FDAC Report December 2023

FDAC F I R E D I S T R I C T S A S S O C I AT I O N O F C A L I F O R N I A

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2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eric Walder, President Jeff Willis, 1st Vice President Don Butz, 2nd Vice President Richard Pearce, Treasurer FDAC STAFF Catherine Smith, Executive Director Carmen Berry, Deputy Executive Director Melissa Feltz, Coordinator Anton Cervantes, Assistant Brett Moore, Legislative Assistant Derrick Bouchard, Graphic Designer PHOTOGRAPHY Pexels, Pixabay, Shutterstock and Unsplash The purpose of this Association shall be: 1) to present a united position on fire protection issues; 2) to coordinate with other associations with similar views on fire protection, including legislation; 3) to provide advisory services and any other services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors that may benefit member agencies; 4) to keep member agencies informed on laws relating to fire suppression, emergency medical and other related services provided by member agencies; 5) to take an active role in the legislative process affecting public agencies providing fire suppression, emergency medical and related services.

Thank you to all the authors in this issue for sharing with you their time and expertise. If you have an idea for a future article, please contact Carmen Berry at the FDAC office at cberry@fdac.org.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FDAC. For more information on FDAC or this magazine, please contact the FDAC office at 916.231.2137 or visit the website at www.fdac.org.

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Fire Agencies Insurance Risk Authority Susan Blankenburg, General Manager 1255 Battery Street, Suite 450 San Francisco, ca 94111 Office 415.536.4005 Toll Free 855.350-7617

 Lowest Stable Premiums Available  Exclusively Fire & Emergency Service Agencies  Broadest Insurance Coverage Available  Risk Management Assistance In 1987, one of the largest insurers of California Fire Districts informed the fire industry that they would not be renewing their insurance. FAIRA's first year of operation resulted in an immediate premium reduction of 30%, and that was just the start! Since then we’ve continued to see favorable outcomes for our members including a combined additional savings of over 10% in the past 7 years alone. Not only did we create a solution that guaranteed continuous coverage and reduced premiums, FAIRA is the largest and only multi-state Fire District pool in the United States and has saved millions of dollars.

Our members pay less in premium than they did in 1988 for exposures that have quadrupled. We provide our members with risk management and loss control services including contract review, live & online training and we provide insurance rates that lead the marketplace when it comes to coverage terms and pricing for Property, Vehicle & Liability coverage for Fire Districts and Emergency Service Agencies.

www.faira.org

Check out the new Fire Risk Management Services (FRMS) website at www.frmsrisk.org! The website is a great source of information related to FRMS, including available services, scheduled events, contact information, agendas and minutes, and more. The materials in the Member Portal require a login. A welcome email with log in information will be distributed to the contacts we have on file for each member districts.

Please contact Monica Quintana at monica.quintana@sedgwick.com for questions or comments about the FRMS website.

frmsrisk.org FDAC

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R

Eric G. Walder, EFO Waterloo Morada Fire Protection District, President FDAC

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As I write this article, I look out the window and see the season changing and the first real rain hitting the central valley for this season. While it is too early to call Fire Season across the State in the North, the transition to Winter response is underway. We at FDAC have been busy since our last report advocating for Fire Districts across the State through legislative advocacy, leadership training and governance training.

We represent over two hundred Fire Districts across the State, we recognize there are approximately three hundred and fifty Fire Districts in our State and look to bring those Districts into our association. No matter the size of your District, volunteer, combination, or paid we are here to serve all Fire Districts. Our due’s structure is scaled accordingly, and the membership is for the entire District not the individual. If you are not sure if your agency is a member, please reach out to either your Zone Director or FDAC staff at FDAC.org and we will contact you to outline the benefits of membership.

As a Fire Chief the most important and useful information I receive from membership is the interaction with other Fire District Chiefs from around the State.

If you are facing a unique situation there is usually a Chief within our association that has been through a similar situation that can assist with information to make your job easier.

FDAC partners with California Fire Chiefs Association and collaboratively we provide members to the Joint Legislative Task Force, as our missions

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are aligned closely this effort reduces duplication of effort between the Associations as we work to give all Fire Districts a voice at the Capital. This collaborative effort would not have been possible without the non-stop efforts of Public Policy Advocates, specifically Russ Noack and Julee Malinowski Ball.

FDAC holds an annual Leadership Symposium, this year the symposium was held November 13 – 14, 2023 in Sacramento. This Symposium is designed for emerging Leaders in the fire service to assist in developing the essential skills needed to be successful today and for years to come. Specifically, the symposium is for upward mobile captains, battalion chiefs, and chief officers. Leadership Training included sessions focusing on: • Understanding your principal authority • Generational Workforce • Inside the California Mutual Aid System • Effective Governance and physical Stewardship • Health and wellness in the Fire Service • How to Conduct Evaluations Speaking of great training the Annual Conference dates and location have been identified and we are happy to announce that we will be back in beautiful Monterey this next year April 23rd through April 26th, 2024. Mark your calendars and look for more information from us soon!

FDAC also provides industry leading governance training, we will bring The Certificate of Achievement (COA) in Fire District Leadership to your District. This is a two-day program designed for Fire Protection District Board Members and Fire Leadership.

So far in 2023 FDAC has held two extremely successful COA programs one held at Lakeside Fire District in Southern California and another at Southern Marin Fire District in Northern California. The next scheduled COA program is in the Books for December 8th and 9th, 2023 at San Miguel Fire and Rescue. This two-day program includes a course of instruction including:

California Professional Firefighters, California Special Districts Association and League of Cities to craft our message and to gain their support. Once this process is complete, we will move this initiative forward to state leadership by outlining the value Fire Districts provide to local communities and the California Mutual Aid System.

Eric G. Walder, EFO

Waterloo Morada Fire Protection District President FDAC

• Legislation, Regulations, and Code • Board Organization, Roles, Responsibilities, and the Brown Act • Fire District Planning • Latest trends, issues and resources effecting Fire Protection Districts The priority for FDAC is to bring forward to the State Legislature, Governor, and the citizens of California, the history of Fire Protection District Financing. Last year alone over $94,000,000 was shifted away from California Fire Districts, these dollars equate to a possible five hundred firefighters’ positions that could be staffed by Fire Districts in the State. We will bring this issue forward and find a solution to fiscally sustaining local government fire service agencies. We have prepared a white paper that clearly outlines the multiple impacts of state decisions over decades on Special Districts that provide fire protection and emergency response services. We have been working closely with all the major fire service associations including California Fire Chiefs Association, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association,

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Fire Districts Association of California L E A D E R S H I P

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I have given quite a bit of thought to what I wanted to share for the article. We talk about leadership as a style or impact on those we are responsible for. Is that Leadership Style developed upon receiving a promotion, is it observed throughout the career or is it taught? I believe it is a combination of all those impacts.

Chief Jim Comisky Director, South Lake County Fire Protection District, Immediate Past President FDAC

I think back to high school sports and how the football and wrestling coaches would motivate us to do our best and master the game and skills. Isn’t that what we want our leaders in the Fire Service to do? Motivate subordinates to be the very best at their jobs? Leadership today is much different than when I began my fire service career in the 70’s. Back then it was “Do it because I told you to do it!” a one size fits all approach.

Thankfully, over the past 40+ years we have learned a lot of what motivates individuals and what does not. The only “one size fits all” is a leader who talks the talk and walks the walk. Today’s workforce is different from when we started. When I came on the job, most of us were either Veterans or from the trades. Today our workforce comes from college or the tech industry and may still be living with their family as they try to find their way in the world.

To lead these folks, we need to find what motivates them and use a different approach for each one of them. During the hiring process, most agencies do a psychology evaluation. Why not throw in an element to see how they learn and what motivates them?

We need the recruits to know that as we address them during onboarding. We are not merely looking at who will make it through probation, but rather who will be the Fire Chief someday. To be an effective leader you must not ask direct reports to do something we would not do. A successful Leader must listen as much as they talk. Effective communication is essential. Do you think a leader who communicates via email or directives is effective? I think not. An effective Leader solicits input from a cross section of the organization and then makes leadership

decisions with knowledge of potential pitfalls as well as the benefit of the decision.

People who follow a leader do not need to completely agree with decisions that have to be made, but if they know their voice was heard and considered, that goes a long way.

A successful leader of today’s Fire Service will acknowledge that those who he or she supervises may very well have had significant different life experiences. A recruit may have grown up in the intercity and never been to the mountains. Or just the opposite, grown up in rural America and may have never been to a big city. These are all things we need to consider in today’s Fire Service. A successful leader must create an environment for success and not failure. We as leaders must continually evaluate ourselves and our actions as often as we do our staff. A huge one is if we as leaders make a misstep, we must - acknowledge it, take responsibility, and fix it. As a young officer I remember that some of those above me kept information and knowledge from me in fear that I might take their job someday.

