AB-799 • 2026

Prisons: death benefit for incarcerated firefighters.

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Celeste Rodriguez
Last action: 2025-10-13
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 711, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the specific conditions under which the death benefit applies beyond being a hand crew member in California Conservation Camps.

Death Benefit for Incarcerated Firefighters

This law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to pay a death benefit for incarcerated individuals who die while working as hand crew members in California Conservation Camps.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide a death benefit for incarcerated individuals who are part of the California Conservation Camp program.
Applies only if these individuals died while performing work as hand crew members.

Who It Names or Affects

Families of incarcerated firefighters who die in the line of duty.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which will be responsible for paying the death benefit.

Terms To Know

California Conservation Camps: Places where incarcerated people work on projects like fire prevention and control under supervision by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Death Benefit: Money paid to a person's family after they die, usually as part of an insurance policy or government program.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the amount of the death benefit.
It is unclear how this law will be funded.

Bill History

2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 711, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-24 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3382.).
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2930.).
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
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 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-06-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-06-10 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-29 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1387.)
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 23).
2025-03-26 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 799, Celeste Rodriguez.
Prisons: death benefit for incarcerated firefighters.
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camps for the purpose of having incarcerated persons work on projects supervised by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the department to utilize incarcerated persons assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work of the department. Existing law allows an incarcerated individual, as specified, who has successfully participated in either a California Conservation Camp program or a county program as an incarcerated individual hand crew member, as determined by specified authorities, and has been released from custody, to file a petition for relief with a court.
This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to pay a death benefit, as specified, for the death of any incarcerated individual
hand crew members in the California Conservation Camp program, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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