§ 972. — 972. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 541, Sec. 1.)

In evaluating grant proposals pursuant to this article, the department shall give priority to projects that demonstrate one or more of the following:
(a)
A benefit to disadvantaged communities determined under Sections 39711 and 39713 of the Health and Safety Code, vulnerable communities as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340 of the Public Resources Code, and where insurance access has become a major challenge for the public due to wildfire risk.
(b)
Assistance to state and local governments in protecting communities from devastating wildfire disasters and promoting equitable recovery.
(c)
An educational benefit for California students to train a future workforce in the effective use of available data and modeling tools for planning, risk analysis and reduction, and actuarial approaches, with a focus on collaboration between multiple universities and public higher education institutions.
(d)
The availability for use by governments and others in running scenarios to help reduce the risks of loss of life and property.
(e)
The availability of publicly accessible information useful for property-level risk assessments with
sufficient detail to be useful for community and property mitigation planning, focusing on reducing the primary risk factors for wildfire catastrophes, including property- and community-level actions.
(f)
The understanding of environmental factors that affect the risk of loss, including extreme temperatures, drought, and other conditions.
(g)
The ability to improve consumer information, relief, transparency, and understanding about catastrophe modeling.

Legislative History

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 541, Sec. 1. (SB 429) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Section 978.