But a successful leader builds a team that when senior staff move on or retire you have people ready to step in and never miss a beat because they have been prepared for the next steps. In the movie “We Were Soldiers”, Col. Hal Moore was preparing his troops to go into battle. He grabbed the first soldier off the chopper and said you are dead, the next one the same, the third one he asked what do you do now? He made a decision and took command. The point is to know your job, which includes the job of the one below you and the one above you. The bottom line, to be an effective leader is simple. You are not a friend, but you are not an opponent.

We are on the same team, same mission, treat each other with respect and as you wish to be treated. Lead with honor, integrity and compassion and you will leave the next generation with a workforce that meets the needs of our communities and a healthy organization. Leave it better than you found it!

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Fire Districts Association of California L E G I S L A T I V E

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After a mad dash, the first year of the twoyear California Legislative Session adjourned late into the night on September 14, 2023.

Governor Gavin Newsom has until October 14 to act on the hundreds of measures that reached his desk. The Governor has the authority to sign these bills into law, veto them or allow them to become law without signature.

Russell W. Noack Public Policy Advocates, LLC Julee Malinowski Ball Public Policy Advocates, LLC

This year’s Session was carried out under a dramatically altered fiscal condition from the prior two years. The leanness of the State Budget forecasts led to a record number of measures being held, most of them on the Suspense Files of the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees. And yet, many of these holdover items will be eligible for consideration once again early in 2024.

Although some significant fire service issues fall into this category, I am pleased to report that progress was made on a number of fronts and the Newsom Administration and legislative leadership continue to place the highest priority on funding for fire prevention, mitigation, and suppression activities.

The CFCA-FDAC Joint Legislative Task Force tracked, analyzed, and proposed bill position recommendations to the Boards on several hundred bills of interest to the fire service. The Chair, Chief John Binaski and Vice Chair, Chief Don Butz worked diligently to prepare agendas and background materials to allow Task Force members to discuss and debate these bills and provided the situational analysis to allow the CFCA and FDAC Boards to make timely and decisive decisions leading to a very successful legislative year in 2023.

2023-24 California State Budget Reduced state revenue projections led to the creation of a 2023-24 State Budget needing to close a $32 billion deficit. After months of intensive negotiations between the Administration and legislative leaders, an agreement was reached just in time for

the start of the fiscal year on July 1. The Final Budget was embodied in Assembly Bill 102 (Ting)i, the so-called “Budget Jr.” bill that modified the earlier version, Senate Bill 101 (Skinner)ii that was sent to the Governor a few weeks earlier to satisfy constitutional requirements. Additionally, a number of Budget Trailer Bills passed fleshing out provisions contained in the Budget, including Assembly Bill 118 (Comm. on Budget)iii which, among other things, enacted Cal Chief and FDAC supported language removing the statutory requirement that FDAC Article October 25, the director of Cal-EMSA must be a physician paving the way for Governor Newsom to appoint Liz Basnett to be the Director.

The 2023-24 State Budget sought to close an estimated $32 billion shortfall while maintaining recent increased expenditures in education, health care, public safety, housing and homelessness, and climate action and preserving $37.2 billion in total reserves, and continues to sustain various programs and subject areas of importance to the fire service including: y Housing and Homelessness—Maintains $3.4 billion in funding proposed for homelessness programs. y Climate—Maintains $2.7 billion in a multi-year wildfire and forest resilience package and adds $290 million for a flood risk reduction package to reduce flood risk and enhance flood system resilience. The May Revision includes an additional $1.1 billion in General Fund shifts across climate resilience programs that would be bond eligible. y Infrastructure—The Budget includes proposals to facilitate and streamline project approval and completion to maximize California’s share of the federal infrastructure spending opportunity and expedite the implementation of projects that meet our social, climate, and economic goals. y Basic Aid Wildfire Property Tax Backfill— An increase of $632,000 one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to backfill

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reduced property tax revenues for certain school districts that were impacted by the Kincade Fire.

CLIMATE CHANGE The 2021 and 2022 Budget Acts allocated approximately $54 billion over five years to advance the state’s climate and opportunity agenda. The 2023-24 Budget continues to prioritize the state’s climate agenda and maintains approximately $48 billion (89 percent) of these investments.

WILDFIRE AND FOREST RESILIENCE The 2023-24 Budget maintains $2.7 billion (98 percent) over four years to advance critical investments in restoring forest and wildland health to continue to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in the face of extreme climate conditions, including the following: y Climate Catalyst Fund—$25 million one-time General Fund, which partially restores the General Fund reduction proposed in the Governor’s Budget.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS The 2023-24 Budget maintains $1.4 billion (89 percent) in investments over multiple years in programs and projects to support nature-based solutions.

EXTREME HEAT The 2023-24 Budget maintains $444 million (68 percent) in investments over multiple years in programs and projects to support extreme heat.

COMUNITY RESILIENCE The2023-24 Budget maintains $1.6 billion (85 percent) in investments over multiple years in programs and projects to promote community resilience.

COASTAL RESILIENCE The 2023-24 Budget maintains $734 million (57 percent) in investments over multiple years in programs and projects for coastal resilience.

WATER The 2023-24 Budget maintains $8.5 billion (97 percent) in investments over multiple years in programs and projects to bolster the capacity of communities and ecosystems to endure droughts and floods.

SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS Addressing statewide flood impacts, The 2023-24 Budget includes $290 million one-time General Fund. $250 million to support various at-risk communities, including those in the Tulare Basin, from these impacts

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and to better withstand future flood events, including: y Flood Contingency—$125 million one-time General Fund as a flood contingency set aside to support costs associated with preparedness, response, recovery, and other associated activities related to the 2023 storms, the resulting snowmelt, and other flooding risks, including, but not limited to, supporting communities and vulnerable populations, such as farmworkers, from these impacts and to better withstand future flood events. y Flood Control Subventions—$75 million one-time General Fund to support local flood control projects, including in communities impacted by recent storms, such as the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project. y Small Agricultural Business Relief Grants—An increase of $25 million one-time General Fund to expand the scope of the current California Small Agricultural Business Drought Relief Grant Program to provide direct assistance to eligible agriculture-related businesses that have been affected by the recent storms. y Disaster Response Emergency Operations Account Set Aside—$25 million one-time General Fund in the current year in anticipation of potential additional disaster relief and response costs associated with recent storms and future flooding. y 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (AB 988)— The 2023-24 Budget includes $15 million one-time 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund in 2023-24 to support eligible 988 call center behavioral health crisis services, for a total of $19 million in 2023-24 and $12.5 million in 2024-25 and ongoing.

CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES The 2023 Five-Year Infrastructure Plan includes $176.5 million ($1.8 million General Fund and $174.7 million Public Buildings Construction Fund).

Constitutional Tax Measures After many years of stalemate, the California Legislature took the first step to improve the ability for local government entities to enhance revenues via the ballot. These developments occurred in the context of the California Business Roundtablesponsored Tax Reform Initiative (CBTR) they qualified by signatures for the November 2024 Ballot that would further restrict these options by extending the 2/3 vote threshold on measures various courts have held do not require the supermajority vote. Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (Aguiar-Curry)iv passed and will now appear on the same November Ballot and would reduce the 2/3 vote requirement to 55% for voter approval for local government efforts to

raise revenues for affordable housing and infrastructure improvements. Additionally, the Legislature passed Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 13 (Ward), which would impose a 2/3 vote threshold on the (CBRT) Initiative. ACA 13 has been held at the Assembly Desk until November 1st to allow a period of time for negotiations between the parties to prevent an expensive Ballot campaign leading up to the November election.

Below please find a list of priority bills, by category, monitored by the Joint Legislative Task Force in 2023: Building Permits/Standards Assembly Bill 42 (Ramos) prohibits, until January 1, 2027, a local agency from imposing or enforcing a requirement to provide fire sprinklers in temporary sleeping cabins, as defined, for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness if certain conditions are met.

Status: 10/10/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 725, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Oppose/Coalition.

Assembly Bill 281 (Grayson) requires special districts to comply with specified timeframes, similar to those for cities and counties, when reviewing and approving post-entitlement phase permit applications from housing developers.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 735, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 434 (Grayson) adds specified housing laws to the list of laws that the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is required to enforce.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 740, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 468 (Quirk-Silva) would expand the types of buildings that can be declared substandard by a local enforcement agency to include any building, including any building used for human habitation, regardless of the zoning or approved use of the building, and make other changes to code enforcement procedures, as specified.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill Position: Watch Assembly Bill 548 (Boerner) requires local enforcement agencies to develop policies and procedures for inspecting multiple units in a building if an inspector or code enforcement officer has determined that a unit in that building is substandard or is in violation of state habitability standards.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom;

Chapter 744, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 671 (Ward) requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to allow community land trusts (CLT) to use CalHOME funds purchase a property, construct accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) on the property, and separately lease or sell those units to qualified owners.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 746, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 821 (Grayson) requires a local agency to approve developments that are consistent with its general plan but not the applicable zoning ordinance, or to make the zoning ordinance consistent with the general plan within 180 days and provides a legal remedy to ensure compliance.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 748, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 35 (Lee) requires the State Fire Marshal (SFM) to research standards for single-exit, single stairway apartment houses, with more than two dwelling units, in buildings above three stories and provide a report, as specified.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 345, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Neutral Assembly Bill 932 (Ting) requires the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) to conduct an analysis of its Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Program and report its findings to the Legislature by January 1, 2025.

