CaliforniaWildfire officials must plan home hardening certifications
The wildfire advisory committee must plan voluntary home upgrades and report its recommendations by 2028; the State Fire Marshal must establish a certification program by 2029.
What it does
The wildfire advisory committee must plan a voluntary home certification program for upgrades, including defensible space, that can reduce fire losses and align existing homes with state standards.
The wildfire advisory committee must send its findings and recommendations about the home certification plan to four legislative committees.
After the committee makes its recommendations, the State Fire Marshal must establish the home hardening certification program by 2029.
Argument forHomeowners could use voluntary upgrades during renovation to reduce fire risks and bring existing homes closer to state building standards.
Argument againstBecause the minimum certification tier may use an actuarial finding instead of an outside standard, homeowners might find it harder to compare what different certifications mean.
More detail
The State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee must develop a plan for a home hardening certification program. The plan must cover measures, including defensible space, that homeowners can choose to use during renovation or property improvement projects. The plan must recommend multiple certification levels, including at least one ember-resistant level. The minimum level must meet a recognized wildfire standard or rest on an actuarial finding that it meaningfully reduces ember ignitions. The recommendations must address inspector qualifications, how long certifications last, and steps to put the program in place. The committee must develop the plan by January 1, 2028.
The committee must report its findings and recommendations to four legislative committees. The report goes to the Assembly and Senate committees on Emergency Management and the Assembly and Senate committees on natural resources. The report is due by January 1, 2028.
The State Fire Marshal must establish the home hardening certification program based on the committee’s recommendations. The program covers home hardening measures that can be used during renovation or property improvement projects. The program must be based on the committee’s recommendations. The program must be established by January 1, 2029.
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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 29Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 763, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 29Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 10Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31
- Vote recorded AB 1934 Bennett Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6933.).Major
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1934 Bennett et al. By Pérez. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 30In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 30Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 30Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- 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. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. 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] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.Minor
- Jun 16
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Natural Resources and Water]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 9From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.M.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Coms. on E.M. and N.R. & W.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1934 Bennett Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 5205.)Passed Assembly
- 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
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 14From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 13
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 26Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.Minor
- Mar 25Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 24From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 23).Major
- Mar 23
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Natural Resources]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Referred to Coms. on E.M and NAT. RES.Minor
- Feb 14From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
- Feb 13Read first time. To print.Introduced
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