4 7#b7 ,limitation to c]ta9 claimants ,comp5sation au?oriz$ "u ?is subsection %all n exce$ #aj p]c5t ( ! value ( ! cov]$ utility's gross assets4 7g7 ,volunt>y ,p>ticipation 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,p>ticipation 9 & receipt ( comp5sation f ! ,fund %all be volunt>y = /ructure own]s & cov]$ utilities4 7#b7 ,waiv] ( ,claims ,to receive comp5sation "u ?is section1 /ructure own]s or insur]s %all be requir$ to waive claims aga9/ a cov]$ utility 9 reg>ds to damages /emm+ f ! unique cata/rophic wildfire ev5t4 7h7 ,limitation ( liability ,subject to compliance ) ,f$]al & ,/ate approv$ wildfire mitigation plans1 liability = damages relat+ to qualify+ cata/rophic wildfires %all be limit$ = cov]$ utility op]ators to no great] ?an #aj p]c5t ( ! value ( ! gross assets ( ! cov]$ utility4 7i7 ,wildfire mitigation op]at+ proc$ures 7#a7 ,/ate approv$ op]at+ plans ,cov]$ ,utility ,wildfire ,mitigation & ,op]at+ ,proc$ures approv$ by ! /ate w be ! /&>d 9 t /ate = access to ! ,fund4 7,a7 ,cov]$ utilities may submit _! approv$ /ate plan to ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission4 7,b7 ,cov]$ utilities t h significant or prolong$ p]iods ( noncompliance ) submitt+ _! /ate approv$ wildfire mitigation op]at+ proc$ure w be ineligible to access ! liability %ield4 7#b7 ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission ,te*nical ,conf]5ce 7,a7 ,! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory ,commission %all e/abli% a process by :i* cov]$ utilities c get _! utility wildfire mitigation op]ation plan approv$ if _! /ate does n already h a mitigation plan4 7j7 ,f$]al jurisdiction ov] claims relat$ to comp5sation = qualify+ cata/rophic wildfires ,claims s\ght outside ( ! p>amet]s ( ! ,fund1 su* z cov]$ claims available "u ,/ate law "u :i* a ,/ate c\rt w\ld h jurisdiction %all be ! exclusive jurisdiction ( a regionally appropriate ,f$]al claims c\rt4 #d4 ,o!r f$]al wildfire relief fund limitations 7a7 ,exclusion ,! ,fund %all n comp5sate = claims reque/+ comp5sation = p]sonal injuries or wrongful dea?s4 7b7 ,habitable dwell+s ,! ,fund %all comp5sate only = ! loss or damage ( physical dwell+ or bus9ess /ructures t 7 deem$ suitable = habitation or use at ! "t ( ! fire4 7c7 ,no cap ,comp5sation ( damages via ! ,fund %all n be subject to a cap = any p>ticul> qualify+ cata/rophic wildfire relat$ to repaym5t ( a cov]$ utility4 #e4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,cata/rophic wildfire ,! t]m cata/rophic wildfire means a wildfire occurr+ on or aft] ! effective date ( ?is ,act t damages or de/roys m ?an #ejj resid5tial or comm]cial /ructures or causes m ?an #ej1jjj1jjj 9 damages1 or z o!rwise det]m9$ by ! ,adm9i/rator4 7#b7 ,adm9i/rator ,! t]m ,adm9i/rator means ! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,f$]al ,em]g5cy ,managem5t ,ag5cy1 or if a manag] is appo9t$1 ! manag]4 7#c7 ,cov]$ utility ,! t]m cov]$ utility means any electric utility or company t o!rwise owns1 op]ates1 or ma9ta9s electric transmission1 di/ribution1 g5]ation1 or en]gy /orage equipm5t4