Status: 09/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 169, Statutes of 2023 Position: Watch Assembly Bill 976 (Ting) makes permanent the existing prohibition on local government’s ability to require owner occupancy on a parcel containing an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 751, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1033 (Ting) allows cities and counties that have a local accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance to allow ADUs to be sold separately or conveyed from the primary residence as condominiums.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 752, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

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Assembly Bill 1114 (Haney) expands the postentitlement permits subject to timelines for review and approval to include all building permits as specified, whether discretionary or nondiscretionary.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 753, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1218 (Lowenthal) amends the demolition protections for existing housing applicable to development projects.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 754, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1236 (Grayson) would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would identify a consistent and safe minimum size of residential fire sprinklers that would reduce costs for homeowners and property owners.

Status: 05/05/2023 Assembly; 2-year bill Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1280 (Maienschein) revises the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement that must be provided by a property seller to a potential buyer to include more specific disclosures regarding whether the property falls within current local, or state, high and very high fire hazard severity zones.

Status: 07/21/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 99, Statutes of 2023 Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1332 (Juan Carrillo) requires local governments to create a program for the pre-approval of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 490 (Lee) makes an affordable housing project that adaptively reuses an existing building an allowable use under specified conditions, and limits the local government from imposing specified requirements, notwithstanding any inconsistencies between the project and any local plans, zoning, or regulations.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 764, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch

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Assembly Bill 1505 (Rodriguez) authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to dedicate Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities application funding to specified projects to augment and support the Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing.

Status: 09/14/2023 Senate Floor Inactive File.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 356 (Archuleta) would increase the maximum grant amount, reduce the local matching fund requirement, and make other specified changes to the Code Enforcement Incentive (CE Incentive) Program and the Community Code Enforcement Pilot (CE Pilot) Program.

Status: 05/19/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Support Senate Bill 405 (Cortese) would require the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish a pilot program to develop a methodology to analyze whether a local agency’s inventory of land suitable for development has identified adequate sites to accommodate its share of the regional housing need for all income levels, as specified.

Status: 05/19/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 423 (Wiener) would remove the sunset date on the procedure for ministerial review of multi-family affordable housing in cities and counties that have not met their housing needs.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 778, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Oppose/Coalition Senate Bill 571 (Allen) requires a development that would require the evacuation of 40 or more vehicles at any given time to include an evacuation plan when submitting an application if the development is in a qualified area.

Status: 04/28/2023 Senate Governance & Finance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 713 (Padilla) clarifies that for purposes of state density bonus law (DBL) “development standards” means those adopted by the local government or enacted by the local government’s electorate exercising its local initiative or referendum power, whether that power is derived from the California Constitution, statute, or the charter or ordinances of the local government.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 784, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

Senate Bill 837 (Archuleta) requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), beginning with its review of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations that is pending as of January 1, 2024, to consider revising the definition of “conditioned space, indirectly” for purposes of those regulations to include sealed and unvented attics, where the space is enclosed by the primary thermal and air barrier and directly adjoining conditioned space.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 509, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch mmunications Assembly Bill 415 (Rodriguez) upon appropriation by the legislature, requires the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to establish a grant program to provide fairs with grant funding for purposes of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 864 (Haney) would require the department to establish and maintain a 3-digit, statewide, nonemergency telephone system for substance use disorder treatment referrals.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1102 (Jim Patterson) would expand an existing privacy exemption authorizing telephone corporations to share telephone numbers with specified entities without regard to consent in specified circumstances.

Status: 05/05/2023 Assembly; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1276 (McKinnor) requires the University of California at Davis Health (UC Davis Health), in collaboration with specified state entities, to establish a program for the receipt and collection of “911” emergency call and dispatch data to complete a study for the purpose of improving emergency response services systems.

The bill also requires UC Davis Health to adopt uniform statewide data standards for “911” call and dispatch data, as specified, and to create a data portal that catalogs the collected data, aggregated on a statewide level and excluding any personally identifiable information. The bill requires an applicable entity to send “911” call and dispatch data to UC Davis Health.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

House Resolution No. 56 (Rodriguez) proclaims the month of October 2023 as “9-1-1 for Kids Safety Education Month,” in recognition of 9-1-1 caller training and disaster and emergency preparedness, and response education for California children, families, and residents.

Status: 09/05/2023 Adopted.

Position: Watch Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 27 (Ochoa Bogh) declares the week of April 9, 2023, to April 15, 2023, inclusive, to be California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week; and, honors and recognizes the importance and contributions of California’s public safety communications professionals to the residents of California.

Status: 05/26/2023 Chaptered by Secretary of State; Chapter 69, Statutes of 2023.

Position: WatchEmergency Management and Assembly Bill 225 (Grayson) requires, as existing resources permit, or as private resources are made available, the Homeowners’ Guild to Environmental Hazards to be updated and include new sections on wildfire, climate change, and sea level rise, as specified.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 420, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 619 (Vince Fong) authorizes nonprofits providing services to a state agency to request to modify their service delivery methods during a declared state of war emergency or state of emergency and additionally authorizes nonprofits to request contract flexibility whenever a disruption occurs that prohibits a nonprofit entity from providing services to a state agency.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 692 (Jim Patterson) exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) egress route projects to improve emergency access to and evacuation from a subdivision without a secondary egress route if specified conditions are met.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 750 (Rodriguez) clarifies that an authorized media representative, as specified, cannot facilitate the entry of a person into, or facilitate the transport of a person within an area closed due to a menace to the public safety or health, if that person is not also an authorized media representative, unless for the purposes of safety of the person.

Status: 06/29/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 17, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

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Assembly Bill 781 (Maienschein) would require all counties plans, and cities with previously adopted emergency plans that designate emergency shelters, to update their emergency plan and designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with household pets. This bill additionally requires cities and counties, to the extent practicable, to designate a cooling center or warming center open to pets when any number of centers are opened.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 344, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 944 (Irwin) requires, by January 1, 2026, a fire station to have an alternative source of power to ensure continued operation for no less than 96 hours during any type of power outage.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Oppose Unless Amended Assembly Bill 1185 (Gabriel) authorizes the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CSNSGP) to provide grants to an applicant that provides support to at-risk nonprofit organizations, as specified; prohibits consideration of prior history with or receipt of grant funding in evaluating applicants; and, requires consideration to whether an applicant is more likely to be a target of hate-motivated violence based on the demographic of the population served, as specified.

Status: 10/09/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 566, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1638 (Mike Fong) requires, commencing January 1, 2025, local agencies, in the event of an emergency in the jurisdiction of the agency, to provide information related to the emergency in all languages spoken jointly by five percent or more of the population whenever those same people also speak English less than very well, as specified.

Status: 10/09/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 587, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 112 (Rodriguez) proclaims September 2023 as California Emergency Preparedness Month.

Status: 09/07/2023 Chaptered by Secretary of State; Chapter 171, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

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Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 75 (Ochoa Bogh) declares the month of September 2023 as California Emergency Preparedness Month.

Status: 09/07/2023 Assembly Rules Committee.

Position: Watch y Medical Services Assembly Bill 40 (Rodriguez) requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) to, among other things, to adopt emergency regulations to develop an electronic signature for use between emergency department and emergency medical personnel, a statewide 30-minute standard for patient offload times, and an audit tool to improve the accuracy of such data.

Status: 10/13/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 793, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 55 (Rodriguez) establishes a “workforce adjustment” supplemental Medi-Cal payment for emergency and non-emergency ambulance services, to make payments for ambulance services equal to 80% of the Medicare rate, applicable to ambulance services provided by private medical transportation providers who raise wages for several classes of employees. This bill specifies the new payments are in addition to base Medi-Cal payments and “add-on” payments made through an existing supplemental payment program.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 70 (Rodriguez) applies the requirement for the placement of trauma kits in specified buildings to certain structures constructed prior to January 1, 2023, upon a modification, renovation, or tenant improvement.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 515, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 296 (Rodriguez) establishes the 911 Public Education Campaign to educate the public on when it is appropriate to call 911 for assistance and tasks the Office of Emergency Services (OES) with administering the program.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 379 (Rodriguez) would, among other provisions, add requirements related to local emergency medical services plans.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 482 (Wilson) would annually transfer $8,000,000 from the Aeronautics Account to the Emergency Medical Air Transportation and Children’s Coverage Fund and continuously appropriate those moneys to augment Medi-Cal reimbursement for emergency medical air transportation and related costs.

Status: 04/04/2023 Assembly Health Committee; hearing postponed by committee.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 716 (Boerner) deletes the direct reimbursement requirement that allows medical transportation services providers to bill enrollees and insureds (for sums not paid by the health plan or insurer) and instead requires a health plan contract or a health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, to require an enrollee or insured who receives covered services from a noncontracting ground ambulance provider to pay no more than the same costsharing amount that the enrollee or insured would pay for the same covered services received from a contracting ground ambulance provider. Prohibits a noncontracting ground ambulance provider from billing or sending to collections a higher amount and prohibits a ground ambulance provider from billing an uninsured or self-pay patient more than the established payment by MediCal or Medicare fee-for-service amount, whichever is greater. Requires a plan or insurer to reimburse for ground ambulance services at a rate established or approved by a local government, at the rate established or approved by the governing board of the local government having jurisdiction for that area or subarea, including an exclusive operating area.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 454, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 719 (Boerner) requires Medi-Cal managed care plans to contract with and reimburse public paratransit service operators for covered nonemergency medical transportation and nonmedical transportation services.

Status: 10/07/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 719 without my signature. This bill would require Medi-Cal managed care plans that provide nonemergency or nonmedical transportation to contract with public paratransit service operators for the purpose of establishing reimbursement rates if federal approvals are obtained. I support efforts to encourage more public paratransit service operators to enroll as nonmedical transportation providers in MediCal, which is permitted under existing law. It would be beneficial to have more options for nonmedical

transportation in the Medi-Cal system. This bill takes a different approach, however, requiring the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to pursue a series of federal approvals that are not currently allowable under federal guidance. It would not be prudent to use state resources for this purpose. reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 767 (Gipson) adds short-term, post discharge follow-up for persons recently discharged from a hospital to the list of eligible community paramedicine services and requires the Emergency Medical Authority (EMSA) to amend existing regulations to include that service. Extends the sunset date of the community paramedicine program from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2031.

Status: 09/30/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 270, Statues of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 1168 (Bennett) requires the City of Oxnard to be treated as if it had retained the right to administer or contract for prehospital ambulance EMS notwithstanding a court case that found that the City of Oxnard did not have the right to administer ambulance services, establishes a process to determine who will provide prehospital EMS to the remaining portion of the exclusive operating area if the City of Oxnard exercises its right to provide prehospital EMS in the City, and clarifies going forward that a city or fire district providing prehospital EMS that enters into a joint powers of authority agreement (JPA) with a county will retain its rights to administer prehospital EMS if it withdraws from the JPA. Status: 09/14/2023 Senate Inactive File; 2-year bill.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 1215 (Wendy Carrillo) requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence.

Status: 10/07/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 1215 without my signature. This bill, upon appropriation of the Legislature, would establish the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program, to provide services to pets whose owners are experiencing homelessness or are escaping domestic violence. I have supported funding for shelters to care for pets belonging to those experiencing homelessness through prior budget investments, including $1 0 million appropriated in 2019 and an additional $1 million

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in 2022 to fund the Pet Assistance and Support Program (PAS) administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. While I appreciate the author’s commitment to programs like these which reduce barriers to accessing shelter, this bill would create an unfunded grant program and should be considered in the annual budget in the context of all state funding priorities. In partnership with the Legislature, we enacted a budget that closed a shortfall of more than $30 billion through balanced solutions that avoided deep program cuts and protected education, health care, climate, public safety, and social service programs that are relied on by millions of Californians. This year, however, the Legislature sent me bills outside of this budget process that, if all enacted, would add nearly $19 billion of unaccounted costs in the budget, of which $11 billion would be ongoing. With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 35 (Umberg) modifies the Community, Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, which requires certain counties to implement the CARE Court Program beginning October 1, 2023.

Status: 09/30/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 283, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 67 (Seyarto) requires a coroner or medical examiner to report deaths that are a result of a drug overdose to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program managed by the Washington/ Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program.

Status: 10/13/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 859, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 409 (Weber) would require the department, by January 1, 2026, to modify its training program for inmate firefighters serving as members of a hand crew through the California Conservation Camp program to provide participants the opportunity to earn a specified list of certifications related to firefighting, or the department’s equivalents of those certifications, while incarcerated. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, require the

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department to update its application process for Type 1 Hand Crew positions to recognize certifications earned by formerly incarcerated individuals through participation in the California Conservation Camp program. The bill would also require the department to establish rules that provide eligibility priority rankings in the application, interview, and hiring process to formerly incarcerated individuals who earned certifications through participation in a California Conservation Camp program.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Natural Resources; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 597 (Rodriguez) would have extended the firefighter post-traumatic stress law to EMTs and paramedics.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Insurance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 621 (Irwin) allows the spouse and children of specified state safety members, peace officers, and firefighters for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) who are killed in the line of duty to receive both the workers’ compensation death benefit and the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) special death benefit.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 448, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 699 (Weber) grants year-round, full-time lifeguards employed by the City of San Diego in the Boating Safety Unit the same workers’ compensation presumptive coverages currently afforded to firefighters and public safety officers.

Status: 10/08/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 699 without my signature. This bill would extend the rebuttable presumptions currently provided to safety officers for hernia, pneumonia, heart trouble, cancer , tuberculosis, bloodborne infectious disease, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections (MRSA), meningitis-related illnesses and injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for illness or injury as a result of exposure to biochemical substances, to lifeguards employed on a year-round, full-time basis in the Boating Safety Unit by the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, but would except application of the skin cancer presumption to lifeguards in that Unit. A presumption is not required for an occupational disease to be compensable. Although lifeguards engage in hazardous responsibilities, a presumption should be provided sparingly and based upon the unique hazards or proven difficulty of establishing a direct relationship between

a disease or injury and the employee’s work. Although well-intentioned, the need for the presumption envisioned by this bill must be supported by clear and compelling evidence.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 700 (Grayson) establishes the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program (program), administered by the California Department of Public Health (DPH) to award grants to eligible institutions to conduct research on biomarkers of exposure that quantify chemical carcinogens absorbed and metabolized by firefighters, as specified, that ultimately lead to a cancer diagnosis.

Status: 09/30/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 268, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 1145 (Maienschein) adds specified state registered nurses, psychiatric technicians, and medical and social services specialists to the existing workers’ compensation post-traumatic stress injury rebuttable presumption.

Status: 10/08/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 1145 without my signature. This bill would establish a statutory posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presumption for certain state nurses, psychiatric technicians, and various medical and social services specialists employed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the State Department of Developmental Services (DDS), and the State Department of State Hospitals (DSH), who provide direct care to prison inmates and state hospital patients. I am a firm supporter of the ability of individuals to seek treatment for mental health conditions and my Administration has initiated multiple programs to provide our valued workforce with mental wellness support during times of trauma. Additionally, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder Guideline was adopted in 2019. PTSD is compensable under the workers compensation system. However, altering the burden of proof through a presumption should be provided sparingly and based upon the unique hazards or proven difficulty of establishing a direct relationship between a disease or injury and the employee’s work. Although well-intentioned, the need for the presumption envisioned by this bill must be supported by clear and compelling evidence.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1213 (Ortega) extends, until January 1, 2027, the duration of temporary disability (TD) payments in the event an injured worker prevails at independent medical review (IMR).

Status: 10/08/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 1213 without my signature. This bill would provide, until January 1, 2027, that when a utilization review (UR) denial of treatment is overturned by independent medical review (IMR) or by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, any temporary disability (TD) payments received during this period would not be included in the maximum aggregate calculation of TD payments. While I understand the goal of the author and sponsor, there is a lack of data to support such a change. Under the existing workers’ compensation system, employers are required to establish a UR process to evaluate the necessity and appropriateness of requested medical treatments. This process is in place to ensure that employees receive the appropriate evidence-based medical care. Realigning incentives is an important policy tool to deliver on our shared goal of returning injured workers back to work.

Such realignment should be done cautiously to avoid further friction in the system that frustrates the objective of providing timely treatment, prompt payment of benefits and returning injured workers back to work.

Unfortunately, this bill does not strike the right balance.

For these reasons I cannot sign this bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1254 (Flora) would use a formula that would pay the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Bargaining Unit (BU) 8 members within 15 percent of the average of the salary for corresponding ranks in 20 specified local fire departments instead of determining state firefighters’ pay through collective bargaining under the Dills Act as required by current law. Additionally, the bill would require the State and BU 8 to jointly survey annually and calculate the estimated average salaries of the 20 departments.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1405 (Flora) would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to implement a 56-hour maximum workweek for firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8 who are employed by the department in order to recruit and retain the highest qualified and skilled firefighters. The bill would require the department to work with the Department of Human Resources to implement the changes necessary to comply with these maximum workweek provisions on or before December 1, 2026.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Public Employment & Retirement; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

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Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 76 (Grayson) proclaims the week of May 22 to May 26, inclusive, as Firefighter Mental Health Awareness Week.

