Earthquake Safety Bills Advance Out Of California Assembly

SACRAMENTO (AP) — The California Assembly is advancing a pair of bills designed to help buildings withstand earthquakes.

The legislation approved unanimously on Monday would expand financial incentives for seismic retrofits.

AB428 would establish a 30 percent tax credit to help cover the costs of upgrading buildings that could collapse during earthquakes. The program would last five years.

AB1440 expands a program offering homeowners up to $3,000 to strengthen their houses' foundations. The bill would make thousands of additional Californians eligible for the grants.

Both bills were authored by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian. The Los Angeles Democrat says earthquake preparedness should be a priority before it's too late.

California has feared devastating earthquakes in part because of the large San Andreas fault line that cuts through it.

The legislation heads to the Senate.

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