The proposal could create a state process for measuring wildfire restitution shortfalls, but it would not automatically issue checks or guarantee full payment.
THE SHORT ANSWER
As enrolled on September 4, 2026, AB 2700 would require the California Public Utilities Commission to assess verified restitution shortfalls from utility-caused wildfires before July 12, 2019 and recommend payment mechanisms by January 1, 2028. It would not itself send additional money to Camp Fire survivors. The bill expressly says the CPUC could not implement the recommended mechanisms without further statutory authorization. Survivors should preserve their Fire Victim Trust determination and payment records, follow official bill and Trust updates, and avoid assuming that a headline creates a new claim, reopens an old one, or guarantees the remaining percentage.
Why AB 2700 matters in Paradise and Butte County
Camp Fire survivors have spent years navigating bankruptcy, insurance, rebuilding, taxes, documentation, and Fire Victim Trust distributions. In early September 2026, local reporting described a new legislative effort aimed at the gap between Trust awards and payments. KRCR reported that many survivors had received approximately 70% of their approved awards and that AB 2700 had passed the Legislature.
The official bill page shows that AB 2700 was enrolled on September 4, 2026, after passage in the Senate and Assembly. Enrolled does not mean that survivors should expect an immediate payment. The bill's text creates a reporting and recommendation process, and its status must be rechecked immediately before publication.
What AB 2700 would require
If enacted in its enrolled form, AB 2700 would add Public Utilities Code section 719.3. It would require the California Public Utilities Commission, by January 1, 2028, to generate a report assessing “verified restitution shortfalls” for victims of wildfires caused by electrical corporations before July 12, 2019. The report would also recommend mechanisms for addressing those shortfalls.
For PG&E wildfire victims from 2015 through 2018 whose claims were handled through the bankruptcy process, the bill defines full compensation by reference to 100% of the verified economic and noneconomic losses shown in Fire Victim Trust determination notices. The recommended mechanisms would need to consider proportional incremental payments when immediate full payment is not feasible, along with timelines and benchmarks.
The bill states that the recommended mechanisms may not authorize rate recovery for restitution payments. Instead, the CPUC would consider approaches such as deferred or reduced shareholder dividends, retained earnings or equity contributions, bonds or other debt mechanisms, existing wildfire-related financial structures where permissible, and other tools intended to preserve utility stability while compensating victims.
What the bill would not do
It would not automatically pay the remaining balance
AB 2700 would require a report and recommendations. It does not appropriate a specific pool of money or direct a specific additional percentage to each survivor upon enactment.
It would not authorize the CPUC to implement the mechanisms by itself
The enrolled text expressly says the commission may not implement the recommended restitution mechanisms unless a later statute gives explicit authorization. That means additional legislative action could be necessary after the report.
It would not necessarily create or reopen an individual civil claim
The bill addresses a policy and restitution framework. It should not be read as automatically reviving a missed deadline, changing a release, reopening a finalized claim, or replacing individualized legal advice about insurance, bankruptcy, taxes, liens, or other disputes.
It would not make every survivor's payment history identical
A survivor's determination notice, accepted award, payments, liens, fees, assignments, and other case-specific records may differ. Any later mechanism would need official implementation details before anyone could calculate an individual result.
What the Fire Victim Trust reports today
The Fire Victim Trust's official progress page states that the Trust was established through PG&E's bankruptcy to compensate victims of the 2015 Butte, 2017 North Bay, and 2018 Camp Fires. As of August 31, 2026, the Trust reported $19.57 billion awarded in determination notices and $13.72 billion paid to claimants. It also reported that 66,171 eligible claimants had been paid.
The Trust explains that it used a pro rata process because the fund was limited and distributed money as assets became available. Its publicly reported pro rata percentage increased to 70% effective in October 2024. Those figures help explain the policy problem AB 2700 targets, but they do not alone establish what any claimant is still owed after accounting for that person's complete file.
What survivors can do while the proposal develops
Preserve the determination and distribution record
Keep every determination notice, acceptance, release, payment statement, lien communication, tax document, escrow statement, and attorney accounting. Download records from any portal before access changes. Maintain both digital and paper copies.
Track official sources, not social-media summaries
Follow the California Legislative Information page for bill status, the CPUC if a reporting process begins, and the Fire Victim Trust for Trust-specific updates. Headlines may accurately describe political momentum while still compressing the important distinction between a proposed report and an authorized payment.
Do not pay anyone to “unlock” a payment
New legislation can attract scams. Do not give a caller portal credentials, banking information, or an upfront fee based only on a promise of faster restitution. Verify requests through official contact information already published by the responsible agency or Trust.
Separate restitution questions from other legal or financial issues
Insurance disputes, tax treatment, liens, probate, trust administration, bankruptcy releases, and potential new wildfire claims are different issues. A professional should review the actual documents and stay within the area of advice they are qualified to provide.
The Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley's connection to the Camp Fire
This topic is not abstract for the firm. As we state on our Camp Fire practice page: clients and employees lost homes in the disaster. The firm has worked with questions involving fire injuries, wrongful death, property damage, insurance claims, and potential liability.
Our local experience helps survivors organize the right documents and distinguish among a Trust-distribution question, an insurance problem, and other legal issues. It does not mean that every survivor has a new claim or that the firm can change a Trust decision. A useful consultation should identify the issue accurately, explain what process controls it, and be candid when a different professional or official channel is the appropriate next step.
Survivors who face a separate delayed or denied insurance claim may also need an evaluation focused on policy language, communications, deadlines, and damages. The firm's broader personal-injury and insurance-related practice provides a starting point for identifying the correct category.
Frequently asked questions
Has AB 2700 become law?
As of September 4, 2026, the official page showed the bill as enrolled after passage by both chambers. Its final status must be verified on the day the article is published.
Would AB 2700 immediately pay Camp Fire survivors the remaining 30%?
No. The enrolled text calls for a CPUC report and recommendations by January 1, 2028. It does not itself issue payments, and implementation of recommended mechanisms would require explicit statutory authorization.
Should survivors file a new Fire Victim Trust claim?
The Trust's original claims process and deadlines are separate from AB 2700. Do not assume the bill creates a new filing period. Consult official Trust information or qualified counsel about a specific file.
What records are most important?
Start with the determination notice, acceptance or release, payment and escrow statements, attorney accounting, lien information, tax documents, and all Trust communications. Those records provide the clearest picture of the verified award and distributions.
Can the firm guarantee an additional payment?
No responsible attorney can guarantee a legislative outcome, a future funding mechanism, or an individual payment. The firm can evaluate documents and explain current options within the law.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE
This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and may not reflect every exception or later change in the law. The facts, deadlines, insurance coverage, and responsible parties in any injury matter must be evaluated individually.