Status: 06/19/2023 Chaptered by Secretary of State; Chapter 100, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 374 (Ashby) increases the fee for a renewal of a California firefighter specialized license plate from $35 to $40.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 602, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Senate Bill 577 (Hurtado) authorizes the State Fire Marshal (SFM) to establish and collect the admission and other fees associated with the California Fire Services Training and Education Program (Program, and to establish the California Fire and Arson Training Act (Act), only to the extent that state that other private funding sources are insufficient to cover the necessary associated costs.

Status: 09/14/2023 Assembly Inactive File; 2-year bill.

Position: Co-Sponsor/Support Senate Bill 623 (Laird) extends, to January 1, 2029, the presumption for specified public safety personnel that a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) is occupational, and therefore covered by workers’ compensation (WC) and requires the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (Commission) to submit two reports to the legislature regarding PTSI, as specified.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 621, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 700 (Bradford) adds to the prohibitions under the Fair Housing and Employment Act (FEHA), set to take effect January 1, 2024, on employment discrimination on the basis of an employee’s or potential employee’s cannabis use, to prohibit an employer from requesting information about an employee or applicant’s past cannabis use, subject to specified exceptions.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 408, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

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Senate Bill 744 (Newman) The Fire Protection District Law of 1987 provides for the formation and administration of fire protection districts. Existing law requires the board of directors of a fire protection district (district board) to train all employees of the district who are expected to provide specified services, except those whose duties are primarily clerical or administrative, to administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as provided. Existing law authorizes a district board to provide any other training programs for its employees.

This bill would also require the district board to train all employees in fire suppression activities. By requiring a new duty on a local district board, the bill would impose a statemandated local program.

Status: 04/28/2023 Senate Governance & Finance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 82 (Wahab) proclaims the month of October 2023 as California Firefighter Appreciation Month and October 14, 2023, as California Firefighters Memorial Day Status: 09/13/2023 Chaptered by Secretary of State; Chapter 161, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Fire Prevention/Mitigation Assembly Bill 267 (Bauer-Kahan) revises flame retardant standards for fabric enclosures, such as tents to now: establish flame retardant regulations, as specified, must apply to a fabric enclosure, such as a tent, designed for 15 or more persons; provide exemptions for tents designed for children’s play, camping, backpacking, or mountaineering; establish any tent for sale and designed for less than 15 persons must be made from flame retardant fabrics, as specified; and establish tents constructed with fabric entirely from synthetic fibers, be classified as being made from flame retardant fabrics or materials.

Status: 10/13/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 798, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 277 (Rodriguez) would codify the State-Federal Flood Operations Center in the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and would require DWR and the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to report on forecasting and data that would improve flood response.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriation Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 297 (Vince Fong) recognizes prescribed grazing as a fire prevention activity eligible for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE) local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 519, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 338 (Aguiar-Curry) requires, beginning on July 1, 2026, fuel reduction work, done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of public funds, to meet specified labor standards, including that all workers performing work within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades be paid at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 428, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 541 (Wood) requires the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) to require a public water system that has experienced a major wildfire event of 300 acres or more and under specified conditions to perform sample collection and analysis of its source waters for the presence of benzene as soon as it is safe to do so. Authorizes the State Water Board to require the public water system to take specified response actions if benzene is detected.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 530, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 609 (Papan) requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) to submit a report to the Legislature that assesses the feasibility to conduct an evaluation of innovative new aerial firefighting technologies.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 788 (Petrie-Norris) would require the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force (Task Force), on or before July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, to compile and post on its internet website specified information relating to certain state and federal grant programs related to fire prevention, as provided.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1155 (Flora) would require the standards for vegetation inspection in the plans for vegetation management to meet specific requirements related to visually assessing and inspecting trees. The bill would specify that an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, or electric cooperative, or a person engaging in vegetation management on behalf of those entities, meeting those requirements for vegetation inspection establishes a rebuttable presumption that the relevant standard of care is met. By imposing additional duties on local publicly owned electric utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Utilities & Energy; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1403 (Garcia) requires the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), by January 1, 2025, to collect and analyze data about firework-related fires, damages, and arrests; submit a workload analysis to the relevant committees of the Legislature and train local authorities on relevant regulations related to fireworks, as specified.

Additionally, authorizes local agencies, as specified, to adopt an ordinance for the actual and reasonable costs associated with safe and sane and illegal fireworks; and requires the OSFM to develop training for the proper management of seized fireworks.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 368, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 1513 (Calderon) lists an electrical corporation’s wildfire and wildfire mitigation plan operation and maintenance (O&M) expenses as those that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) may issue an order for long-term financing, the costs of which are to be recovered through a fixed charge on ratepayers. Specifically, this bill explicitly references the following when describing an application in which an electrical corporation requests the CPUC to issue financing orders for cost recovery: (1) O&M expenses related to the electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan, (2) certain wildfire risk mitigation costs and (3) vegetation management costs and expenses. In addition, the bill obligates the CPUC, when it considers issuing a financing order to authorize recover of costs through bonds prompted by an electrical corporation’s application as described above, to presume such recovery bonds provide short-term economic benefits if the CPUC has authorized an amortization period under traditional utility financing mechanisms in excess of 12 months for the just and reasonable costs that the electrical corporation seeks to be financed through the recovery

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bonds.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1554 (Joe Patterson) expressly exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) a project for the reduction of fuels in areas within moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones, as provided.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Natural Resources; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 310 (Dodd) provides a process whereby federally recognized tribal governments and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) can enter into agreements to waive various state regulatory requirements for cultural burns.

Status: 09/01/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 436 (Dodd) requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework, a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast, and a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, each to be released and updated on a specified schedule.

Status: 05/19/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Support Senate Bill 470 (Alvarado-Gil) codifies the Urban Water Community Drought Relief program and the Small Community Drought Relief program at the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Further, this bill authorizes these programs, upon appropriation, to fund projects that provide benefits in addition to drought relief, including projects that reduce the risk of wildfires for communities through water SB 470 Page 2 delivery system improvements for fire suppression purposes in high- and very high-fire hazard severity zones, among other things.

Status: 10/08/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Senate: I am returning Senate Bill 470 without my signature. This bill would codify two grant programs within the Department of Water Resources established by the Budget Act of 2021: the Urban Water Community Drought Relief Program and the Small

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Community Drought Relief Program. It also authorizes these programs to fund benefits in addition to drought relief, including projects that reduce the risk of wildfire. I thank the author for the commitment to support under-resourced communities most at risk of wildfire, and the intent of this bill is in line with work currently underway within my Administration. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) recently launched the Prepare California Initiative, a grant program focused on building community resilience amongst vulnerable individuals living in high hazard risk communities. However, the two programs this bill seeks to expand have exhausted all funding appropriated in the 2021 Budget and as such, it is unnecessary to formally establish the programs in statute. For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Position: Support Senate Bill 504 (Dodd) requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) to give priority under the Fire Prevention Grant Program to any local governmental entity qualified to perform defensible space assessments, as specified, that reports defensible space and home hardening assessment data to CalFire, as specified. Further, this bill removes the qualifier “burning under average weather conditions” from the defensible space requirement that fuels be maintained and spaced in a condition so that a wildfire burning under those conditions would be unlikely to ignite the structure.

Status: 07/14/2023 Assembly Natural Resources; 2-year bill.

Position: Support Senate Bill 610 (Wiener) a gut and amend bill that would impose new requirements on local agencies to include areas as being moderate- or high-fire severity zones if the State Fire Marshal does not so designate these areas, has been made a two-year bill and will not be taken up this year.

Status: 07/14/2023 Assembly Natural Resources; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 675 (Limón) incorporates prescribed grazing into the state’s wildfire prevention policies.

Status: 09/14/2023 Assembly Inactive File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Funding/Bonds Assembly Bill 570 (Gallagher) makes county service areas (CSAs) that are formed exclusively for fire protection services eligible for receiving grants that are funded by the Special District Fire Response (SDFR) Fund, as specified.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 334, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Concerns

Assembly Bill 1567 (Garcia) places a $15.955 billion climate resilience general obligation bond before the voters on the March 5, 2024, Primary Election ballot.

Status: 06/14/2023 Senate Natural Resources & Wildlife; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (Alanis) would establish the Water and Wildfire Resiliency Fund within the State Treasury and would require the Treasurer to annually transfer an amount equal to 3% of all state revenues that may be appropriated as described from the General Fund to the Water and Wildfire Resiliency Fund.

The measure would require the moneys in the fund to be appropriated by the Legislature and would require that 50% of the moneys in the fund be used for water projects, as specified, and that the other 50% of the moneys in the fund be used for forest maintenance and health projects, as specified.

Status: 04/20/2023 Assembly Water Parks & Wildlife; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 542 (Dahle) excludes settlement payments made in connection with the 2020 Zogg Fire from gross income for state tax purposes.

Status: 07/11/2023 Assembly Appropriations; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 638 (Eggman) enacts the Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 which, if approved by voters on the November 5, 2024, statewide election ballot, authorizes $6 billion in general obligation bonds for flood protection and climate resiliency projects, as provided.

Status: 06/15/2023 Assembly Water Parks & Wildlife; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 867 (Allen) the Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024, authorizes a $15.5 billion climate resilience bond to be placed before voters at an unspecified election.

Status: 06/20/2023 Assembly Natural Resources; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Hazardous Materials/Safety Requirements Assembly Bill 1716 (Comm. on Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials) makes various technical changes to the six unified hazardous waste and hazardous materials management regulatory programs that are overseen by

the Certified Unified Programs Agencies (CUPAs).

Status: 09/22/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 207, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 38 (Laird) requires each battery energy storage facility located in the state, and subject to specified safety requirements, to have an emergency response plan and emergency action plan that covers premises of the battery energy storage facility.

Status: 10/07/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 377, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 740 (Cortese) expands skilled and trained workforce (STW) requirements, currently applicable to an owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in certain petroleum-related activities, to also include contracts awarded, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, by an owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in manufacturing hydrogen, biofuels, or certain specified chemicals, or in capturing, sequestering, or using carbon dioxide in specified conditions.

Status: 09/30/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 293, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Homelessness Assembly Bill 1285 (Wicks) requires continuums of care (CoCs) that share geographic boundaries with a city or county using state funding allocated pursuant to round five of the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program or the Encampment Resolution Program (ERP) funding to additionally include in their regionally coordinated homelessness action plans evidence and an explanation of their collaboration with the city or county that specifies how people served through encampment resolution have or will be included in prioritization for permanent housing within coordinated entry systems (CESs Status: 10/10/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 727, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1377 (Friedman) requires applications or planning materials for state funding through the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program appropriated on or after July 1, 2024, to include data and a narrative summary quantifiable steps that the applicant has taken to improve the delivery of housing and services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness on transit facilities owned and operated by a transit agency.

Status: 10/10/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 728, Statutes of 2023.

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Senate Bill 63 (Ochoa Bogh) would establish, subject to an appropriation, the Homeless and Mental health Court Grant Program to be administered by the Judicial Council (JCC) and the Transitioning Home Grant Program to be administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).

Status: 05/19/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 246 (Ochoa Bogh) adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH).

Status: 09/01/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 657 (Caballero) requires the Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) to coordinate with the California Department of Aging (CDA), the California continuums of care (CoCs), and the area agencies on aging (AAAs) to convene a working group, by March 1, 2024, relating to older adults and homelessness.

Status: 10/07/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Senate: I am returning Senate Bill 657 without my signature. This bill would require the California lnteragency Council on Homelessness (Council) to coordinate with the Department of Aging, Continuums of Care, and Area Agencies on Aging to convene a working group to develop best practices and training for those assisting older adults to prevent and overcome homelessness. While I agree with the underlying intent of the bill, some of its provisions are duplicative of the Council’s current efforts with member Departments, including the Department of Aging, to establish best practices and provide support for this population. These efforts include the State’s recent partnership with the federal government through the ALL INside Initiative, which includes a specific focus on supporting older adults. In addition, the State has also produced the Master Plan for Aging, a comprehensive 10-year blueprint that outlines how the State will address housing solutions for older adults by 2030, including efforts for enriching services and housing for older Californians. I look forward to working with the author to build on these efforts thoughtfully, but at this time, legislation is not necessary.

Position: WatchInsurance 22

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Assembly Bill 478 (Connolly) Existing law generally regulates classes of insurance, including residential property insurance.

The Insurance Rate Reduction and Reform Act of 1988, an initiative measure enacted by Proposition 103, as approved by the voters at the November 8, 1988, statewide general election, prohibits specified insurance rates from being approved or remaining in effect that are excessive, inadequate, unfairly discriminatory, or otherwise in violation of the act.

In considering whether a rate is excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, existing law requires the Insurance Commissioner to consider whether the rate mathematically reflects the insurance company’s investment income. Existing law authorizes the provisions of Proposition 103 to be amended by a statute that furthers the purposes of the act and is enacted by the Legislature with a 2/3 vote.

For insureds 65 years of age or older, this bill would limit an increase in their yearly premium for a policy of residential property insurance by no more than 25 percent for insured property located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the State Fire Marshal, as specified, and allow only one premium increase in a 5-year period. The bill would allow the increased premium to be paid over a 3-year period as part of the insured’s residential property insurance premium payments.

Because the bill would limit the commissioner’s discretion to approve a rate increase, the bill would amend Proposition 103 and thus require a 2/3 vote. The bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes of the act.

Existing law prohibits an insurer from canceling or refusing to renew a policy of residential property insurance for a property located in a ZIP Code within or adjacent to a fire perimeter for one year after the declaration of a state of emergency if the cancellation or nonrenewal is based solely on the fact that the insured structure is located in an area in which a wildfire has occurred.

This bill would additionally prohibit an insurer from canceling or refusing to renew a policy of residential property insurance based solely on the fact that the insured property is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the State Fire Marshal, if the insured is 65 years of age or older.

Status: 02/17/2023 Assembly Insurance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 905 (Essayli) would increase the limit of the penalty against an admitted insurer for a willful failure to report specified fire risk information on its residential property policies from $10,000 to $15,000.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Insurance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 970 (Luz Rivas) requires the California Department of Insurance (CDI), upon appropriation, to establish and administer the Climate and Sustainability Insurance and Risk Reduction Program.

Status: 10/08/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom.

Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 970 without my signature. This bill requires the California Department of Insurance, upon appropriation, to establish and administer the Climate and Sustainability Insurance and Risk Reduction Program and creates eight climate insurance pilot projects to reduce physical risks from flooding and extreme heat in communities with high risks and low insurance uptake. While I support the author’s goal to expand insurance options in communities where climate risks are currently underinsured, this bill creates a significant state reimbursable mandate and new cost pressures in the millions of dollars that should be considered in the annual budget process. In partnership with the Legislature, we enacted a budget that closed a shortfall of more than $30 billion through balanced solutions that avoided deep program cuts and protected education, health care, climate, public safety, and social service programs that are relied on by millions of Californians. This year, however, the Legislature sent me bills outside of this budget process that, if all enacted, would add nearly $19 billion of unaccounted costs in the budget, of which $11 billion would be ongoing. With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 1269 (Schiavo) would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require fire insurance companies to send notifications to their insureds about how they can qualify for discounts on their fire insurance.

Status: 05/05/2023 Assembly; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 672 (McGuire) requires the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), to establish a standard fee structure, as specified, for the application and placement of a parklet on a state highway, including reducing the fee by one-half for certain circumstances, such as a public benefit. Requires Caltrans to consider an encroachment permit application for a parklet for commercial use.

Status: 07/14/2023 Assembly Insurance; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch vernment Assembly Bill 433 (Jackson) would require state and county departments that offer grants to nonprofit organizations to advance a payment of 10% of the total grant amount awarded to the nonprofit organization, upon request of the nonprofit administrators. By imposing

additional duties on counties, the bill would impose a statemandated local program.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Accountability & Administrative Review; 2year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 453 (Cervantes) would require state and county departments that offer grants to nonprofit organizations to advance a payment of 10% of the total grant amount awarded to the nonprofit organization, upon request of the nonprofit administrators. By imposing additional duties on counties, the bill would impose a statemandated local program.

Status: 07/14/2023 Senate Elections & Constitutional Amendments; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 516 (Ramos) requires local agencies to provide more information in their Mitigation Fee Act reports.

Status: 09/13/2023 Enrolled; sent to Governor for action.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 557 (Hart) eliminates the sunset date on provisions of law allowing local agencies to use teleconferencing without complying with specified Ralph. M Brown Act (Brown Act) requirements during a proclaimed state of emergency.

Status: 10/10/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 534, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Support Assembly Bill 590 (Hart) authorizes a state agency administering a grant program to provide for advance payments to a recipient 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, as specified.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 535, Statutes of 2023.

Governor Signing Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am signing Assembly Bill 590, which authorizes state agencies that administer grants to or contracts with nonprofit organizations to advance a payment of up to 25 percent of the total grant or contract amount awarded to the nonprofit organization, subject to specified eligibility, reporting and accounting requirements. Last year, I signed AB 156, a budget trailer bill which authorized a pilot program for advanced payments similar to this bill for a limited number of entities and required the Department of Finance to report on the outcomes of this pilot by January 10, 2025. While I am signing this bill, I believe we should revisit this policy following the release of the report specified in AB 156, to ensure any necessary adjustments or safeguards identified by the report are enacted. I am committed to expanding equitable access to state grants and contracts, and the utilization of advance payments is a strategy that may support various nonprofits working with disadvantaged,

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low-income, and under-resourced communities. However, a measured approach is key in the implementation of this bill. I look forward to working with the legislature and stakeholders on the implementation of this bill, as well as revisiting this issue for any subsequent changes deemed necessary following the release of the pilot program report.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 740 (Gabriel) directs the California Department of Technology to issue regulations establishing cybersecurity and privacy requirements for data collected by drones operated by state and local government entities. Specifically, this bill: Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Accountability & Administrative Review.

