Baron & Budd Fights for Fire Victims before California Legislative Conference Committee
11 August 2018 - 9:18AM
Business Wire
Shareholder John Fiske testifies on inverse condemnation, urges
Senate to maintain constitutional protection for property owners,
municipalities
Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that
its shareholder, John Fiske, testified before the California State
Legislature to denounce Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate
the constitutional rights provided to fire victims through inverse
condemnation. Inverse condemnation is the constitutional, no fault
cause of action that helps facilitate efficient resolution in the
aftermath of utility-caused wildfires. The State Conference
Committee heard testimony today on S.B. 901, to address wildfire
preparedness and response.
According to Fiske’s testimony, the Governor’s proposed changes
to inverse condemnation have a direct impact on thousands of
wildfire survivors, including hundreds of business owners,
ranchers, farmers, and the 7,000 families who lost their homes
because it will deny these victims of their constitutional rights
to just compensation and a jury trial against the power companies
who are allegedly responsible for causing the 2017 fires throughout
the state.
“We strongly urge this committee to focus its efforts on
prevention and public safety. If this committee believes that
securitization is an option, or that pass through requires
clarification, we are prepared to assist in that conversation,”
said Fiske. “But we cannot support any package that removes the
constitutional protection for homeowners, businesses, ranchers,
farmers, and public entities.”
After presenting prepared remarks, Fiske engaged in a Q&A
session with Senate Committee members, including Sen. Ben Hueso
(D-San Diego), who questioned if the wildfires were caused by
climate change. Fiske quickly retorted, “I think we’re here today
at this hearing because PG&E is asking for some sort of
bailout.”
In recent months, corporate executives from Pacific Gas &
Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) lobbied
the Governor and California State Legislature to limit fire
victims’ ability to receive compensation for damages cause by the
2017 fires. PG&E spent $2.2 million on lobbying in
2018—triple the amount of what it spent in the first half of 2017.
Between April and June 2018, PG&E reported spending $1.1
million specifically on lobbying for wildfire legislation.
Baron & Budd represent thousands of fire victims including
hundreds of business owners, ranchers, farmers and approximately 25
public entities. Earlier this year, the firm successfully
petitioned the Judicial Council of California for a Judicial
Council Coordinated Proceeding (“JCCP”) to coordinate all cases
against Southern California Edison arising from the 2017 Thomas and
Rye Fires and to separately coordinate all cases against PG&E
arising from the 2017 North Bay Fires.
ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.
The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., with offices in Dallas,
Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego, is a
nationally recognized law firm with a nearly 40-year history of
"Protecting What's Right" for people, communities and businesses
harmed by negligence. Baron & Budd's size and resources enable
the firm to take on large and complex cases. The firm represents
individuals and government and business entities in areas as
diverse as dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices,
environmental contamination, the Gulf oil spill, financial fraud,
overtime violations, deceptive advertising, automotive defects,
trucking accidents, nursing home abuse, and asbestos-related
illnesses such as mesothelioma.
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Baron & Budd, P.C.Monica Cordova, 214-523-6633