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AB-1380 • 2026

Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

Budget Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Elhawary
Last action
2025-08-29
Official status
In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not specify the exact percentage of positions reserved or the number of positions that must be set aside.

Wildland Firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Certification and Employment Program

This law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to create a program that certifies incarcerated individuals who complete firefighting training, making them eligible for firefighter jobs after release.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to work with other agencies to give official certification to inmates who finish firefighting training while in prison.
  • Ensures that these certifications are valid for employment as a Fire Fighter 1 at the department.
  • Reserves some firefighter positions for people coming out of prison who have completed the training program.
  • Gives preference to formerly incarcerated individuals when applying for firefighter jobs.
  • Requires tracking and reporting on how many inmates complete the firefighting training and are hired after release.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Inmates in California Conservation Camps who complete firefighting training programs.
  • The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which hires firefighters.
  • Formerly incarcerated individuals applying for firefighter jobs.

Terms To Know

Fire Fighter 1
A specific job classification within the California firefighting system that requires certification.
Category Placement 2
A hiring preference category for certain groups, including formerly incarcerated individuals in this case.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The program will only start if the Legislature provides funding.
  • Details about how many firefighter positions must be reserved are not specified.
  • It is unclear what happens if there isn't enough money to fund the program.

Bill History

  1. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2025-08-18 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

  3. 2025-07-15 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  5. 2025-06-11 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and PUB. S.

  6. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  7. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1924.)

  8. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  10. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 23).

  11. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)

  12. 2025-05-14 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  13. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  15. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  16. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

  17. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  18. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

  19. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and PUB. S.

  20. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  21. 2025-02-22 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

  22. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1380, as amended, 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 incarcerated persons work on projects supervised by the department. Existing law requires the department to utilize incarcerated persons assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work at the department.
This bill would require 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 individuals who complete the
department’s firefighting training program (FFT program) while incarcerated receive official written certification before their release, as specified.
The bill would require this certification to be adequate for employment at the department in the classification of Fire Fighter 1.
The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2027, ensure a minimum percentage of Fire Fighter 1 classification positions are reserved for the hiring of formerly incarcerated individuals, as provided.
The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2027, award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to qualified
formerly incarcerated individuals who apply for positions with the department.
The bill would also require the department to track the number of incarcerated individuals who have completed the FFT
program to ensure a sufficient number of Fire Fighter 1 classification positions are available,
program and are set to be released within 90 days,
develop and implement policies and procedures to track and report the outcomes of the Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program, and report annually to the Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of the program, as provided.
The bill would make these provisions operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its
purposes, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF