CaliforniaWildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.
What it does
Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and requires the department to be responsible for, among other things, fire protection and prevention, as provided.
More detail
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camp program for the purpose of having inmates and wards work on projects supervised by the department. Existing law requires the department to utilize inmates and wards assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work at the department.
This bill would require, on and after July 1, 2027, the department to, in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Conservation Camp program, implement a standardized process to ensure that all eligible individuals who successfully complete training in a department firefighting training camp while incarcerated receive official written certification reflective of the training completed before their release, as specified.
This bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as defined, applies for a Fire Fighter 1 Classification position, or any successor classifications, and has the required training and meets the minimum qualifications for the position, to award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to the qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as specified. The bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual applies for a Forestry Technician Classification position, or any successor classifications, to count the duration of specified training and fieldwork as an incarcerated hand crew member towards the minimum qualifications for the classification.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 612, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 31Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 25Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6486.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2483 Elhawary Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 24In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2483 Elhawary et al. By Smallwood-Cuevas. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 24Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Major
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L., P.E. & R. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 3Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and L., P.E. & R.Minor
- May 27In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5325.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2483 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Coauthors revised.
- Apr 9Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R.Minor
- Apr 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. E. & R. Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 6Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.Minor
- Mar 26Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Mar 25Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 24From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (March 23).Major
- Mar 23
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced