A state lawmaker who now sits on the Assembly committee charged with protecting older Californians once tried to have her own mother declared legally incompetent — a case that court records suggest was tangled up in a bitter dispute over family real estate rather than genuine concern about her mother’s mental state.
Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías pursued the conservatorship effort before she was elected to represent her district, according to a CalMatters investigation that examined court files from Contra Costa County. The records paint a troubling picture: before rising to the state Capitol, Ávila Farías was hit with a temporary restraining order after allegedly striking her mother, AnaMaria Ávila Bugarin, amid the property dispute.
Ávila Bugarin, now 76, ultimately spent tens of thousands of dollars to defend her own competency. Court records describe her arriving at a final evaluation with a neuropsychologist dressed carefully and composed, though she broke down while recounting how the family conflict had unraveled her relationship with her daughter and put her basic autonomy on trial.
The evidence did not support the conservatorship claim. Two medical doctors and a neuropsychologist all concluded that Ávila Bugarin did not have dementia — a finding echoed by her other children. Despite that, the case did not resolve until Ávila Bugarin agreed to sign over disputed real estate as part of a settlement, at which point her daughter dropped the conservatorship bid.
Melissa Brown, an elder-law professor emeritus at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, reviewed the case for CalMatters and said the situation has the hallmarks of the conservatorship process being turned into a tool for personal leverage rather than genuine caretaking.
The investigation also found that Ávila Farías and her husband have filed for personal and business bankruptcy three separate times since 2011. Additionally, reporters found inconsistencies between how she described the disputed property to the courts and how she reported it to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission.
Roger Salazar, a spokesperson for Ávila Farías, pushed back on the characterization of the case, saying in a written statement that no court ever found the assemblymember engaged in wrongdoing. He noted that conservatorship cases in California routinely stem from complicated family circumstances.
Ávila Farías currently serves on the Assembly committee overseeing aging and long-term care issues — the same policy area that governs how conservatorships are handled statewide.
In other Sacramento news, California’s major utility companies are pushing a last-minute package of wildfire-related bills under the banner “Wildfire Survivors First,” a label that has infuriated actual survivors who say the companies bear responsibility for past blazes. Critics, including consumer advocates, argue the legislation would cap compensation for fire victims, strip insurers of their ability to recoup wildfire costs from utilities, and limit attorney fees in ways that could make it harder for survivors to find legal representation.
San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric have collectively donated more than $1.2 million to state lawmakers during the current legislative session, according to CalMatters campaign finance data. Insurance industry groups have also come out against the bills, warning that premiums could rise if insurers can no longer recover wildfire-related costs from utility companies.
The debate comes as fire season intensifies across the state. Over the weekend, the Dove Fire near Sonora forced hundreds of households to evacuate, underscoring the urgency of the policy fight in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, CalMatters has begun rolling out its 2026 general election voter guide, offering updated details on statewide races, ballot propositions and campaign contributions ahead of November. The guide includes new interactive features, including quizzes designed to help voters compare candidates running for insurance commissioner and better understand a set of competing tax-related ballot measures. Additional updates are expected in the coming weeks.
Original source: CalMatters