Position: Oppose Unless Amended Assembly Bill 817 (Pacheco) allows a subsidiary body of a local agency to use teleconferencing for its meetings without posting agendas at each teleconference location, identifying each teleconference location in the notice and agenda, making each teleconference location accessible to the public, and requiring at least a quorum of the subsidiary body to participate from within the local agency’s jurisdiction, subject to certain conditions.

Specifically, this bill: Status: 05/05/2023 Assembly Local Governor; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1248 (Bryan) Status: 10/07/2023 Vetoed by Governor Newsom Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 1248 without my signature. This bill requires a city or county with more than 300,000 residents, or a school district or community college district with more than 500,000 residents, to establish an independent redistricting commission. While I share the author’s goal of ensuring community control over the redistricting process, this bill creates a state-reimbursable mandate in the tens of millions and should therefore be considered in the annual budget process. In partnership with the Legislature, we enacted a budget that closed a shortfall of more than $30 billion through balanced solutions that avoided deep program cuts and protected education, health care, climate, public safety, and social service programs that are relied on by millions of Californians.

This year, however, the Legislature sent me bills outside of this budget process that, if all enacted, would add 24

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nearly $19 billion of unaccounted costs in the budget, of which $11 billion would be ongoing. With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1348 (Grayson) authorizes the State Controller (Controller) to conduct financial and compliance audits of state ballot propositions passed by the electorate, as well as any audits necessary to carry out the Controller’s constitutional and statutory duties.

Status: 09/01/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1637 (Irwin) requires cities and counties that maintain websites to utilize a “.gov” or “.ca.gov” domain.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 586, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1753 (Comm. on Local Government) makes several non-controversial changes to the local agency formation commission (LAFCO) statutes, which govern local government organization and reorganization.

Status: 06/29/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 25, Statues of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 769 (Gonzalez) requires local agency officials in a city, county or special district that is designated as high risk by the California State Auditor (CSA) or is in violation of State Controller’s Office (SCO) requirements to receive at least two hours of fiscal and financial training at least once every two years, if the local agency provides any type of compensation or reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred to its local agency officials.

Status: 09/01/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 739 (Lackey) would revise the conditions for suspending contributions to a public retirement system defined benefit plan to increase the threshold percentage amount of plan funding to more than 130%.

Status: 04/28/2023 Assembly Public Employment & Retirement; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1020 (Grayson) expands the scope of rebuttable presumptions to include the following additional injuries: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), tuberculosis (TB), skin cancer, lower back impairments, Lyme disease, and meningitis,

for purposes of qualifying for a disability retirement under the County Employees Retirement Law (CERL) of 1937.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 554, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1246 (Stephanie Nguyen) permits a retired California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) member who divorces after retirement and subsequently remarries to designate their new spouse as a beneficiary for the member’s share of retirement.

Status: 09/14/2023 Senate Inactive File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 300 (Seyarto) requires specified pension bills that are referred to the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee to include a fiscal analysis by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO).

Status: 06/02/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 660 (Alvarado-Gil) would enact the California Public Retirement System Agency Cost and Liability Panel (ACLP), within the State Controller’s Office (SCO), to provide information on the pension costs and liability that each participating employer assumes by participating in a public retirement system.

Status: 05/19/2023 Senate Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch n Assembly Bill 294 (Petrie-Norris) excludes from gross income under the Personal Income Tax and Corporation Tax Law, for taxable years beginning January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2027, any amount received in settlement by a qualified taxpayer to replace property damaged or destroyed by a wildfire in California. The qualified taxpayer must own real property, reside, or have a place of business within the area damaged by a wildfire. The settlement entity must provide, upon request by the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) or qualified taxpayer, documentation of the settlement payments in the form and manner requested by FTB or qualified taxpayer. This bill states the goal of creating the income exclusion and requires, by November 1, 2027, FTB to provide a report to the Legislature with specified income exclusion data.

Status: 05/19/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 582 (Connolly) allows, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2029, a tax credit under the Personal Income Tax Law in an amount equal to 40% of costs paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer associated with the building or installing of hardening measures to the taxpayer’s primary residence. This bill caps the credit at $400 per taxable year or $2,000 cumulatively and defines “qualified taxpayer” to mean an individual at least 65 years old, under a specified income threshold, whose primary residence is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone. This bill declares the goals and performance indicators for the tax credit and requires the i AB 102, Ting. Budget Act of 2023; Chapter 38, Statutes of 2023. ii SB 101, Skinner. Budget Act of 2023; Chapter 12, Statutes of 2023. iii AB 118, Committee on Budget. Budget Act of 2023: health; Chapter 42, Statutes of 2023. iv ACA 1, Aguiar-Curry. Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval; Chapter 173; Filed with Secretary of State 09/20/2023.

Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to analyze the performance indicators each year and report, by November 1, 2029, the findings to the Legislature.

Status: 05/17/2023 Assembly Appropriations Suspense File; 2-year bill.

Position: Watch Assembly Bill 1500 (Irwin) extends by three years the deadline for a taxpayer to maintain their previous base year value under specified circumstances when reconstructing if the property was substantially damaged or destroyed on or after November 1, 2018, but on or before November 30, 2018.

Status: 10/08/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 583, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 370 (McGuire) excludes settlement payments made in connection with the 2019 Kincade Fire from gross income for state tax purposes.

Status: 06/08/2023 Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee.

Position: Watch Senate Bill 520 (Seyarto) ensures that the homeowners’ exemption from property tax continues to apply if the taxpayer is not occupying their home because they are confined to a hospital or other care facility.

Status: 10/11/2023 Signed by Governor Newsom; Chapter 781, Statutes of 2023.

Position: Watch

i AB 102, Ting. Budget Act of 2023; Chapter 38, Statutes of 2023. ii SB 101, Skinner. Budget Act of 2023; Chapter 12, Statutes of 2023. iii AB 118, Committee on Budget. Budget Act of 2023: health; Chapter 42, Statutes of 2023. iv ACA 1, Aguiar-Curry. Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval; Chapter 173; Filed with Secretary of State 09/20/2023.

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Chris Tubbs Fire Chief Southern Marin Fire District Mill Valley Fire Department

As my term as the CalChiefs President ends, and I reflect on this past year, I am profoundly humbled and thankful to have served in that role, and also be a member of the FDAC Board of Directors as a Director At Large. The two associations partner on many key issues and I am grateful for the leadership of FDAC Past-President Chief Comisky and current FDAC President Chief Walder, and the entire FDAC E-Board and SMA team. Collectively, FDAC and CalChiefs continue to work closely together on important legislative issues. With our other partner associations such as CSDA and CPF, the fire service collectively continues to have an effective influence in Sacramento.

It has been a privilege to work with and meet so many amazing people across the State, who are committed to the FDAC and CalChiefs Associations, and who are doing the challenging and often unrecognized work on behalf of their individual agencies as well as FDAC, the California Fire Chiefs Association and broader California Fire Service. They have my deep gratitude and respect because without them, our associations could not exist, be effective, or enjoy any of our successes.

On the legislative front we were able to accomplish several things that were a priority for FDAC and CalChiefs, including the appointment of Elizabeth “Liz” Basnett as the permanent Director at Cal EMSA, and most recently, the adoption of AB40, the APOT bill.

We continued to build a strong relationship with Director Basnett, meeting monthly with her to discuss key issues affecting our members. Director Basnett has been a breath of fresh air; her style of collaboration and inclusiveness has been welcomed.

One of her first accomplishments was the development of a new EMSA Strategic Plan.

We are grateful for her leadership on this initiative, for CalChiefs being a part of the development process, and I am grateful for those CalChiefs and FDAC members who worked on the various workgroups that were

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established and did the hard work that led to the final document. We have also continued the work that Past-President Gayk began in fostering and building relationships with groups such as EMSAAC leadership, who we meet with monthly. We continue to also build a relationship with EMDAC. A couple of our bills (AB1168 and AB 577) have not passed this session but have been turned into two-year bills giving us the opportunity for success. I am deeply thankful for the individuals within FDAC, Presidents Comisky and Walder, CalChiefs, our Legislative Director John Binaski, and our partners such as CPF President Rice, and CSDA. Key to our FDAC/CalChiefs work are our amazing advocates at PPA – they are incredibly dedicated to the fire service and work tirelessly on our behalf in Sacramento. The commitment and the body of work these groups perform is nothing short of astonishing, and their willingness to collaborate and work together on those issues of mutual interest is key. FDAC and CalChiefs partner in our relationship with PPA, which is highly beneficial.

