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AB-1309 • 2026

State employees: compensation: firefighters.

State employees: compensation: firefighters.

Labor
Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
Flora
Last action
Official status
Vetoed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed, so none of these rules are currently in effect.

State Firefighter Pay Comparison

This vetoed bill proposed requiring the state to pay certain firefighters within a specific range of salaries paid by other California fire departments.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires paying rank-and-file firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8 no more than 15% below or above the average salary for similar ranks in 20 listed California fire departments.
  • Mandates an annual joint survey between the state and firefighter representatives to calculate these average salaries.
  • Orders a one-time report by January 1, 2027, on the pay of fire chiefs from 5 specific California departments.
  • Sets state policy to consider outside salary data when deciding pay for uniformed staff at the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
  • Requires any new pay increases under this rule to be written into a formal agreement through collective bargaining.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Rank-and-file firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8 employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
  • Fire chiefs at five specific California fire departments included in the survey report.
  • The Department of Human Resources, which must conduct salary surveys.

Terms To Know

State Bargaining Unit 8
A group representing rank-and-file firefighters employed by the state's fire department.
Memorandum of understanding
A written agreement that outlines terms like pay increases between employers and worker representatives.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The governor vetoed this bill, so it did not become law.
  • It is unclear if lawmakers later voted to override the veto based on the provided text.
  • The specific names of the 20 and 5 fire departments are listed in the full bill but not included here.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Vetoed

Official Summary Text

State employees: compensation: firefighters.