CPF's Pro-Firefighter Bills All Win Passage As Leg Session Closes
The California Legislature adjourned August 31and CPF's pro-firefighter agenda ran the table on lawmakers' last night in Sacramento.
When the gavel fell in the late hours of the night, every one of CPF's priority sponsored bills had been passed and sent to Governor Brown for signature. Several critical measures, including one implementing a groundbreaking community paramedic system, won with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The measures ran the gamut, touching on everything from fire resources, to worker safety to job protection to retirement security.
In all, over the two-year 2017-2018 legislative session, 21 CPF-sponsored measures were approved by both houses of the Legislature. Of those, eight have already been signed into law. The rest are awaiting signature by Governor Jerry Brown. He must act on all legislation by September 30, 2018.
Among the 2018 highlights:
AB 1116 (Grayson) -- Moves forward important confidentiality and peer support training to help ensure firefighters address their behavioral wellness.
AB 3115 (Gipson) -- Brings proven community paramedic model to state, to help bring better outcomes for some vulnerable patients and ease ER overcrowding
AB 2554 (Bonta) -- Ensures fallen federal firefighters' children have access to same education benefits available to state & local firefighters.
AB 2998 (Bloom) -- Removes cancer-causing flame-retardant chemicals from furniture and many household products, reducing firefighter exposure risk.
AB 2380 (Aguiar-Curry) -- Puts into law strict standards and regulations for private fire-prevention crews, to keep them from complicating disaster response
In addition to CPF's own priority measures, CPF and the firefighter voice helped win important victories on many essential public safety issues. CPF was part of the fire service coalition that helped win passage of SB 901, which enables crews to be pre-positioned ahead of major incidents and devoted more money for prevention.
CPF also lent its voice to SB 822, the successful effort to enact net neutrality in California, following the revelation that Verizon had throttled data rates for fire responders during Mendocino Complex.
These and many other CPF measures now await action by Governor Jerry Brown. Keep an eye out for updates -- we'll need your help to make sure he signs them.
THE FULL STORY: Get the complete rundown of CPF's pro-firefighter legislation HERE