Senate BillFailedHealth and Safety
SB 732: Emergency backup generators: critical facilities: exemptions.
What SB 732 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill would require air districts to adopt rules allowing critical facilities to use emergency backup generators in excess of runtime and testing limits under specified conditions. The rules would also require critical facilities to attest to and provide evidence of taking steps to implement backup power technologies that meet or exceed emission standards. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program on air districts. No reimbursement is required for the costs associated with implementing this act.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Apr. 22, 2025 | April 30 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Apr. 02, 2025 | Set for hearing April 30. |
| Mar. 12, 2025 | Referred to Com. on E.Q. |
| Feb. 24, 2025 | From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 21, 2025 · 1,113 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 732
| Introduced by Senator Ochoa Bogh |
February 21, 2025 |
An act to add Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 42010) to Chapter 3 of Part 4 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to nonvehicular air pollution.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 732, as introduced, Ochoa Bogh. Emergency backup generators: critical facilities: exemptions.
Existing law imposes various limitations on emissions of air contaminants for the control of air pollution from vehicular and nonvehicular sources. Existing law generally designates air pollution control and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for the control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources. Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to identify toxic air contaminants that are emitted into the ambient air of the state and to establish airborne toxic control measures to reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants from nonvehicular sources.
This bill would require an air district without a specified rule on emergency backup generators, as defined, as of January 1, 2026, that adopts such a rule to include in the rule provisions that allow the operator of a critical facility, as defined, to use a permitted emergency backup generator in exceedance of the applicable runtime and testing and maintenance limits if specified conditions are met. The bill would require a critical facility allowed to exceed applicable limits under a rule adopted pursuant to that provision to attest to and provide evidence of having taken demonstrable steps toward implementing the use of backup power technologies that meet or exceed emission standards set by the state board. By adding to the duties of air districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Catastrophic wildfires and other natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change and other factors.
(b) Wildfires dramatically increase carbon emissions and work against the state’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve a carbon-neutral future.
(c) Wildfires and other natural disasters also can cause significant impacts and a threat to the state’s water and wastewater facilities, which are critical to ensuring a safe and reliable water supply for people, businesses, agriculture, and the environment.
(d) To help mitigate the risks of wildfires, investor-owned utilities have initiated public safety power shutoffs to deenergize parts of their distribution systems, and, in some cases, portions of the transmission system, actions that reduce or eliminate access to a reliable power supply for the state’s water agencies as they count on a reliable source of electricity to move and deliver water.
(e) Actions need to be taken to reduce the impacts of deenergization wildfires and other events on critical facilities, including increasing access to alternative power sources that can help support a safe and reliable water supply and maintain the state’s ability to effectively respond to wildfires.
SEC. 2.
Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 42010) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 4 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:Article 9.5. Emergency Backup Generators
42010.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(a) “Critical facility” means a facility necessary in providing essential public services, including, but not limited to, facilities such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, emergency operations centers, water and wastewater facilities, incident command posts, and communication systems used to support essential public services.
(b) “Deenergization event” means the interruption of power due to a public safety power shutoff.
(c) “Emergency backup generator” means an internal combustion engine greater than 50 brake horsepower and gas turbines greater than 2,975,000 British thermal units per hour for nonutility power generation that does not operate more than 200 hours per year and is only operated in the event of an emergency power failure or for routine testing and maintenance.
(d) “Loss of power” means a failure in an electric generation, distribution, and transmission system or a disruption to electrical power from an electricity provider due to an emergency event, including a wildfire.
(e) “Public safety power shutoff” means a preventative measure to deenergize all, or a portion of, an electric generation, distribution, or transmission system when the electricity provider reasonably believes there is an imminent and significant risk that strong winds, or other extreme and potentially dangerous weather events, increase the probability of a wildfire.
(f) “Water and wastewater facilities” includes drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, storage facilities, and water facilities needed to maintain water service and the water pressure necessary for firefighting.
42012.
(a) Except as otherwise prohibited by federal law, if a district without a rule that imposes runtime or testing and maintenance limits for permitted emergency backup generators as of January 1, 2026, adopts a rule that imposes runtime or testing and maintenance limits for permitted emergency backup generators, the district shall include in the rule provisions that allow the operator of a critical facility to use a permitted emergency backup generator in exceedance of those limits if either or both of the following conditions are met:(1) The operation of the emergency backup generator occurs as the result of a deenergization event or other loss of power.
(2) The testing and maintenance for that emergency backup generator is in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 110 for Emergency and Standby Power Systems.
(b) A critical facility allowed to exceed applicable limits under a rule adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall attest to and provide evidence to the district of having taken demonstrable steps toward implementing the use of backup power technologies that meet or exceed emission standards set by the state board. These steps may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Contracting to purchase that technology.
(2) Releasing a request for information or request for proposal to acquire that technology.
(3) Applying for federal, state, or local funding that may be used specifically to acquire that technology.
SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.Text of SB 732 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions