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AB-589 • 2026

Firefighters: personal protective equipment.

Firefighters: personal protective equipment.

Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Gallagher
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about which fire districts are affected by this bill.

Firefighters' Protective Gear Rules

This law sets rules for how often certain fire districts must replace firefighters' personal protective equipment, unless the gear is unsafe due to wear and tear or contains harmful substances.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a review every five years of National Fire Protection Association standards related to firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Allows the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to change safety orders based on these reviews if new standards offer better protection.
  • Prohibits the board from requiring fire districts to replace PPE more often than once every 15 years unless it is unsafe due to wear, poses an immediate hazard, or contains harmful substances.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Firefighters in certain fire districts who use specific personal protective equipment.
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board which sets safety rules for workplaces.

Terms To Know

Occupational Safety and Health Act
A law that protects workers' health and safety in California.
National Fire Protection Association standards
Rules set by a group to make firefighting safer and more effective.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify which fire districts are affected.
  • It is unclear what happens if the board finds that PPE needs replacement before 15 years due to safety concerns.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-31 California Legislative Information

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

  4. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

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

  5. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  6. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on L. & E.

  7. 2025-02-13 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

  8. 2025-02-12 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 589, as amended, Gallagher.
Firefighters: personal protective equipment.
The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 provides the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations with the power, jurisdiction, and supervision over all employment and places of employment necessary to enforce and administer all occupational health and safety laws and to protect employees. The act grants to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, an independent entity within the department, exclusive authority to adopt occupational safety and health standards within the state.
Beginning July 1, 2018, and every 5 years thereafter, the act requires the board, in consultation with the department, to complete a comprehensive review of all revisions to National Fire Protection Association standards pertaining to certain personal protective equipment and requires the board to
consider modifying existing safety orders and to render a decision regarding the adoption of necessary changes to safety orders, or other applicable standards and regulations, no later than July 1 of the subsequent year, if the review finds that the revisions to applicable National Fire Protection Association standards provide a greater degree of personal protection than the safety orders.
This bill would prohibit the board from adopting a safety order or regulation that requires the personal protective equipment described above
and used exclusively by certain fire districts
to be replaced more frequently than once every 15
years.
years unless the board finds the personal protective equipment is
unsafe due to wear and tear, poses an immediate safety hazard, or contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or any other currently known hazardous material.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF