Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

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: 2026-04-22
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Wildland Firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Certification and Employment Program

This law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to provide certification for incarcerated individuals who complete firefighting training before release, and gives hiring preference to qualified formerly incarcerated people applying for certain firefighter positions.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to work with other agencies to give official written certifications to inmates who finish firefighting training while in prison.
Gives hiring preference to formerly incarcerated individuals when they apply for a Fire Fighter 1 position if they meet qualifications.
Counts time spent as an incarcerated hand crew member towards the requirements for Forestry Technician positions.
Allows the department to give hiring preference to qualified formerly incarcerated people for new entry-level firefighter jobs.

Who It Names or Affects

Inmates who complete firefighting training while in prison
Formerly incarcerated individuals applying for firefighter or forestry technician positions

Terms To Know

Category Placement 2: A hiring preference given to certain groups of applicants, such as formerly incarcerated individuals.
Fire Fighter 1 Classification: An entry-level position for firefighters in California.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the hiring preference will be implemented or enforced.
It is unclear if there are any limits on the number of positions that can receive this hiring preference.

Bill History

2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2026-04-09 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. E. & R. Read second time and amended.
2026-04-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2026-03-26 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (March 23).
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and PUB. S.
2026-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2483, 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 inmates and wards work on projects supervised by the department. Existing law requires the department to utilize inmates and wards assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work at the department.
This bill would require, on and after July 1, 2027, 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 eligible individuals who
successfully complete training in a department firefighting training camp while incarcerated receive official written certification
reflective of the training completed
before their release, as specified.
This bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as defined, applies for a Fire Fighter 1 Classification position
and has the required training and meets the minimum qualifications for the position,
to award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to the qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as specified. The bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual applies for a Forestry Technician Classification position, to count the duration of specified training and fieldwork as an incarcerated hand crew member towards the minimum qualifications for the classification and to award hiring preference to the formerly incarcerated individual. The bill would authorize the department to provide hiring preference to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals for new entry level classifications or positions, as provided.

Current Bill Text

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