Senate BillPassed first houseGovernment
SB 581: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: employment: firefighters.
What SB 581 does, verified December 13, 2025
The bill aims to establish permanent employment status for firefighters working for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Currently, these employees are classified as temporary or seasonal workers. The bill requires relevant state agencies to transition the Firefighter I classification to a permanent employment classification, ensuring these workers receive the same rights and benefits as other state employees. This change will provide greater job security and stability for the firefighters involved.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Read second time. Ordered to third reading. (2025-09-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions28 total · showing 5
| Sep. 02, 2025 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug. 29, 2025 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29). |
| Aug. 20, 2025 | August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| Aug. 20, 2025 | August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. |
| Jul. 15, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textAmended version, April 10, 2025 · 328 words
| Amended IN Senate April 10, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 581
| Introduced by Senators McGuire, Grayson, Allen, and Pérez (Principal coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Cervantes, Cortese, Gonzalez, Hurtado, Jones, Menjivar, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, and Wahab) |
February 20, 2025 |
An act to add Section 19846.2 to the Government Code, relating to public employment.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 581, as amended, McGuire. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: seasonal firefighters. employment: firefighters.
The California Constitution establishes certain conditions of employment for state officers and employees. Existing law, the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act, grants specified employment rights to firefighters, as defined, including temporary, seasonal firefighters employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
This bill would require the Department of Human Resources, the State Personnel Board, and any other relevant state agency to take the necessary actions to transition seasonal firefighters employed by the Firefighter I classification within CAL FIRE to a permanent firefighter employment classification.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Fight for Firefighters Act of 2025.SECTION 1.SEC. 2.
19846.2.
(a) The Department of Human Resources, the State Personnel Board, and any other relevant state agency shall take the necessary actions to transition(b) The transition of the Firefighter I classification into a permanent employment classification shall include meeting and conferring in good faith between the exclusive representative and the state employer pursuant to Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 3512) of Division 4 of Title 1. The bargaining process shall include wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment for affected employees during and after the transition.
Text of SB 581 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions