ALTADENA — California passed two bills on Monday establishing standards for testing and remediating smoke contamination in homes after wildfires. The state is poised to become the first U.S. state to set standards for smoke contamination risk in homes after wildfires.

Harabedian represents Altadena, an area heavily impacted by recent fire events. Eaton Fire Survivors United partnered with Harabedian’s office to create and push for the bills.

The insurance industry opposed the legislation during the legislative process. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association said the final bills represent a step forward toward clearer guidance on smoke-related claims.

The bills next go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk to sign into law. Gov. Gavin Newsom has not formally signaled whether he will sign the bills.

Why It Matters

FEMA has issued 483 federal disaster declarations for fire incidents in California since the programme began. The scale of these disasters has created a large population of homeowners facing complex recovery processes without uniform state-level technical standards for smoke residue.

The legislation establishes a regulatory framework where none previously existed, affecting how insurers process claims and how agencies conduct environmental testing. This shift moves decision-making from individual insurer assessments to state-defined scientific metrics for re-occupancy.

Timeline

On January 9, 2025, the Eaton Fire burned about 9,400 homes and structures. On the same date, the Eaton Fire killed 19 people.

On August 31, 2026, the California State Senate passed Assembly Bill 1642, which establishes standards for testing and remediating lead and asbestos in homes after wildfires, as reported by Pasadenanow. On that date, Harabedian stated that "AB 1642 is a first-in-the-nation setting of standards for testing, remediation, and restoration for any residential property that has been affected by a wildfire."

Also on August 31, 2026, Harabedian noted that its companion bill, 1795, will ensure that insurance companies will use those standards for testing and remediation when processing insurance claims for homes that were affected by a wildfire.

The bills require California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control and Air Resources Board to develop regulations on contaminants to address after a wildfire, how environmental testing should be conducted, and when homes are ready for re-occupancy. Harabedian stated that many families haven’t been able to resolve these disputes because there is no objective metric, there is no actual goalpost, and there is no certainty.

What's New

Assembly Member John Harabedian responded to the passage of AB 1642, stating that Eaton Fire survivors know that any decision to return home must be guided by science, not insurance company guesswork, as reported by Pasadenanow.

The United States Department of Justice has determined the cause of the Eaton Fire to be high voltage power lines operated by electrical utility Southern California Edison, and sued for damages. California is state of the United States of America.