AJR27 - Federal disaster aid: 2025 Los Angeles fires.

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 27 CHAPTER 158 Relative to federal disaster aid. [ Filed with Secretary of State August 10, 2026. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 27, Harabedian. Federal disaster aid: 2025 Los Angeles fires. This measure would call on the President of the United States to immediately submit a supplemental disaster declaration to the United States Congress to unlock funding for disaster aid and would also call upon the United States Congress to approve supplemental aid to support the County of Los Angeles, regardless of whether it receives a request from the president. Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill Text WHEREAS, On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre, and the Palisades Fire in the County of Los Angeles, began forcing evacuations and devastating communities in the County of Los Angeles; and WHEREAS, The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,413 structures, burned 14,021 acres, and caused 19 deaths in Altadena and nearby communities, and the Palisades Fire destroyed 6,833 structures, burned 23,707 acres, and caused 12 deaths; and WHEREAS, These historic firestorms in the County of Los Angeles forced nearly 192,000 residents to evacuate their homes, and many of those people have been unable to return; and WHEREAS, The Eaton Fire devastated a historically Black community in Altadena and had its greatest impacts in neighborhoods with high concentrations of Black families; and WHEREAS, In the immediate aftermath of the fires, the County of Los Angeles received federal support following a major disaster declaration by President Joseph R. Biden on January 8, 2025; and WHEREAS, This real-time federal support to California included aid provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United States Small Business Administration and hazardous debris cleanup performed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers; and WHEREAS, On January 23, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 4 of the 2025–26 First Extraordinary Session and Senate Bill 3 of the 2025–26 First Extraordinary Session, passed by the Legislature with broad bipartisan support, to provide over $2.5 billion in immediate disaster relief funding, including emergency response activities, debris removal and cleanup, and hazard assessments; and WHEREAS, On January 24, 2025, President Donald J. Trump demanded California make unrelated policy changes as a condition for receiving further federal aid, including implementing voter identification laws. Some Republican leaders in Congress indicated support for this unprecedented demand; and WHEREAS, On February 21, 2025, Governor Newsom sent a formal request letter to Congress, as well as a separate letter to the Trump administration, requesting a supplemental appropriation of $39,680,737,878 for disaster funding to aid the County of Los Angeles in recovery; and WHEREAS, The aid requested by Governor Newsom would support further hazardous waste and debris removal, housing and infrastructure repair, targeted tax relief, housing tax credits, business loans and grants, future fire risk mitigation, and numerous other forms of assistance to fire survivors; and WHEREAS, Federal assistance is critical to ensure the County of Los Angeles has all the necessary resources to fund the rebuilding of homes, schools, and community facilities, support the local economy, and repair infrastructure damage; and WHEREAS, Fire survivors in the County of Los Angeles are facing the end of mortgage forbearance periods, adding urgency to the need for support; and WHEREAS, Governor Newsom has repeatedly reiterated the aid request in letters to the White House and Congress, and has revised the request to reflect changes in fiscal conditions; and WHEREAS, On December 3, 2025, Governor Newsom sent a second addendum and revised request totaling $33,943,967,878, a decrease of over $5.7 billion based on work already paid out; and WHEREAS, The full bipartisan California congressional delegation has supported federal aid for recovery in the County of Los Angeles, including through a January 7, 2026, letter signed by all sitting California members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate; and WHEREAS, Meeting the recovery needs of the County of Los Angeles will require supplemental aid, and that cannot be provided without commitment and followthrough from Congress and President Trump; and WHEREAS, President Trump has refused to respond to California’s request and has failed to submit a funding proposal to Congress; and WHEREAS, Congress and Presidents of both parties have historically approved supplemental aid after natural disasters with bipartisan support and no conditions, including aiding Florida after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature calls on the President of the United States to immediately submit a supplemental disaster declaration to the United States Congress to unlock funding; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the United States Congress to approve supplemental aid to support the County of Los Angeles, regardless of whether it receives a request from the President of the United States; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.