This year CalChiefs brought on SMA (Smith, Moore & Associates) to assist with the needed staff support required to effectively run the Association, supporting the E-Board and Executive Director. This decision was in large part because of FDAC’s long history and relationship with SMA and the great work they do for FDAC. CalChiefs Executive Director Chief Jeff Meston, and the team at SMA have accomplished a significant body of work for CalChiefs, including the development and deployment of a new website; the creation of the new Hall of Fame Award, the development and deployment of an improved online payment system for dues, and the introduction and deployment of a weekly electronic newsletter, as well as managing the logistics of our Annual Conference, Planning Meeting and CFED.

Like all associations, FDAC has challenges ahead and your FDAC Board embraces the duty to engage so that we can support and assist local agencies in their continued dedication to serving their residents and communities. One such looming challenge is a ballot initiative (#21—0042A1 – the (Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act”) that would greatly impact our revenue sources (taxes AND fees). Be assured that FDAC, CalChiefs and our partners are already deeply engaged on this issue, as we seek to ensure that this initiative does not pass. This would have catastrophic consequences for local government services across the State.

We are also about to begin a process with EMSA that will re-write the Chapter 13 regulations for EMS. Chiefs Mark Hartwig and Ted Peterson will be representing CalChiefs on the Chapter 13 workgroup. CalChiefs attorneys Ray Ramirez and Andrew Schouten will be providing legal analysis and support to our team.

As Chief Heine steps into the CalChiefs President’s role, the important work of FDAC association will continue without interruption and the partnership with CalChiefs will remain strong.

In closing, I would share this simple observation from my time as CalChiefs President and as an FDAC Board member: across this State there are many individuals who are gifted and bright, who give beyond their required work at their home agency, and because of their personal generosity, our FDAC and CalChiefs Associations benefit, and by extension, our membership. Laws that could have negative consequences on our members and the California Fire Service can be mitigated.

The sharing of critical and timely information can be rapidly dispatched so that action can occur. In short, it is the membership and strong partnership that makes FDAC and CalChiefs effective and valuable associations, and it has been a gift to me to be able to participate and witness this on such a scale, it is truly humbling.

Fire Districts Association of California Z O N E 3 R E P O R T The Unsung Heroes Over the past year, discussions within the Fire Districts Association of California’s (FDAC) Zone 3 have shed light on the challenges associated with maintaining a sustainable pool of qualified apparatus mechanics. The absence of technical and specialized training among the present generation could pose a long-term problem for the California Fire Service.

Brian Helmick Deputy Fire Chief Contra Costa County Fire Protection District

As I ponder the complexity of having a good succession plan for qualified mechanics, I also think of the other fire service support staff that makes all we strive to do possible.

Specifically, all of the prevention personnel, dispatchers, support services and part-time employees or volunteers that support the operations sections of all agencies.

As we consider ways to address our future succession plans, let us take a moment to recognize the unsung heroes of the fire service. While most people tend to think solely of the courageous men and women on the front lines, it is equally vital to acknowledge the dedicated individuals working behind the scenes- the administrative staff, office personnel, fire aides, mechanics, and reserves. The fire service represents a collective team effort centered around a shared goal, encapsulating the mission of the fire department.

Recently, I had the privilege to be part of an Honor, Dignity, and Heritage Committee. This Committee organized a ceremony to honor and pay tribute to not only the front-line operations personnel but also those unsung heroes working diligently behind the scenes within the fire service.

This ceremony was a memorable evening.

The event highlighted the stories of the award recipients, showcasing their pivotal role within the District, and culminated in the presentation of well-deserved accolades. During this ceremony, there was a notable moment

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dedicated to honoring the Fire District Shop members, a story from that occasion that I want to share.

Shop mechanics are a perfect example of a fire service unsung hero. Those who work in shops work tirelessly to keep all apparatus on the road. A special tribute was given to the shop mechanics as a way to honor them for years to come. This tribute was written and will hang in the fire apparatus shop.

“The Mechanic” The Firefighter everyone’s hero, He was brave, he was bold, he was grand, As he stood in his battered turnouts, With his irons and helmet in hand.

But for each of these highly visible heroes, There are a proud few who are a little renowned, And these were the men and women who worked on the District’s engines But kept their feet on the shop floor.

We all know of the names that have, Solemnly been placed on the training grounds, Memorial wall, and of their tragic but heroic fame.

But think if you can, of the mechanic, Can you remember his or her name?

And think of the fire ground heroes, And the acclaim that they got,

Can you tell me the name of who made the runs possible?

A thousand to one, you cannot.

Now, firefighters are highly trained, And that badge is not easily earned, But without that skilled mechanic, firefighters would go by foot, To what had already burned.

So, when you see a fire truck or engine speed by, Sirens wailing through the air, Remember the grease-stained mechanic with the wrench in hand,

The mechanic is the one who put the engine there.

It is the little things that we do for people to show our appreciation for them. This tribute wasn’t expensive, nor did it exhaust the District’s resources, but the gesture and the recognition will have a lasting impact for many years to come. In closing, I challenge you all to think about the men and women behind the scenes- the ones doing the jobs to ensure that the firefighters on the line can do theirs and do so safely. Today, take a moment to thank one of these unsung heroes for their invaluable contributions.

A joint powers authority formed to enable fire protection districts to protect the communities they serve. www.fasisjpa.org

Fire Districts Association of California Z O N E 4 R E P O R T Fire Services of San Mateo County.

The use of Special Districts, City Governments, Joint Powers Acts (JPA) and a County Office of Emergency Services saving tax funds to establish a working cooperative model.

Robert Silano Director, Menlo Park Fire Protection District

The Mission of the Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) is to provide legislative advocacy, educational information, member services, informational resources, and to promote special districts that perform fire protection services. FDAC also has the Values of: • Communication • Collaboration • Accountability • Transparency • Organizational flexibility • Mutual Aid • Automatic Aid San Mateo County Model In San Mateo County, all dispatch, OEM, EMS, services are coordinated by the San Mateo County (SMC) Office of Emergency Management that is identified under the control and authority of the SMC County Executive.

EMS transportations are handled by American Medical Response (AMR) on a contractual basis with a membership as a JPA, represented by the communities within SMC. The cities of South San Francisco Fire and Woodside Fire have transportation capabilities. Woodside Fire utilizes AMR vehicles for their transportation responsibilities.

Special Districts within San Mateo County Within San Mateo County, only three (3) Special Districts are represented as a public safety element. They are Menlo Park Fire Protection District, Woodside Fire Protection District, and Coastside Fire Protection District.

Fire services include fire prevention, community outreach, OEM, training, and EMS.

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Menlo Park Fire Protection District: • Serves the Unincorporated southern part of San Mateo County, Town of Atherton, the cities of Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto.

• DHS/ FEMA TF-3 • Drone Services Woodside Fire Protection District; • Serves the Towns of Woodside and Portola Valley Coastside Fire Protection District: • Serves the city of Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated part of San Mateo County to include the La Honda area. La Honda has established a volunteer fire department for that area of responsibility.

• These special districts have an elected specific governing board serving only as representatives of an identified legislative special district. The Coastside Fire Protection District contracts its services with Cal Fire.

Fire agencies controlled, funded, and managed by their individual governmental agencies or the establishment of a Joint Powers Act (JPA).

The cities of Foster City, San Mateo, and Belmont have come together establishing a JPA as the “San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department”. San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department uses their elected council members as their governing board.

The cities of Daly City, Brisbane, and Pacifica have established a JPA “North County Fire” for their fire services, EMS, Fire Prevention, and other related public fire safety mandates.

This does not include police services. North County Fire Department uses their elected council members as their governing board.

The cities of San Carlos and Redwood City have established an agreement for fire services, fire prevention, EMS, and OES under the authority of the Redwood City Fire Department.

The city of Millbrae contracts their fire service, as Coastside Fire, where both governmental agencies use Cal Fire for their services.

Conclusion: San Mateo County has attempted to establish a working Fire response system using the available resources of all agencies. Using the combination of Special Districts, JPA’s and contractual services of Cal-FIRE, San Mateo County has a working model that could be used by other governmental agencies regarding “Cost Effectiveness”.

Fire Districts Association of California C A L L

F O R

I M A G E R Y !

W

ould you like to see your Fire Districts photo in FDAC publications and marketing material? We are looking to share the face of California local government fire. If you have photos that you would like FDAC to consider, please upload them to the dropbox link below. *FDAC reserves the right to choose photos as it seems fit, there is no guarantee that photos will be selected for use.

This continuity has created a culture of community. As the community and State continue to change LFPD, as well as all special districts, we are all experiencing challenges in funding, growth, and providing the highest level of service possible.

SUBMIT PHOTOS HERE

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