In an effort to help address California’s growing insurance crisis, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) on Friday announced the formation of the Senate’s Insurance Working Group.

The group is tasked with finding legislative pathways to help stabilize the insurance market for homeowners and consumers across the state, and explore how we can reduce the risk of homes lost to wildfires.

“California is making historic investments to reduce fire risk, make our communities more fire safe, and aggressively respond to wildfire. That said, despite these massive investments, and along with the solutions Governor Newsom and Commissioner Lara have implemented, more must — and can — be done to stabilize the market. Too many Californians are being left without options to protect their families and insure their life possessions,” McGuire said. “I’m incredibly grateful to these Senators who have stepped up and will be working hard to tackle the state’s insurance crisis and find additional real, meaningful solutions to meet this moment.”

Members of the group include Co-Chairs Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Insurance Committee Chair Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson), Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa), Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), and Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego).

The news comes two days after Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara released additional details of his plan to increase the writing of homeowners and commercial insurance policies in areas of the state with high wildfire risk and so transform the insurance market, as Lake County News has reported.