Amended IN Assembly March 21, 2019 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 38Introduced by Assembly Member WoodDecember 03, 2018 An act to add Section 51189.5 to, and 1102.19 to the Civil Code, to add Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of, of the Government Code, and to add Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) to the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 38, as amended, Wood. Fire safety. safety: State Wildfire Preparedness Board: Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund.(1) Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires the State Fire Marshall Marshal to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards to implement the states fire and life safety policy.Existing law requires the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to designate specified areas as very high fire hazard severity zones. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshall, Marshal, in consultation with the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Director of Housing and Community Development, to recommend building standards for very high fire hazard severity zones to protect structures and vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation. Existing law requires persons who own, lease, control, operate, or maintain dwellings or occupied structures in these designated areas to comply with specified requirements, including complying with all applicable state and local building standards. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime.Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or land that is covered with flammable material to maintain defensible space around the building or structure and to maintain vegetation and other fuel loads, as specified. This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The bill would require, beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones to comply with the building standards. By requiring new building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones, this bill would expand the definition of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would establish the State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council, Board, consisting of specified members, and would prescribe the responsibilities of the state council board with regard to improving the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness. The bill would require the state council to, among other things, create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones, as described, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community, as specified. The bill would divide the states very high fire hazard severity zones into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, which are state agencies, as provided. The bill would authorize the districts to enforce the defensible space and vegetation and fuel loads requirements within their jurisdiction. The bill would prescribe other duties of the districts, including the promotion, organization, and support for the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(2) Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to develop a list of low-cost retrofits that provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction to protect structures from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation and to protect vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures.This bill would, on or after July 1, 2025, require a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone to provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that the low-cost retrofits developed by the State Fire Marshal have been undertaken on the building.(2)(3) Existing law authorizes local agencies, upon making specified findings, to provide low-interest loans to owners of buildings within their jurisdiction for the purpose of making seismic safety upgrades to eligible buildings, as defined, in order to meet current earthquake safety codes. Existing law authorizes these local entities to issue bonds in order to finance these loans which that are secured by a lien on the subject property.This bill would establish the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund in the State Treasury, as specified. The bill would transfer $1,000,000,000 from the General Fund to the new fund for the purposes of the bill. Moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to an unspecified state agency to distribute to local agencies for the purpose of funding no- or low-interest loans made by those agencies to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening. The bill would provide that financing under this program, along with other liens on the subject property, could not exceed 80% of the appraised value of the property. The bill would define terms for its purposes. (3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESNO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Climate change has resulted in higher year-long temperatures and increasing dry weather conditions in California resulting in extended, sometimes multiyear, droughts; extended wildfire seasons throughout the year, with higher temperatures during dry season conditions; and impacts on vegetation wildfire fuel loads and increasing decay and loss of vegetation due to insect infestations and plant diseases.(b) Wildfires have grown larger and have increased in intensity over the last several decades. As compared with 1986, wildfires in the western United States have occurred nearly four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and lasting almost five times as long. Through the end of the 2017 calendar year, 11 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California have occurred in the last 10 years. The 2018 calendar year witnessed the most destructive wildfires in California history in terms of the loss of life and structures.(c) In terms of the size of wildfires, in the last decade, enormous wildfires have consumed vast areas, including the 2013 Rim Fire impacting national park and national forest lands, the 2017 Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Santa Rosa wildfires, the 2017 Thomas Fire impacting 200,000 acres, and the 2018 Camp Fire.(d) Wildfires, which have impacted occupied areas, have resulted in enormous human and financial costs, including the following:(1) The 1991 Berkeley-Oakland Tunnel Fire, which resulted in 25 deaths, the loss of more than 3,000 homes, and a total financial loss of $1.5 billion in 1991 U.S. Dollars.(2) The 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire, which resulted in 15 deaths and the loss of 2,000 structures.(3) The 2017 Tubbs Fire, which resulted in 22 deaths, the loss of 5,643 structures, and a total financial loss of approximately $1.3 billion in 2017 U.S. dollars.(4) The 2017 Thomas Fire, which resulted in two deaths, the loss of more than 1,000 homes, and a total financial loss of approximately $2.2 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars.(5) The 2018 Camp Fire, which resulted in 89 deaths, the loss of 18,804 structures, and at least $12.4 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars in insured losses.(e) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of high or very high fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, areas subject to seismic risks confront the likelihood that wildfires could result from downed power lines and ruptures of natural gas lines caused by earthquakes.(f) There is a pressing need for wildfire prevention and minimization strategies, on an area-specific basis, that combine increased wildfire resistance within developed areas to minimize wildfire impacts with comprehensive vegetation management measures in wildlands to prevent or severely limit large-scale wildfires from developing and spreading as follows:(1) Wildfire minimization programs. Developed areas need to carry out comprehensive urban vegetation management programs to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads within developed areas. Further, there is a need to provide funding for the hardening of homes and other structures to increase their resistance to wildfires.(2) Wildfire prevention programs. Comprehensive wildlands vegetation management, responsive to the widely varying vegetation conditions throughout California, is required to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads, in relation to the flammability of different vegetation types, to the maximum extent feasible in order to prevent or severely limit the spread of wildfires.(3) Wildfire response planning. Area-specific plans should include measures needed to include planning for safe wildlands access for firefighters to the maximum extent feasible.(g) The diversity of vegetation and development patterns through the State of California necessitate a geographic approach to planning and implementing wildfire prevention and minimization strategies with fire prevention management agencies covering the geographic areas in which wildfires have or may occur.(h) Local public agencies have made efforts to prevent wildfires, but in many instances lack the expertise, authority, or the financial resources to undertake or complete the tasks at hand.(i) Regional wildfire prevention districts designed to address the widely varying vegetation and development characteristics of our diverse state and to ensure that the districts have the expertise, authority, and funding to reduce the threat of wildfires on all lands, public and private, in the wildland urban interface should be established.(j) Coordination of planning and implementation with federal lands agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the United States National Park Service should take place primarily at the state and regional district level as necessary.SEC. 2. Section 1102.19 is added to the Civil Code, to read:1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.SECTION 1.SEC. 3. Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.SEC. 2.Section 51189.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:51189.5.(a)No later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall shall develop, and the California Building Standards Commission shall review, pursuant to Sections 18930 and 18949.2 of the Health and Safety Code, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The building standards developed for newly constructed buildings may differ from those developed for retrofitting existing buildings.(b)The building standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include features critical for protecting buildings from burning embers, such as combustible roofing and siding materials and vent screens.(c)Beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings shall comply with the building standards developed pursuant to this section.(d)As used in this section:(1)Building has the same meaning as defined in Section 18908 of the Health and Safety Code.(2)Building standards has the same meaning as defined in Section 18909 of the Health and Safety Code.SEC. 3.SEC. 4. Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.SEC. 4.SEC. 5. The sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) is hereby transferred from the General Fund to the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund to provide no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings for the eligible costs of fire hardening pursuant to Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) of the Health and Safety Code.SEC. 5.No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
Amended IN Assembly March 21, 2019 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 38Introduced by Assembly Member WoodDecember 03, 2018 An act to add Section 51189.5 to, and 1102.19 to the Civil Code, to add Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of, of the Government Code, and to add Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) to the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 38, as amended, Wood. Fire safety. safety: State Wildfire Preparedness Board: Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund.(1) Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires the State Fire Marshall Marshal to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards to implement the states fire and life safety policy.Existing law requires the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to designate specified areas as very high fire hazard severity zones. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshall, Marshal, in consultation with the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Director of Housing and Community Development, to recommend building standards for very high fire hazard severity zones to protect structures and vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation. Existing law requires persons who own, lease, control, operate, or maintain dwellings or occupied structures in these designated areas to comply with specified requirements, including complying with all applicable state and local building standards. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime.Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or land that is covered with flammable material to maintain defensible space around the building or structure and to maintain vegetation and other fuel loads, as specified. This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The bill would require, beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones to comply with the building standards. By requiring new building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones, this bill would expand the definition of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would establish the State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council, Board, consisting of specified members, and would prescribe the responsibilities of the state council board with regard to improving the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness. The bill would require the state council to, among other things, create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones, as described, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community, as specified. The bill would divide the states very high fire hazard severity zones into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, which are state agencies, as provided. The bill would authorize the districts to enforce the defensible space and vegetation and fuel loads requirements within their jurisdiction. The bill would prescribe other duties of the districts, including the promotion, organization, and support for the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(2) Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to develop a list of low-cost retrofits that provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction to protect structures from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation and to protect vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures.This bill would, on or after July 1, 2025, require a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone to provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that the low-cost retrofits developed by the State Fire Marshal have been undertaken on the building.(2)(3) Existing law authorizes local agencies, upon making specified findings, to provide low-interest loans to owners of buildings within their jurisdiction for the purpose of making seismic safety upgrades to eligible buildings, as defined, in order to meet current earthquake safety codes. Existing law authorizes these local entities to issue bonds in order to finance these loans which that are secured by a lien on the subject property.This bill would establish the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund in the State Treasury, as specified. The bill would transfer $1,000,000,000 from the General Fund to the new fund for the purposes of the bill. Moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to an unspecified state agency to distribute to local agencies for the purpose of funding no- or low-interest loans made by those agencies to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening. The bill would provide that financing under this program, along with other liens on the subject property, could not exceed 80% of the appraised value of the property. The bill would define terms for its purposes. (3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESNO
Amended IN Assembly March 21, 2019
Amended IN Assembly March 21, 2019
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill No. 38
Introduced by Assembly Member WoodDecember 03, 2018
Introduced by Assembly Member Wood
December 03, 2018
An act to add Section 51189.5 to, and 1102.19 to the Civil Code, to add Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of, of the Government Code, and to add Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) to the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire safety.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 38, as amended, Wood. Fire safety. safety: State Wildfire Preparedness Board: Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund.
(1) Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires the State Fire Marshall Marshal to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards to implement the states fire and life safety policy.Existing law requires the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to designate specified areas as very high fire hazard severity zones. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshall, Marshal, in consultation with the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Director of Housing and Community Development, to recommend building standards for very high fire hazard severity zones to protect structures and vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation. Existing law requires persons who own, lease, control, operate, or maintain dwellings or occupied structures in these designated areas to comply with specified requirements, including complying with all applicable state and local building standards. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime.Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or land that is covered with flammable material to maintain defensible space around the building or structure and to maintain vegetation and other fuel loads, as specified. This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The bill would require, beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones to comply with the building standards. By requiring new building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones, this bill would expand the definition of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would establish the State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council, Board, consisting of specified members, and would prescribe the responsibilities of the state council board with regard to improving the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness. The bill would require the state council to, among other things, create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones, as described, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community, as specified. The bill would divide the states very high fire hazard severity zones into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, which are state agencies, as provided. The bill would authorize the districts to enforce the defensible space and vegetation and fuel loads requirements within their jurisdiction. The bill would prescribe other duties of the districts, including the promotion, organization, and support for the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(2) Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to develop a list of low-cost retrofits that provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction to protect structures from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation and to protect vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures.This bill would, on or after July 1, 2025, require a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone to provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that the low-cost retrofits developed by the State Fire Marshal have been undertaken on the building.(2)(3) Existing law authorizes local agencies, upon making specified findings, to provide low-interest loans to owners of buildings within their jurisdiction for the purpose of making seismic safety upgrades to eligible buildings, as defined, in order to meet current earthquake safety codes. Existing law authorizes these local entities to issue bonds in order to finance these loans which that are secured by a lien on the subject property.This bill would establish the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund in the State Treasury, as specified. The bill would transfer $1,000,000,000 from the General Fund to the new fund for the purposes of the bill. Moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to an unspecified state agency to distribute to local agencies for the purpose of funding no- or low-interest loans made by those agencies to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening. The bill would provide that financing under this program, along with other liens on the subject property, could not exceed 80% of the appraised value of the property. The bill would define terms for its purposes. (3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
(1) Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires the State Fire Marshall Marshal to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards to implement the states fire and life safety policy.
Existing law requires the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to designate specified areas as very high fire hazard severity zones. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshall, Marshal, in consultation with the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Director of Housing and Community Development, to recommend building standards for very high fire hazard severity zones to protect structures and vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation. Existing law requires persons who own, lease, control, operate, or maintain dwellings or occupied structures in these designated areas to comply with specified requirements, including complying with all applicable state and local building standards. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime.
Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or land that is covered with flammable material to maintain defensible space around the building or structure and to maintain vegetation and other fuel loads, as specified.
This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall to develop, and the California Building Standards Commission to review, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The bill would require, beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones to comply with the building standards. By requiring new building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones, this bill would expand the definition of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would establish the State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council, Board, consisting of specified members, and would prescribe the responsibilities of the state council board with regard to improving the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness. The bill would require the state council to, among other things, create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones, as described, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community, as specified. The bill would divide the states very high fire hazard severity zones into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, which are state agencies, as provided. The bill would authorize the districts to enforce the defensible space and vegetation and fuel loads requirements within their jurisdiction. The bill would prescribe other duties of the districts, including the promotion, organization, and support for the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.
(2) Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to develop a list of low-cost retrofits that provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction to protect structures from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation and to protect vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures.
This bill would, on or after July 1, 2025, require a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone to provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that the low-cost retrofits developed by the State Fire Marshal have been undertaken on the building.
(2)
(3) Existing law authorizes local agencies, upon making specified findings, to provide low-interest loans to owners of buildings within their jurisdiction for the purpose of making seismic safety upgrades to eligible buildings, as defined, in order to meet current earthquake safety codes. Existing law authorizes these local entities to issue bonds in order to finance these loans which that are secured by a lien on the subject property.
This bill would establish the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund in the State Treasury, as specified. The bill would transfer $1,000,000,000 from the General Fund to the new fund for the purposes of the bill. Moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to an unspecified state agency to distribute to local agencies for the purpose of funding no- or low-interest loans made by those agencies to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening. The bill would provide that financing under this program, along with other liens on the subject property, could not exceed 80% of the appraised value of the property. The bill would define terms for its purposes.
(3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Climate change has resulted in higher year-long temperatures and increasing dry weather conditions in California resulting in extended, sometimes multiyear, droughts; extended wildfire seasons throughout the year, with higher temperatures during dry season conditions; and impacts on vegetation wildfire fuel loads and increasing decay and loss of vegetation due to insect infestations and plant diseases.(b) Wildfires have grown larger and have increased in intensity over the last several decades. As compared with 1986, wildfires in the western United States have occurred nearly four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and lasting almost five times as long. Through the end of the 2017 calendar year, 11 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California have occurred in the last 10 years. The 2018 calendar year witnessed the most destructive wildfires in California history in terms of the loss of life and structures.(c) In terms of the size of wildfires, in the last decade, enormous wildfires have consumed vast areas, including the 2013 Rim Fire impacting national park and national forest lands, the 2017 Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Santa Rosa wildfires, the 2017 Thomas Fire impacting 200,000 acres, and the 2018 Camp Fire.(d) Wildfires, which have impacted occupied areas, have resulted in enormous human and financial costs, including the following:(1) The 1991 Berkeley-Oakland Tunnel Fire, which resulted in 25 deaths, the loss of more than 3,000 homes, and a total financial loss of $1.5 billion in 1991 U.S. Dollars.(2) The 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire, which resulted in 15 deaths and the loss of 2,000 structures.(3) The 2017 Tubbs Fire, which resulted in 22 deaths, the loss of 5,643 structures, and a total financial loss of approximately $1.3 billion in 2017 U.S. dollars.(4) The 2017 Thomas Fire, which resulted in two deaths, the loss of more than 1,000 homes, and a total financial loss of approximately $2.2 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars.(5) The 2018 Camp Fire, which resulted in 89 deaths, the loss of 18,804 structures, and at least $12.4 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars in insured losses.(e) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of high or very high fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, areas subject to seismic risks confront the likelihood that wildfires could result from downed power lines and ruptures of natural gas lines caused by earthquakes.(f) There is a pressing need for wildfire prevention and minimization strategies, on an area-specific basis, that combine increased wildfire resistance within developed areas to minimize wildfire impacts with comprehensive vegetation management measures in wildlands to prevent or severely limit large-scale wildfires from developing and spreading as follows:(1) Wildfire minimization programs. Developed areas need to carry out comprehensive urban vegetation management programs to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads within developed areas. Further, there is a need to provide funding for the hardening of homes and other structures to increase their resistance to wildfires.(2) Wildfire prevention programs. Comprehensive wildlands vegetation management, responsive to the widely varying vegetation conditions throughout California, is required to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads, in relation to the flammability of different vegetation types, to the maximum extent feasible in order to prevent or severely limit the spread of wildfires.(3) Wildfire response planning. Area-specific plans should include measures needed to include planning for safe wildlands access for firefighters to the maximum extent feasible.(g) The diversity of vegetation and development patterns through the State of California necessitate a geographic approach to planning and implementing wildfire prevention and minimization strategies with fire prevention management agencies covering the geographic areas in which wildfires have or may occur.(h) Local public agencies have made efforts to prevent wildfires, but in many instances lack the expertise, authority, or the financial resources to undertake or complete the tasks at hand.(i) Regional wildfire prevention districts designed to address the widely varying vegetation and development characteristics of our diverse state and to ensure that the districts have the expertise, authority, and funding to reduce the threat of wildfires on all lands, public and private, in the wildland urban interface should be established.(j) Coordination of planning and implementation with federal lands agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the United States National Park Service should take place primarily at the state and regional district level as necessary.SEC. 2. Section 1102.19 is added to the Civil Code, to read:1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.SECTION 1.SEC. 3. Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.SEC. 2.Section 51189.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:51189.5.(a)No later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall shall develop, and the California Building Standards Commission shall review, pursuant to Sections 18930 and 18949.2 of the Health and Safety Code, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The building standards developed for newly constructed buildings may differ from those developed for retrofitting existing buildings.(b)The building standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include features critical for protecting buildings from burning embers, such as combustible roofing and siding materials and vent screens.(c)Beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings shall comply with the building standards developed pursuant to this section.(d)As used in this section:(1)Building has the same meaning as defined in Section 18908 of the Health and Safety Code.(2)Building standards has the same meaning as defined in Section 18909 of the Health and Safety Code.SEC. 3.SEC. 4. Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.SEC. 4.SEC. 5. The sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) is hereby transferred from the General Fund to the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund to provide no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings for the eligible costs of fire hardening pursuant to Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) of the Health and Safety Code.SEC. 5.No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Climate change has resulted in higher year-long temperatures and increasing dry weather conditions in California resulting in extended, sometimes multiyear, droughts; extended wildfire seasons throughout the year, with higher temperatures during dry season conditions; and impacts on vegetation wildfire fuel loads and increasing decay and loss of vegetation due to insect infestations and plant diseases.(b) Wildfires have grown larger and have increased in intensity over the last several decades. As compared with 1986, wildfires in the western United States have occurred nearly four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and lasting almost five times as long. Through the end of the 2017 calendar year, 11 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California have occurred in the last 10 years. The 2018 calendar year witnessed the most destructive wildfires in California history in terms of the loss of life and structures.(c) In terms of the size of wildfires, in the last decade, enormous wildfires have consumed vast areas, including the 2013 Rim Fire impacting national park and national forest lands, the 2017 Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Santa Rosa wildfires, the 2017 Thomas Fire impacting 200,000 acres, and the 2018 Camp Fire.(d) Wildfires, which have impacted occupied areas, have resulted in enormous human and financial costs, including the following:(1) The 1991 Berkeley-Oakland Tunnel Fire, which resulted in 25 deaths, the loss of more than 3,000 homes, and a total financial loss of $1.5 billion in 1991 U.S. Dollars.(2) The 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire, which resulted in 15 deaths and the loss of 2,000 structures.(3) The 2017 Tubbs Fire, which resulted in 22 deaths, the loss of 5,643 structures, and a total financial loss of approximately $1.3 billion in 2017 U.S. dollars.(4) The 2017 Thomas Fire, which resulted in two deaths, the loss of more than 1,000 homes, and a total financial loss of approximately $2.2 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars.(5) The 2018 Camp Fire, which resulted in 89 deaths, the loss of 18,804 structures, and at least $12.4 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars in insured losses.(e) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of high or very high fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, areas subject to seismic risks confront the likelihood that wildfires could result from downed power lines and ruptures of natural gas lines caused by earthquakes.(f) There is a pressing need for wildfire prevention and minimization strategies, on an area-specific basis, that combine increased wildfire resistance within developed areas to minimize wildfire impacts with comprehensive vegetation management measures in wildlands to prevent or severely limit large-scale wildfires from developing and spreading as follows:(1) Wildfire minimization programs. Developed areas need to carry out comprehensive urban vegetation management programs to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads within developed areas. Further, there is a need to provide funding for the hardening of homes and other structures to increase their resistance to wildfires.(2) Wildfire prevention programs. Comprehensive wildlands vegetation management, responsive to the widely varying vegetation conditions throughout California, is required to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads, in relation to the flammability of different vegetation types, to the maximum extent feasible in order to prevent or severely limit the spread of wildfires.(3) Wildfire response planning. Area-specific plans should include measures needed to include planning for safe wildlands access for firefighters to the maximum extent feasible.(g) The diversity of vegetation and development patterns through the State of California necessitate a geographic approach to planning and implementing wildfire prevention and minimization strategies with fire prevention management agencies covering the geographic areas in which wildfires have or may occur.(h) Local public agencies have made efforts to prevent wildfires, but in many instances lack the expertise, authority, or the financial resources to undertake or complete the tasks at hand.(i) Regional wildfire prevention districts designed to address the widely varying vegetation and development characteristics of our diverse state and to ensure that the districts have the expertise, authority, and funding to reduce the threat of wildfires on all lands, public and private, in the wildland urban interface should be established.(j) Coordination of planning and implementation with federal lands agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the United States National Park Service should take place primarily at the state and regional district level as necessary.
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Climate change has resulted in higher year-long temperatures and increasing dry weather conditions in California resulting in extended, sometimes multiyear, droughts; extended wildfire seasons throughout the year, with higher temperatures during dry season conditions; and impacts on vegetation wildfire fuel loads and increasing decay and loss of vegetation due to insect infestations and plant diseases.(b) Wildfires have grown larger and have increased in intensity over the last several decades. As compared with 1986, wildfires in the western United States have occurred nearly four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and lasting almost five times as long. Through the end of the 2017 calendar year, 11 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California have occurred in the last 10 years. The 2018 calendar year witnessed the most destructive wildfires in California history in terms of the loss of life and structures.(c) In terms of the size of wildfires, in the last decade, enormous wildfires have consumed vast areas, including the 2013 Rim Fire impacting national park and national forest lands, the 2017 Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Santa Rosa wildfires, the 2017 Thomas Fire impacting 200,000 acres, and the 2018 Camp Fire.(d) Wildfires, which have impacted occupied areas, have resulted in enormous human and financial costs, including the following:(1) The 1991 Berkeley-Oakland Tunnel Fire, which resulted in 25 deaths, the loss of more than 3,000 homes, and a total financial loss of $1.5 billion in 1991 U.S. Dollars.(2) The 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire, which resulted in 15 deaths and the loss of 2,000 structures.(3) The 2017 Tubbs Fire, which resulted in 22 deaths, the loss of 5,643 structures, and a total financial loss of approximately $1.3 billion in 2017 U.S. dollars.(4) The 2017 Thomas Fire, which resulted in two deaths, the loss of more than 1,000 homes, and a total financial loss of approximately $2.2 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars.(5) The 2018 Camp Fire, which resulted in 89 deaths, the loss of 18,804 structures, and at least $12.4 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars in insured losses.(e) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of high or very high fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, areas subject to seismic risks confront the likelihood that wildfires could result from downed power lines and ruptures of natural gas lines caused by earthquakes.(f) There is a pressing need for wildfire prevention and minimization strategies, on an area-specific basis, that combine increased wildfire resistance within developed areas to minimize wildfire impacts with comprehensive vegetation management measures in wildlands to prevent or severely limit large-scale wildfires from developing and spreading as follows:(1) Wildfire minimization programs. Developed areas need to carry out comprehensive urban vegetation management programs to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads within developed areas. Further, there is a need to provide funding for the hardening of homes and other structures to increase their resistance to wildfires.(2) Wildfire prevention programs. Comprehensive wildlands vegetation management, responsive to the widely varying vegetation conditions throughout California, is required to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads, in relation to the flammability of different vegetation types, to the maximum extent feasible in order to prevent or severely limit the spread of wildfires.(3) Wildfire response planning. Area-specific plans should include measures needed to include planning for safe wildlands access for firefighters to the maximum extent feasible.(g) The diversity of vegetation and development patterns through the State of California necessitate a geographic approach to planning and implementing wildfire prevention and minimization strategies with fire prevention management agencies covering the geographic areas in which wildfires have or may occur.(h) Local public agencies have made efforts to prevent wildfires, but in many instances lack the expertise, authority, or the financial resources to undertake or complete the tasks at hand.(i) Regional wildfire prevention districts designed to address the widely varying vegetation and development characteristics of our diverse state and to ensure that the districts have the expertise, authority, and funding to reduce the threat of wildfires on all lands, public and private, in the wildland urban interface should be established.(j) Coordination of planning and implementation with federal lands agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the United States National Park Service should take place primarily at the state and regional district level as necessary.
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
### SECTION 1.
(a) Climate change has resulted in higher year-long temperatures and increasing dry weather conditions in California resulting in extended, sometimes multiyear, droughts; extended wildfire seasons throughout the year, with higher temperatures during dry season conditions; and impacts on vegetation wildfire fuel loads and increasing decay and loss of vegetation due to insect infestations and plant diseases.
(b) Wildfires have grown larger and have increased in intensity over the last several decades. As compared with 1986, wildfires in the western United States have occurred nearly four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and lasting almost five times as long. Through the end of the 2017 calendar year, 11 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in California have occurred in the last 10 years. The 2018 calendar year witnessed the most destructive wildfires in California history in terms of the loss of life and structures.
(c) In terms of the size of wildfires, in the last decade, enormous wildfires have consumed vast areas, including the 2013 Rim Fire impacting national park and national forest lands, the 2017 Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Santa Rosa wildfires, the 2017 Thomas Fire impacting 200,000 acres, and the 2018 Camp Fire.
(d) Wildfires, which have impacted occupied areas, have resulted in enormous human and financial costs, including the following:
(1) The 1991 Berkeley-Oakland Tunnel Fire, which resulted in 25 deaths, the loss of more than 3,000 homes, and a total financial loss of $1.5 billion in 1991 U.S. Dollars.
(2) The 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire, which resulted in 15 deaths and the loss of 2,000 structures.
(3) The 2017 Tubbs Fire, which resulted in 22 deaths, the loss of 5,643 structures, and a total financial loss of approximately $1.3 billion in 2017 U.S. dollars.
(4) The 2017 Thomas Fire, which resulted in two deaths, the loss of more than 1,000 homes, and a total financial loss of approximately $2.2 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars.
(5) The 2018 Camp Fire, which resulted in 89 deaths, the loss of 18,804 structures, and at least $12.4 billion in 2018 U.S. dollars in insured losses.
(e) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of high or very high fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, areas subject to seismic risks confront the likelihood that wildfires could result from downed power lines and ruptures of natural gas lines caused by earthquakes.
(f) There is a pressing need for wildfire prevention and minimization strategies, on an area-specific basis, that combine increased wildfire resistance within developed areas to minimize wildfire impacts with comprehensive vegetation management measures in wildlands to prevent or severely limit large-scale wildfires from developing and spreading as follows:
(1) Wildfire minimization programs. Developed areas need to carry out comprehensive urban vegetation management programs to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads within developed areas. Further, there is a need to provide funding for the hardening of homes and other structures to increase their resistance to wildfires.
(2) Wildfire prevention programs. Comprehensive wildlands vegetation management, responsive to the widely varying vegetation conditions throughout California, is required to reduce vegetation wildfire fuel loads, in relation to the flammability of different vegetation types, to the maximum extent feasible in order to prevent or severely limit the spread of wildfires.
(3) Wildfire response planning. Area-specific plans should include measures needed to include planning for safe wildlands access for firefighters to the maximum extent feasible.
(g) The diversity of vegetation and development patterns through the State of California necessitate a geographic approach to planning and implementing wildfire prevention and minimization strategies with fire prevention management agencies covering the geographic areas in which wildfires have or may occur.
(h) Local public agencies have made efforts to prevent wildfires, but in many instances lack the expertise, authority, or the financial resources to undertake or complete the tasks at hand.
(i) Regional wildfire prevention districts designed to address the widely varying vegetation and development characteristics of our diverse state and to ensure that the districts have the expertise, authority, and funding to reduce the threat of wildfires on all lands, public and private, in the wildland urban interface should be established.
(j) Coordination of planning and implementation with federal lands agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the United States National Park Service should take place primarily at the state and regional district level as necessary.
SEC. 2. Section 1102.19 is added to the Civil Code, to read:1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.
SEC. 2. Section 1102.19 is added to the Civil Code, to read:
### SEC. 2.
1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.
1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.
1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.
1102.19. On and after July 1, 2025, a seller of a building in a very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer a certificate certifying that low-cost retrofits listed pursuant to Section 51189 of the Government Code have been undertaken on the building.
SECTION 1.SEC. 3. Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.
SECTION 1.SEC. 3. Article 4.3 (commencing with Section 8580) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:
### SECTION 1.SEC. 3.
Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.
Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.
Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board
Article 4.3. State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board
8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.(2)(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.(3)(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.(4)(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.(5)(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.(6)(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.(7)(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.
8580. (a) The State Fire Wildfire Preparedness Council Board is hereby established in state government, consisting of the following members:
(1)The Director of Emergency Services, or his or her designee.
(2)
(1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or her the secretarys designee.
(3)
(2) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, or his or her the directors designee.
(4)
(3) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her the secretarys designee.
(5)
(4) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her the secretarys designee.
(6)
(5) The State Fire Marshal, or his or her the State Fire Marshals designee.
(6) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research, or the directors designee.
(7) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the secretarys designee.
(7)
(8) A member of the public with expertise in fire science appointed by the Governor.
(b)The State Fire Preparedness Council shall take all of the following actions to improve the scale and effectiveness of the states fire preparedness:
(1)Create regional community fire preparedness councils, composed of members representing the local community in areas of the state designated as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Sections 51178 and 51179, to work collaboratively with the state council to implement fire prevention measures in the regional community. Each regional community fire preparedness council shall do all of the following:
(A)Develop a regional community wildfire protection plan covering its jurisdiction to be approved by the state council, and to update the plan not less than once every three years.
(B)Develop region-specific vegetation management ordinances that may be adopted by local governments in its jurisdiction.
(C)Review and recommend changes to defensible space requirements on both public and private land in its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the state council for any changes to those requirements that may be needed.
(D)Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the region.
(2)Review and recommend to the department possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs.
(3)Review and approve regional community wildfire protection plans prepared by regional community fire preparedness councils pursuant to this section.
(4)Develop best practices for community emergency alert and evacuation procedures statewide.
(5)Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.
(6)Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.
(b) The State Wildfire Preparedness Board shall do all of the following:
(1) Convene a meeting of its members and one representative from each of the regional wildfire prevention districts, established pursuant to Section 8580.2, at least twice per year to provide technical assistance, review best practices, and receive reports on the progress and obstacles to fire prevention work from the regional wildfire prevention districts.
(2) Actively seek opportunities for interagency collaboration and efficiencies.
(3) Review and approve the regional wildfire protection plans prepared by each regional wildfire prevention district.
(4) Create and implement a statewide fire preparedness public education campaign.
8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.
8580.2. (a) The states very high fire hazard severity zones are divided, for purposes of this article, into 18 regional wildfire prevention districts, as follows:
(1) District 1, which comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino.
(2) District 2, which comprises the Counties of Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity.
(3) District 3, which comprises the Counties of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas.
(4) District 4, which comprises the Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama.
(5) District 5, which comprises the Counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Yuba.
(6) District 6, which comprises the Counties of Amador, El Dorado, and Placer.
(7) District 7, which comprises the Counties of Colusa and Lake.
(8) District 8, which comprises the Counties of Marin, Solano, and Sonoma.
(9) District 9, which comprises the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.
(10) District 10, which comprises the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.
(11) District 11, which comprises the Counties of Merced, Monterey, and San Benito.
(12) District 12, which comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, and Tuolumne.
(13) District 13, which comprises the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
(14) District 14, which comprises the Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa.
(15) District 15, which comprises the Counties of Kern and Tulare.
(16) District 16, which comprises the County of Los Angeles.
(17) District 17, which comprises the Counties of Orange and San Bernardino.
(18) District 18, which comprises the Counties of Riverside and San Diego.
(b) Each regional wildfire prevention district, which is a state agency, shall be governed by a board with members who are residents of the counties comprising the district and appointed by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.
8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Establish an office.(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.
8580.4. Each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:
(a) Establish an office.
(b) Select one of its board members as chairperson at the first regular meeting held each year.
(c) Employ individuals with knowledge in wildfire prevention and types of fire-related vegetation commonly found in the district as staff of the district.
8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.
8580.6. (a) Each regional wildfire prevention district shall enforce the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code in the counties over which the district has jurisdiction.
(b) An employee or authorized representative of a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter and inspect a property to determine compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.
(c) (1) A regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with due process requirements, require landowners, both public and private, to remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.
(2) In addition to Section 4291.1 of the Public Resources Code, a person who fails to comply with an order of a regional wildfire prevention district to remove vegetation pursuant to paragraph (1), after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing, is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed ____ dollars ($____) per day.
(d) (1) Upon the request of the owner or upon the failure of the owner to comply with an order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a regional wildfire prevention district may, consistent with law, enter onto a property and remove vegetation to meet the requirements of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.
(2) A property owner shall reimburse the costs incurred by a regional wildfire prevention district pursuant to paragraph (1).
(e) A property owner shall maintain the property in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code.
8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills. (d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.
8580.8. In addition to the duties specified in Section 8580.6, each regional wildfire prevention district shall do all of the following:
(a) Provide education and technical assistance to landowners, residents, and regional community fire prevention advisory groups on fire prevention and land management practices to improve fire safety in the districts region.
(b) Review and recommend to the State Wildfire Preparedness Board possible methods of financing ongoing fire preparedness measures, including loan and grant programs, that may be implemented by the member departments of the board.
(c) Promote, organize, and support the implementation of regional community fire evacuation drills.
(d) Prepare regional wildfire protection plans for approval by the State Wildfire Preparedness Board.
(e) Prepare a semiannual report and ensure a member of the district attends the meeting convened pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8580.
(a)No later than July 1, 2020, the State Fire Marshall shall develop, and the California Building Standards Commission shall review, pursuant to Sections 18930 and 18949.2 of the Health and Safety Code, building standards for buildings in very high fire hazard severity zones. The building standards developed for newly constructed buildings may differ from those developed for retrofitting existing buildings.
(b)The building standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include features critical for protecting buildings from burning embers, such as combustible roofing and siding materials and vent screens.
(c)Beginning on July 1, 2020, all newly constructed buildings and all transferred buildings shall comply with the building standards developed pursuant to this section.
(d)As used in this section:
(1)Building has the same meaning as defined in Section 18908 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2)Building standards has the same meaning as defined in Section 18909 of the Health and Safety Code.
SEC. 3.SEC. 4. Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.
SEC. 3.SEC. 4. Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
### SEC. 3.SEC. 4.
DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.
DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.
DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund
DIVISION 33. Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund
55500. As used in this division:(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:(1) Replacing or installing the following:(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.(B) Fire-resistant roofing.(C) Fire-resistant siding.(D) Fire-resistant eaves.(E) Fire-resistant soffits.(F) Fire-resistant windows.(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.
55500. As used in this division:
(a) Eligible building means a building existing as of January 1, 2020, and containing not more than one unit that is intended for human habitation.
(b) Eligible costs means all costs, including costs of design, preparation, and inspection, incurred in the following:
(1) Replacing or installing the following:
(A) Ember-resistent Ember-resistant vents.
(B) Fire-resistant roofing.
(C) Fire-resistant siding.
(D) Fire-resistant eaves.
(E) Fire-resistant soffits.
(F) Fire-resistant windows.
(2) Establishing a noncombustible zone of three feet around an eligible building.
(3) Tree removal and trimming within 100 feet of an eligible building.
55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.
55501. (a) There is established in the State Treasury the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be made available to the ____ to provide financing to local agencies to make no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings to pay for eligible costs of fire hardening, if the legislative body of the local agency makes one of the following findings:
(1) (A) The owner to whom financing would be made available pursuant to this division is unable to qualify for or could not afford financing for eligible costs from private lending institutions.
(B) The legislative body of the local agency may also make no- or low- interest low-interest loans to an owner who is able to qualify or afford financing as long as priority is given to owners described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Absent the availability of financing pursuant to this division, the eligible building would pose a health and safety risk to its occupants.
(b) Financing provided by a local agency pursuant to this division shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days before any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.
SEC. 4.SEC. 5. The sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) is hereby transferred from the General Fund to the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund to provide no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings for the eligible costs of fire hardening pursuant to Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) of the Health and Safety Code.
SEC. 4.SEC. 5. The sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) is hereby transferred from the General Fund to the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund to provide no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings for the eligible costs of fire hardening pursuant to Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) of the Health and Safety Code.
SEC. 4.SEC. 5. The sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) is hereby transferred from the General Fund to the Fire Hardened Homes Revolving Loan Fund to provide no- or low-interest loans to owners of eligible buildings for the eligible costs of fire hardening pursuant to Division 33 (commencing with Section 55500) of the Health and Safety Code.
### SEC. 4.SEC. 5.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.