Coalition Warns SB 982 Would Drive Up Energy Costs for Californians
Media Contact:
Nick Mirman
nick@cmpublicaffairs.com
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (March 11, 2026) — A coalition of more than two dozen California business, taxpayer and industry organizations today submitted a letter to state lawmakers opposing SB 982 (Wiener), warning that the proposal would drastically increase energy and household costs for consumers and unleash speculative climate litigation.
The letter urges lawmakers to reject the measure, arguing the bill would attempt to hold a single industry liable for global weather patterns without requiring proof that a company’s actions actually caused the alleged damages.
“SB 982 is a costly and unconstitutional legislative stunt that does nothing to help Californians and everything to generate headlines for its author,” said Jaime Huff, President and CEO of the Civil Justice Association of California. “At a time when our state is already struggling with affordability, lawmakers should be focused on stabilizing the insurance market and lowering costs – not advancing a legally flawed proposal that will leave consumers footing the bill.”
The coalition also warned that the bill could further strain the California FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort that has become the only coverage option for hundreds of thousands of homeowners as private insurers withdraw from the California market.
“The FAIR Plan is already under immense financial pressure; it’s a safety net held together by a thread,” said Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable. “By creating a legal environment where global weather patterns can be blamed on specific local industries, SB 982 invites a surge of claims that the FAIR Plan is simply not equipped to handle. If the Plan’s solvency is compromised, it won’t be the lawyers who pay – it will be the families in high-risk zones who lose their coverage entirely or see their premiums skyrocket even further.”
The coalition letter warns that SB 982 would create a hostile legal environment for California’s remaining energy infrastructure by exposing refineries and energy producers to sweeping liability claims tied to natural disasters like floods, heatwaves, wildfires and hurricanes.
Coalition members argue that such litigation risks would accelerate refinery closures and reduce supply - ultimately raising costs for consumers.
The coalition urged lawmakers to reject SB 982 and instead focus on policies that address wildfire risk and reduce costs for Californians.
The full coalition letter submitted to the Legislature can be viewed here.