CPF Pro-Firefighter Bills Signed by Governor
CPF's strong pro-firefighter advocacy in Sacramento has once again yielded major victories for public safety professionals in 2023. Every one of the seven measures CPF sponsored in the Legislature have been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. In addition, the Legislature approved CPF-sponsored ACA 1 to go to the ballot in 2024.
The CPF legislative package signed by the governor includes a groundbreaking measure that could dramatically reduce the amount of time firefighter/paramedics are stuck "on the wall" in hospitals waiting to offload patients. CPF's AB 40 sets a 30-minute standard for ambulance patient offload times, with a process for accountability if hospitals consistently fail to meet the standard.
Other important victories include an extension of the firefighter PTSI presumption, a new firefighter cancer prevention research project, and a clarification of presumptive standards for county (1937 Act) retirement systems.
CPF-sponsored legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom
AB 40: Stopping Dangerous Ambulance Delays
Holds hospitals accountable for excessive ambulance patient offload time (APOT) by ensuring every Local EMS Agency (LEMSA) adopts an APOT standard that does not exceed 30 minutes 90% of the time, allowing paramedics to return to the field. (Author: Asm. Freddie Rodriguez)
SB 623: PTSI Presumption Extension
Extends the sunset of the post-traumatic stress presumption until January 1, 2029, and will include a study on expanding the presumption to cover sworn public safety dispatchers. (Author: Sen. John Laird)
AB 700: CA Firefighter Cancer Prevention Research
Establishes cancer research to identify the cause of and reduce the rate of cancer among California firefighters. The University of California will collaborate with the FIRESCOPE Cancer Prevention Subcommittee. (Author: Asm. Tim Grayson)
AB 1020: 1937 Act Disability Retirement
Conforms the burden-of-proof standard for a presumptive service-related disability retirement to be consistent across retirement systems, including county (1937 Act) retirement systems. (Author: Asm. Tim Grayson)
AB 767: Community paramedicine sunset extension
This bill would extend the sunset date for legislation authorizing community paramedicine programs to January 1, 2031. It would fully authorize the post-discharge follow-up specialty that was part of the pilot programs conducted throughout the state. (Author: Assm. Mike Gipson)
AB 621: Worker’s compensation: Special death benefit for state safety members.
Ensures the families of CAL FIRE Firefighters and California Correctional Peace Officers Association members can be awarded both the CalPERS special death and workers’ compensation benefits. (Author: Asm. Jacqui Irwin)
SB 374: License plate fee
This bill would increase the cost of renewing a firefighter license plate by $5, raising funds to expand the California Firefighters Memorial in Capitol Park to add more names to the memorial wall for future line-of-duty deaths. (Author: Sen. Angelique Ashby)
Constitutional Amendment -- Heading for 2024 Ballot
ACA 1: Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval.
Reduces the vote threshold to raise funding for “public safety buildings or facilities, equipment related to fire suppression, emergency response equipment, or communications equipment for exclusive use by fire, emergency response, police, or sheriff personnel” from 2/3 to 55%. (Author: Asm. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry)