Bill Text: CA AB968 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Wildfire resilience: community certification.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB968 Detail]
Download: California-2021-AB968-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 18, 2021 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 968
| Introduced by Assembly Member Frazier |
February 17, 2021 |
An act to add and repeal Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 4807) of Part 2.5 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, relating to wildfires.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 968, as amended, Frazier.
Wildfires. Wildfire resilience: community certification.
Existing law establishes in state government the Natural Resources Agency, consisting of various departments, including the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law makes that department responsible for the fire protection, fire prevention, maintenance, and enhancement of the state’s forest, range, and brushland resources, contract fire protection, associated emergency services, and assistance in civil disasters and other nonfire emergencies.
This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2023, the agency to research, and provide a report to the Legislature with recommendations for, ways in which a community that undertakes science-supported wildfire resilience actions can be recognized with a peer-reviewed, community-level certification in
order to acknowledge and motivate wildfire resilience activity, as provided. The bill would provide that the sum of $2,000,000 shall be appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the annual Budget Act each year through the 2022–23 fiscal year to the agency for purposes of this research and report.
Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains an occupied building or structure within a very high fire hazard severity zone to take certain steps to reduce the risk of fire, under specified circumstances.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to enhance and improve efforts to harden homes against wildfires in the state.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 4807) is added to Part 2.5 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, to read:CHAPTER 5.5. Community Wildfire Resilience Certification
4807.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is no current path for a local entity to be recognized for the investment it is making in wildfire mitigation.(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, the Natural Resources Agency shall research, and provide a report to the Legislature with recommendations for, ways in which a community that undertakes science-supported wildfire resilience actions can be recognized with a peer-reviewed, community-level certification in order to acknowledge and motivate wildfire resilience activity.
(2) When researching and recommending the certification program described in paragraph (1), the Natural Resources Agency shall
use the federal “U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit” as a program model, to the extent applicable.
(c) (1) A report submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this chapter is repealed on January 1, 2027.
SEC. 2.
The sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) shall be appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the annual Budget Act each year through the 2022–23 fiscal year to the Natural Resources Agency for the purpose of implementing Section 4807 of the Public Resources Code.It is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to enhance and improve efforts to harden homes against wildfires in the state.
