AB-367 • 2026

Water: County of Ventura: fire suppression.

Education Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Bennett
Last action: 2025-10-13
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 690, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify if the state will pay for some costs of this new program in Ventura County, only that it may be required to do so if determined by the Commission on State Mandates.

Water Backup for Fire Suppression in Ventura County

This law requires water suppliers in high and very high fire risk areas of Ventura County to have backup energy or alternative water sources to supply water for at least 24 hours during a fire.

What This Bill Does

Requires water suppliers to have enough backup power or other water supplies to keep critical firefighting equipment running for 24 hours in case of fires.
Needs water suppliers to check their firefighting tools and backup energy every year.
Tells water suppliers to inform the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services if there is a problem that could stop them from providing enough water during a fire.

Who It Names or Affects

Water suppliers in high and very high fire risk areas of Ventura County
Ventura County Office of Emergency Services

Terms To Know

Critical Fire Suppression Infrastructure: Equipment like wells, pumps, and pipes that are needed to fight fires.
Backup Energy Sources: Extra power supplies that can keep firefighting equipment running when regular power is not available.

Limits and Unknowns

The law starts on July 1, 2030.
It may require the state to pay for some costs of this new program in Ventura County.

Bill History

2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 690, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-16 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 1. Page 3104.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 7. Page 2623.).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (July 9).
2025-06-25 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-06-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (June 24).
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and L. GOV.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 1. Page 1900.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-05-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 30).
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on E.M and U. & E.
2025-02-04 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 6.
2025-02-03 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 367, Bennett.
Water: County of Ventura: fire suppression.
Existing law provides generally for the regulation of wells, pumping plants, conduits, and streams. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas.
This bill would, beginning July 1, 2030, require a water supplier, as defined, to have access to sufficient backup energy sources to operate critical fire suppression infrastructure, as defined, needed to supply water for at least 24 hours for the purpose of fire suppression in high or very high fire hazard severity zones in the County of Ventura, or to have access to alternative sources of water supplied by a different water supplier or agency that can serve this same purpose of supplying
backup water to critical wells and water pumps for 24 hours, as provided. The bill would require the water supplier to take various actions, including annually inspecting critical fire suppression infrastructure and backup energy sources and notifying the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services within 3 business days of any reduction in its water delivery capacity that could substantially hinder firefighting operations or significantly delay the replenishment of reservoirs. The bill would require, if any fire damages and makes uninhabitable more than 10 residential dwellings within the service area of a water supplier, a report be made by the Ventura County Fire Department in cooperation with the water supplier, as specified. By levying new requirements on the Ventura County Fire Department, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute
for County of Ventura.
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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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