Senate BillFailedHealth and Safety
SB 796: Emergency medical services: state-employed public safety personnel: optional first aid skills.
What SB 796 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill aims to enhance emergency medical services in California by expanding the training of state-employed public safety personnel. Currently, lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers must be trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by meeting standards prescribed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority and receiving the training at no cost. The bill would require the authority to act as the authorizing entity for the optional first aid and CPR skills of these personnel and develop quality assurance and improvement measures to ensure their safe and effective use.
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. |
| May. 23, 2025 | May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. |
| May. 16, 2025 | Set for hearing May 23. |
| May. 12, 2025 | May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| May. 02, 2025 | Set for hearing May 12. |
Latest bill textAmended version, April 28, 2025 · 851 words
| Amended IN Senate April 28, 2025 |
| Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 796
| Introduced by Senator Richardson |
February 21, 2025 |
An act to amend Sections 1797.182 and 1797.183 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to emergency medical services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 796, as amended, Richardson. Emergency medical services: first aid training. state-employed public safety personnel: optional first aid skills.
Existing law requires specified lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers to be trained to administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Existing law requires the training to meet standards prescribed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority, and to be provided at no cost to the lifeguard or firefighter employee. Existing regulations authorize those lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers to perform specified optional first aid and CPR skills if the lifeguard, firefighter, or peace officer has been trained and tested to demonstrate competence and if authorized by the medical director of the local emergency medical services agency.
This bill would require the authority to act as the authorizing entity for the optional first aid and CPR training skills for the lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers described above that are employed by a state agency, and would require the authority to develop and implement quality assurance and improvement measures, as specified, to ensure the safe and effective use of those skills.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1797.182 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:1797.182.
(a) All ocean, public beach, and public swimming pool lifeguards and all firefighters in this state, except those whose duties are primarily clerical or administrative, shall be trained to administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).(b) The training shall meet standards prescribed by the authority, and shall be satisfactorily completed by those persons as soon as practical, but in no event more than one year after the date of employment.
(c) Satisfactory completion of a refresher course that meets the standards prescribed by the authority in CPR and other first aid shall be required at least every three years.
(d) The authority may designate a public agency or private nonprofit agency to provide for each county the training required by this section. The training shall be provided at no cost to the trainee.
(e) (1) If a firefighter or lifeguard is subject to Chapter 2.3 (commencing with Section 100025.01) of Division 9 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations pertaining to first aid and CPR for public safety personnel, and is employed by a state agency, the authority shall act as the authorizing entity for optional CPR and first aid skills. the optional first aid and CPR skills specified in Section 100027.03 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(2) The authority shall develop, implement, and monitor policies, protocols, and quality assurance and improvement (QA/QI) measures to ensure the safe and effective use of these skills.
(f) As used in this section, “lifeguard” means any regularly employed and paid officer, employee, or member of a public aquatic safety department or marine safety agency of the State of California, a city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision of this state.
(g) As used in this section, “firefighter” means any regularly employed and paid officer, employee, or member of a fire department or fire protection or firefighting agency of the State of California, a city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision of this state or member of an emergency reserve unit of a volunteer fire department or fire protection district.
SEC. 2.
Section 1797.183 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:1797.183.
(a) All peace officers described in Section 13518 of the Penal Code, except those whose duties are primarily clerical or administrative, shall be trained to administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).(b) The training shall meet standards prescribed by the authority, in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training, and shall be satisfactorily completed by those officers as soon as practical, but in no event more than one year after the date of employment.
(c) Satisfactory completion of either refresher training or appropriate testing that meets the standards of the authority in CPR and other first aid shall be required at periodic intervals as determined by the authority.
(d) (1) If a peace officer is subject to Chapter 2.3 (commencing with Section 100025.01) of Division 9 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations pertaining to first aid and CPR for public safety personnel, and is employed by a state agency, the authority shall act as the authorizing entity for optional CPR and first aid skills. the optional first aid and CPR skills specified in Section 100027.03 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(2) The authority shall develop, implement, and monitor policies, protocols, and quality assurance and improvement (QA/QI) measures to ensure the safe and effective use of these skills.
Text of SB 796 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions