Bill Text: CA AB300 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Fire hazard severity zones: State Fire Marshal.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-08-29 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB300 Detail]
Download: California-2025-AB300-Amended.html
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May 05, 2025 |
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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 300
| Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey |
January 23, 2025 |
An act to amend Sections 51178 and 51181 of the Government Code, and to amend Sections 4202 and 4204 of the Public Resources Code, relating to land use.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 300, as amended, Lackey.
Fire hazard severity zones: State Fire Marshal.
Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones, as specified. Existing law also requires the State Fire Marshal to classify lands within state responsibility areas into fire hazard severity zones, and, by regulation, to designate fire hazard severity zones and assign to each zone a rating reflecting the degree of severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in the zone. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to periodically review very high fire hazard severity zones that are not state responsibility areas, and designated and rated zones that are state responsibility areas, as provided.
This bill would instead require the State Fire Marshal, at least once every 8
5 years, to review areas in the state identified as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones, and to review lands within state responsibility areas classified as fire hazard severity zones. The bill would also require the State Fire Marshal, at least once every 8 5 years, to re-review areas within the state that are not identified as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones, and to re-review lands within state responsibility areas that are not classified as fire hazard severity zones, and, if applicable, identify or classify those areas, as specified.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 51178 of the Government Code is amended to read:51178.
(a) The State Fire Marshal shall 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. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors including areas where winds have been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread.(b) At least once every eight five
years, the State Fire Marshal shall re-review areas in the state that are not identified as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones and, if applicable, identify those areas pursuant to subdivision (a).
SEC. 2.
Section 51181 of the Government Code is amended to read:51181.
At least once everySEC. 3.
Section 4202 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4202.
(a) The State Fire Marshal shall classify lands within state responsibility areas into fire hazard severity zones. Each zone shall embrace relatively homogeneous lands and shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors present, including areas where winds have been identified by the department as a major cause of wildfire spread.(b) At least once every eight five years, the State Fire Marshal shall re-review lands within state responsibility areas that are not classified into fire
hazard severity zones and, if applicable, classify those areas pursuant to subdivision (a).
