Newsom signed California bills after a June fire at Lineage’s Boyle Heights warehouse: local agencies may fine companies posing health or safety threats up to $50,000 per violation, and cold-storage permit applicants must provide emergency funds or insurance for local needs.
The June 17 fire at Lineage’s 500,000-square-foot food warehouse left nearby residents dealing with noxious smoke and an influx of rats and flies. The laws apply locally in the short term; statewide implementation does not begin until July 1, 2028. Senate Bill 716 includes exemptions, including for institutional and educational firms.
Business groups and some Republican lawmakers opposed the bills, arguing they could raise costs for companies and consumers. Lineage did not respond to requests for comment. Its chief executive, Greg Lehmkuhl, said on an earnings call last month that the company had committed $3.3 million to the community after the fire.
