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AB 1380: Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified December 7, 2025

What AB 1380 does, verified December 7, 2025

The bill aims to create a standardized process for formerly incarcerated individuals who complete a firefighting training program while incarcerated to receive official written certification upon release. This certification would allow them to be considered for hiring preference by the department of forestry and fire protection. The department must work with the department of corrections and rehabilitation and the California Conservation Camp Program to implement this process. The department must also track and report the outcomes of this program, including the number of individuals who complete the training program and are set to be released within 90 days. The bill requires the department to award hiring preference to qualified individuals who have completed the training program and have been certified.

Bill journey

✓IntroducedComplete

✓In CommitteeComplete

✓First Chamber FloorComplete

4Second ChamberCurrent

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2025-06-02)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Sade ElhawaryAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions25 total · showing 5

Aug. 29, 2025	In committee: Held under submission.
Aug. 18, 2025	In committee: Referred to suspense file.
Jul. 15, 2025	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Jun. 24, 2025	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
Jun. 11, 2025	Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and PUB. S.

Full action history, 20 earlier actionsConnect Plus

Latest bill textAmended version, May 23, 2025 · 1,054 words

Amended IN Assembly May 23, 2025

Amended IN Assembly April 10, 2025

Amended IN Assembly March 24, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1380

Introduced by Assembly Member Elhawary

February 21, 2025

An act to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4960) to Part 4 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, relating to wildfires.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1380, as amended, Elhawary. Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

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.

Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camp program for the purpose of having incarcerated persons work on projects supervised by the department. Existing law requires the department to utilize incarcerated persons assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work at the department.

This bill would require 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 individuals who complete the department’s firefighting training program (FFT program) while incarcerated receive official written certification before their release, as specified. ~~The bill would require this certification to be adequate for employment at the department in the classification of Fire Fighter 1.~~

The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2027, ensure a minimum percentage of Fire Fighter 1 classification positions are reserved for the hiring of formerly incarcerated individuals, as provided.
The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2027, award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals who apply for positions with the department.

The bill would also require the department to track the number of incarcerated individuals who have completed the FFT ~~program to ensure a sufficient number of Fire Fighter 1 classification positions are available,~~ program and are set to be released within 90 days, develop and implement policies and procedures to track and report the outcomes of the Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program, and report annually to the Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of the program, as provided.

The bill would make these provisions operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes, as provided.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4960) is added to Part 4 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

CHAPTER 2. Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program

4960.

(a) (1) Within six months from the date this chapter becomes operative, as described in subdivision (g), the department shall, in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Conservation Camp program, implement a standardized process to ensure that all individuals who successfully complete the department’s firefighting training program (FFT program) while incarcerated receive official written certification before their release from prison. ~~That certification shall be considered adequate for employment at the department in the classification of Fire Fighter 1.~~

(2) The official written certification pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include, but is not limited to, the following certifications:

~~(A)L180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service.~~

~~(B)S130 Wildland Fire Safety Training.~~

~~(C)S190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior.~~

~~(D)Public Safety First Aid.~~

~~(E)Fire Protection Orientation.~~

~~(F)Confined Space Rescue Awareness.~~

~~(G)Fire Fighter 1B: HazMat Certificate.~~

(A) CAL-FIRE Forestry Training.
(B) S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior.

(b) On or before January 1, 2027, the department shall ~~ensure a minimum percentage of Fire Fighter Classification 1 positions are reserved for the hiring of qualified formerly incarcerated individuals as follows:~~ award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals who apply for positions with the department.

(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude the department from placing a formerly incarcerated person in a higher category for hiring based on their level of training, certification, employment history, or other factors.
(1)Subject to the receipt of a sufficient quantity of job applications from qualified formerly incarcerated individuals, the department shall reserve at least fifteen percent of all vacant Fire Fighter 1 classification positions each year for the hiring of qualified formerly incarcerated individuals.
(2)If in any year the department does not receive enough applications from qualified formerly incarcerated individuals to meet the percentage threshold pursuant to paragraph (1), the department shall nevertheless remain in compliance with this subdivision if the following conditions are meet:
~~(A)The department took meaningful steps to recruit qualified formerly incarcerated individuals to comply with paragraph (1).~~
~~(B)The department hired all qualified formerly incarcerated individuals who submitted an application that year.~~
~~(c)~~

(d) The department shall, in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, ~~annually~~ track the number of incarcerated individuals who have completed the FFT program and are set to be released from prison within ~~the next 90 days to ensure a sufficient number of vacant Fire Fighter 1 classification positions are a available for hiring purposes.~~ 90 days.

~~(d)~~

(e) Nothing in this section shall preclude other state agencies with wildland management responsibilities from establishing similar pathways to support wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response efforts with priority hiring reserved for formerly incarcerated individuals who completed the FFT program.

~~(e)~~

(f) The department shall develop and implement policies and procedures to track and report the outcomes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, the number of participants hired, retention rates, and career advancement opportunities.

~~(f)~~

(g) (1) For three years from the date this chapter becomes operative, as described in subdivision ~~(g),~~ (h), the department shall submit an annual report to the Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of this chapter, including recommendations for improvement.

(2) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

~~(g)~~

(h) This chapter shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes in the annual Budget Act or any other statute.

~~(h)~~
(i)
For the purposes of this section, “qualified formerly incarcerated individual” means any formerly incarcerated individual who completed the FFT program and has a valid certification pursuant to subdivision (a).

Text of AB 1380 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions