Articles by Romy Varghese

California Governor Says He’ll Veto So-Called Trump Insurance Bill

California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to veto a bill approved by the Democrat-controlled legislature that sought to preserve federal environmental and worker safety standards in the face of any Trump administration rollbacks. Under SB 1, if federal officials weaken certain …

Wildfire Help for PG&E, Edison May Not Be Ready When California Lawmakers Adjourn July 12

California’s biggest utilities, PG&E Corp., Edison International and Sempra Energy, may not get the help they need to deal with multi-billion dollar wildfire liabilities before lawmakers adjourn July 12 for recess. Governor Gavin Newsom signaled that pending legislation may not …

California Governor Wants Wildfire Fund to Help Utilities

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pressing lawmakers on a wildfire fund that may be financed through bonds to help utilities pay for the catastrophic blazes their power lines keep igniting, according to people familiar with the proposal. Newsom is proposing …

Bill to Give PG&E Relief from California Wildfire Burden Nears, But Long-Term Fix Elusive

PG&E Corp., suspected of starting California’s deadliest wildfire, may soon get help from state lawmakers – just not the help it most wants. An assemblyman plans to introduce a bill in January that would give the state’s largest utility owner …

Wildfire Relief for PG&E in California May Not Include Fix Utility Wants

PG&E Corp., suspected of starting California’s deadliest wildfire, may soon get help from state lawmakers – just not the help it most wants. As early as Dec. 3, a lawmaker plans to introduce a bill that would give the state’s …

Lawmaker in California Working on Fire Relief Legislation for PG&E

A bill that would help PG&E Corp. absorb liabilities from this year’s fatal wildfires in California is being drafted at the request of a state assemblyman who helped shepherd earlier legislation on the issue. Kellie Smith, an adviser to assemblyman …

California’s Governor: Insurance Fared Better in Wildfires Bill

California lawmakers didn’t go as far as Governor Jerry Brown wanted to address potential liabilities for utilities from wildfires, and the governor said that “it’s hard to say” if they ever would. Brown, citing longstanding practice, declined to say if …

California Legislators Dodge Action as Utility Frets on Fire Costs

As California’s lawmakers debated late Friday night under the statehouse capitol dome in Sacramento, the city’s utility district kept the lights on for them. But the legislators fell short for the electricity provider. Officials at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District …

Wildfires in California Are Mostly Burning in Rural Areas

Dry, hot and windy conditions are threatening to expand California’s largest wildfires, which so far are burning in largely rural areas, muting their economic impact. The fires, which have killed 12 people and burned an area almost as big as …

California Legislators Said to Consider Wildfire Relief Fund to Help Utilities

California lawmakers are said to be considering a proposal to help utilities shoulder billions of dollars in potential liability costs while offering relief to wildfire victims by setting up a compensation fund that would be backed by the state and …