California could be first in the nation to create smoke-damage standards

California could become the first state to establish smoke-damage standards, following the devastating January 2025 fires that destroyed over 16,000 structures. Two bills - Assembly Bill 1642 and Assembly Bill 1795 - are awaiting the governor's signature to create the first-in-the-nation testing and remediation standards for smoke damage.

The bills were passed in conjunction and the governor has until the end of the month to sign them both. Survivors of the fires have faced numerous challenges, including delayed and denied claims by insurers State Farm and the FAIR Plan. State Farm has been accused of denying environmental testing requests and failing to reimburse policyholders for testing they paid for themselves.

Ali's Altadena home remains standing but remains unlivable due to smoke damage. State Farm denied their request for environmental testing and refused to reimburse them for the $3,000 they spent out of pocket for testing and repairs. The insurance department has criticized both insurers for delaying and denying smoke-damage claims, leading to legal actions against them.