CaliforniaDepartment of Forestry and Fire Protection: Fire Innovation Unit.
What it does
Existing law establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes various programs for the prevention and reduction of wildfires.
More detail
This bill, which would be operative until January 1, 2033, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, would establish the Fire Innovation Unit within the department to serve as the department's innovation arm for wildfire technology research, coordination, procurement, and deployment for technologies that, among other things, improve ecosystem and landscape scale resilience. The bill would require the unit to consist of the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development, the Innovation, Outreach and Coordination Program, and the Rapid Acquisition and Deployment Program, as provided. The bill would authorize the unit to establish and administer a program to fund early-stage, mature, or dual-use technology projects that enhance wildfire prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response through grants, contracts, or both. The bill would also authorize the unit to (1) administer or monitor pilot, prototype, or demonstration projects to evaluate, mature, and validate wildfire-related technologies, (2) collaborate with public and private educational and research institutions on wildfire technology and innovation, (3) establish testbeds to test or evaluate emerging technologies, (4) provide technical assistance to local, state, federal, and international fire agencies to facilitate deployment of wildfire-related technologies, (5) maintain a publicly accessible resource to provide visibility into these wildfire-related technologies, and (6) provide opportunities for participation in demonstrations, pilot programs, and field testing, as provided.
This bill would require the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature summarizing certain information related to the unit, including, among other things, the technologies and projects evaluated, tested, or deployed.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 29Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 774, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 29Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 10Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 1
- Vote recorded SB 1079 Stern Senate Third Reading By Connolly. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 31Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded W/O REF. TO FILE. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 31Unanimous consent granted to take up without reference to file.
- Aug 31In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Aug 31Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 7065.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 28Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 28Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 28Joint Rule 61(b)(16) suspended. (Ayes 57. Noes 1. Page 6819.)
- Aug 28Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 27Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 27From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 26).Major
- Aug 26
- Vote recorded Amendments (Committee's). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
- Aug 24Re-referred to Com. on E.M pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.Minor
- Aug 21Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 21Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 17. Page 6296.)
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jun 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 29
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.M with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Jun 22
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Emergency Management] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 1Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and E.M.Minor
- May 22In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded Special Consent SB1079 Stern et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 22Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 0. Page 4418.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 20Ordered to special consent calendar.
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4264.) (May 14).Minor
- May 12Set for hearing May 14.
- May 11May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- May 4Set for hearing May 11.
- Apr 28Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Apr 27From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 3972.) (April 21).Major
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10Set for hearing April 21.
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.M. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3758.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Apr 7
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Emergency Management]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 24Set for hearing April 7.
- Mar 4Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.M.Minor
- Feb 17From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 16.
- Feb 13Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced