California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB 2483
Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Elhawary (Democratic)
Cosponsors (5)
- Bryan (Democratic)
- Lowenthal (Democratic)
- Zbur (Democratic)
- McKinnor (Democratic)
- Smallwood-Cuevas (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary
Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and requires the department to be responsible for, among other things, fire protection and prevention, as provided.
Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camp program for the purpose of having inmates and wards work on projects supervised by the department. Existing law requires the department to utilize inmates and wards assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work at the department.
This bill would require, on and after July 1, 2027, the department to, in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Conservation Camp program, implement a standardized process to ensure that all eligible individuals who successfully complete training in a department firefighting training camp while incarcerated receive official written certification reflective of the training completed before their release, as specified.
This bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as defined, applies for a Fire Fighter 1 Classification position, or any successor classifications, and has the required training and meets the minimum qualifications for the position, to award hiring preference under Category Placement 2 to the qualified formerly incarcerated individual, as specified. The bill would require the department, on and after January 1, 2028, if a qualified formerly incarcerated individual applies for a Forestry Technician Classification position, or any successor classifications, to count the duration of specified training and fieldwork as an incarcerated hand crew member towards the minimum qualifications for the classification.
Text versions
- 09/27/26 - Chaptered· Sep 27, 2026
- 08/27/26 - Enrolled· Aug 27, 2026
- 06/24/26 - Amended Senate· Jun 24, 2026
- 04/08/26 - Amended Assembly· Apr 8, 2026
- 03/25/26 - Amended Assembly· Mar 25, 2026
- 02/20/26 - Introduced· Feb 20, 2026
- AB2483
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2026 House | AB 2483 Elhawary Concurrence in Senate Amendments | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 24, 2026 Senate | 3rd Reading AB2483 Elhawary et al. By Smallwood-Cuevas | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 13, 2026 Senate | Do pass | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 3, 2026 Senate | Placed on suspense file | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jul 1, 2026 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jun 23, 2026 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 26, 2026 House | AB 2483 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 14, 2026 House | Do pass. | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Apr 22, 2026 House | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Mar 23, 2026 House | Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
Actions
- Sep 27, 2026 · Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 612, Statutes of 2026. - Sep 27, 2026 · Legislature
Approved by the Governor. - Aug 31, 2026 · Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. - Aug 25, 2026 · House
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6486.). - Aug 24, 2026 · House
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. - Aug 24, 2026 · Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.). - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13). - Aug 3, 2026 · Senate
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. - Jul 1, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Jun 24, 2026 · Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R. - Jun 24, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L., P.E. & R. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R. - Jun 3, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and L., P.E. & R. - May 27, 2026 · Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. - May 26, 2026 · House
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.) - May 18, 2026 · House
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - May 14, 2026 · House
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14). - May 6, 2026 · House
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. - Apr 22, 2026 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Apr 22, 2026 · House
Coauthors revised. - Apr 9, 2026 · House
Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R. - Apr 8, 2026 · House
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. E. & R. Read second time and amended. - Apr 6, 2026 · House
Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96. - Mar 26, 2026 · House
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. - Mar 25, 2026 · House
Read second time and amended. - Mar 24, 2026 · House
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (March 23). - Mar 9, 2026 · House
Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and PUB. S. - Feb 21, 2026 · House
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23. - Feb 20, 2026 · House
Read first time. To print.