AB 2037 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wildfire Mitigation Aging and Disability Grant Pilot Program.

Summary

Existing law, the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency and sets forth its mission to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or the least restrictive homelike environments. This bill would establish the Wildfire Mitigation Aging and Disability Grant Pilot Program to be administered by the California Department of Aging through specified area agencies on aging, including Planning and Service Areas 4, 29, and 33. Upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, the bill would award grants, based on specified criteria, to seniors and individuals with disabilities to mitigate against wildfires on properties they own that they would not otherwise be able to protect with existing resources. The bill would require the area agencies on aging to award grants on a competitive basis and would require applications to contain specified information, including proof of need. The bill would also authorize the grant funding to be used towards the costs associated with hiring contractors or other qualified service providers to perform wildfire mitigation activities. The bill would also require the area agencies on aging to retain specified information and report that information to the department upon the completion of the pilot program, including the number of applicants and the amount of money distributed. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2030, and would repeal these provisions on that date.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/23/26 - Amended Assembly → 05/18/26 - Amended Assembly · 4 edits · May 18, 2026

MODERATE

The most significant change removes the direct $1,000,000 General Fund appropriation and replaces it with language making program implementation contingent on a future legislative appropriation. This means the pilot program cannot begin until the Legislature separately appropriates funds. Secondary changes include fixing an eligibility term (removing 'senior citizen' in favor of 'older adult') and simplifying the reference to administering agencies.

FISCAL

Removed the direct appropriation of $1,000,000 from the General Fund. Replaced with a provision stating the program shall be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes. The program is now unfunded until a separate legislative action provides money.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed eligibility language from 'a senior citizen an older adult or individual with a disability' to 'an older adult or individual with a disability,' removing the redundant and likely erroneous inclusion of both 'senior citizen' and 'older adult.'

SCOPE

Simplified the administration provision by removing specific agency names (Area 4 Agency on Aging and El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging) and retaining only the reference to Planning and Service Areas 4, 29, and 33.

TECHNICAL

Updated the legislative counsel digest to reflect the new appropriation contingency language and corrected the vote/appropriation line formatting.

02/17/26 - Introduced → 04/09/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Apr 9, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2037 was amended to convert a statewide wildfire mitigation grant program for seniors and people with disabilities into a limited pilot program administered through two specific area agencies on aging (Area 4 Agency on Aging and El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging). The amendment adds a $1 million General Fund appropriation, requires reporting at the end of the pilot, and sets a sunset date of January 1, 2030. These changes narrow the program's geographic scope from statewide to two counties while making it self-funding with a defined expiration.

SCOPE

The program was renamed from 'Wildfire Mitigation Aging and Disability Grant Program' to 'Wildfire Mitigation Aging and Disability Grant Pilot Program,' signaling a limited, time-bound trial rather than a permanent statewide program.

Administration was changed from the California Department of Aging directly awarding grants statewide to the Department of Aging administering the program through only two entities: the Area 4 Agency on Aging and the El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging. This limits eligibility to residents served by those two agencies.

FISCAL

A new Section 9186 appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Aging to implement the program. The original bill had no appropriation and only operated 'upon an appropriation by the Legislature.'

TIMELINE

A new Section 9187 sets a sunset date: the chapter remains in effect only until January 1, 2030, and is repealed on that date.

REQUIREMENT

A new Section 9185 requires the area agencies on aging to retain specified information and report to the Department of Aging upon completion of the pilot program, including the number of applicants, the amount of money distributed, and the mitigation measures proposed by applicants.

ENFORCEMENT

The required vote threshold changed from a simple majority to a two-thirds majority, which is the constitutional requirement for bills that include an appropriation from the General Fund.

Floor votes · Assembly May 28, 2026

How they voted

74–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 79

May 28, 2026

D Democratic59

54 Yea 5

91% Yea

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jun 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

upper

May 28, 2026

Assembly · Passed

Assembly Vote: pass (74-0-5)

assembly

May 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0.)

lower

May 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

lower

May 14, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 21).

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on AGING & L.T.C.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on AGING & L.T.C. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on AGING & L.T.C.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors