New Polling Shows 7 Out of 10 Californians Oppose Utility Bailout Limiting Wildfire Survivors' Legal Rights, says Consumer Watchdog

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New polling from Hart Research finds that large majorities of California voters oppose limiting the legal rights of wildfire survivors to recover monetary damages from a utility company that caused a wildfire, even when told it is necessary to stabilize utility finances and prevent rate hikes.

When asked about limiting wildfire survivors' legal rights, 71% oppose the proposal. When respondents are told limiting survivors' rights would stabilize industry finances and prevent utility rate hikes, the proposal is still opposed by 63% of voters. Combining two versions of the response, 68% overall oppose the bailout proposal.  Opposition is consistent across party lines.

"Taking away wildfire survivors' legal rights to recover from utilities that start wildfires is less popular than even Donald Trump is in California," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. "Bailing out the utilities on the backs of wildfire survivors could be a career ending move for legislators and Governor Newsom.

Read the memo summarizing the results.

Governor Newsom has proposed limiting wildfire survivors' legal rights, including their rights for non economic damages, in the last two and half weeks of the legislative session. No bill has been put in print yet. A report from Consumer Watchdog documents the $366 million in political influence utilities have wielded during Newsom's administration, including nearly $1 million directly to Newsom's causes and campaigns.

The poll was conducted with a representative statewide cross section of California voters between August 1 and August 4 by Geoff Garin of Hart Research.

The proposal is rejected by large majorities of both Becerra supporters (70% oppose, including 37% strongly oppose) and Hilton supporters (62% oppose, 43% strongly oppose).

The proposal is opposed by over 60% of voters in every region of the state, in every age group, and across genders, ethnicity, and income levels, based on the combined responses to the two versions. Opposition is especially high among voters under age 50 (74% oppose) and voters with a post-graduate degree (72% oppose). Sixty-six percent of homeowners are opposed to the proposal, as are 68% of renters.

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog