In recent years, our region has been devastated by catastrophic wildfires. Residents like you have shared firsthand anecdotes and valuable feedback to first responders and community leaders. Together, we have been combing through these ideas to increase our resiliency against future natural disasters.
During the Mountain Fire Community Meeting held at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, I shared with you my personal, vested interest in finding out how to keep more water for our firefighters in our systems as much as possible.
Assemblymember Bennett speaks to audience at Mountain Fire Community Meeting held at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, CA.
That's why I passed AB 367 which requires water purveyors in Ventura County to meet minimum standards for backup power to operate wells and pumps in case of a power shutoff.
AB 367 requires water districts to:
- top off their water tanks after notification from Ventura County Emergency Services,
- ensure prompt backup power is available to keep pumps working after power shutoffs, and
- fire harden appropriate water pumps and backup generators.
Assemblymember Bennett giving remarks at March 4, 2026 Wildfire Prevention Bill Package press conference.
This session, I and my fellow legislators introduced California's most comprehensive wildfire prevention package in state history. Six of my bills comprise the 13-bill package and tackle rising housing costs through home hardening incentives, community resilience, tax exemptions, and discounts on property insurance:
AB 1934 (2025-26): Home Hardening Certification Program
AB 1960 (2025-26): Wildfire Prevention Grants Program
AB 1964 (2025-26): County Recorder: Home Hardening
AB 1971 (2025-26): Home Hardening Retrofitting Improvements
AB 1986 (2025-26): Residential Property Insurance – Home Hardening
AB 2013 (2025-26): Water Suppliers – Emergency Preparedness Program
(Tip: Go to the Bill Analysis tab for each bill, and click the most recent document to get an easy-to-read digest of what the bill does.)
This robust package is in direct response to the devastation of the Mountain and L.A. fires. PBS published a compelling documentary about the resiliency and ongoing recovery of LA wildfire survivors. The last 15 minutes are clipped here, and you can stream the entire episode here.
Last year, I co-hosted a Wildfire Preparedness Town Hall with Supervisor Matt LaVere to bring state and local experts to our communities to share best practices on fire preparedness and response. You can watch the recording here, where the following resources were shared:
- Preparation Guides provided by Ventura County Fire Department
- No-Cost Home Wildfire Assessments, Firewise Communities, and Chipper Events by Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council
- Wildfire Resources from the California Department of Insurance
- Roadmap to Preparedness by United Policyholders
This Wildfire Preparedness Week, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with our legislation and these resources as we head into fire season. Thank you for doing your part to protect your home and your neighbors from wildfires.