Assembly BillChaptered/SignedPublic Resources
AB 2483: Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.
What AB 2483 does, verified September 29, 2026
This bill aims to create a certification and employment program for formerly incarcerated firefighters. The program would provide a standardized process for eligible individuals to receive official written certification after completing training in a fire department's training camp while incarcerated. The certification would be valid for employment as a firefighter. The bill also awards hiring preference to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals for firefighter positions, counting the duration of their training and fieldwork towards the minimum qualifications. Additionally, the department can provide hiring preference to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals for new entry-level classifications or positions. The program is intended to help formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society and find employment in the firefighting field, while also providing the departme…
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 612, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-27)Alert me
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| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 612, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6486.). |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 27, 2026 · 702 words
Assembly Bill No. 2483
CHAPTER 612
An act to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4960) to Part 4 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, relating to wildfires.
[ Approved by Governor September 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2483, 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 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.
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) On and after July 1, 2027, 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 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 from prison.(2) The official written certification pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include certification commensurate with the individual’s training towards meeting relevant minimum requirements for Fire Fighter 1 Classification or Forestry Technician Classification.
(b) On and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual applies for a Fire Fighter 1 Classification position, or any successor classifications, with the department and has the required training and meets the minimum qualifications for the position, the department shall award hiring preference to the qualified formerly incarcerated individual under Category Placement 2.
(c) On and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual applies for a Forestry Technician Classification position, or any successor classifications, with the department, the department shall count the duration of training pursuant to subdivision (a) and field work as an incarcerated hand crew member towards the minimum qualifications for the Forestry Technician classification.
(d) 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.
(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.
(f) For the purposes of this section, “qualified formerly incarcerated individual” means any formerly incarcerated individual who successfully completed training in a department firefighting training camp, has a valid certification pursuant to subdivision (a), and has successfully participated as an incarcerated hand crew member in the California Conservation Camp program as described in Section 1203.4b of the Penal Code.
Text of AB 2483 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions