AB 2483 California 20252026 session
Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.
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.
Status
- Introduced
- Committee
- Floor vote
- Passed
- Enacted
Passed one chamber — last recorded action August 13, 2026
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Recorded votes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
5 yes · 0 no · pass July 1, 2026
Decided by five votes or fewer.
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]
7 yes · 0 no · pass June 23, 2026
AB 2483 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading
77 yes · 0 no · pass May 26, 2026
Passage likelihood
95% Higher than most bills at this stage
This is an estimate, not a guarantee. It is computed from the signals listed below and nothing else. It does not account for leadership priorities, floor scheduling, or negotiations that are not in the public record.
What the estimate is based on
- Historical base rate About 20% of introduced state bills are enacted.
- Current stage Passed one chamber.
- Cosponsors 5 cosponsors.
State-level impact
State-level impact data is not available for this bill. The source text does not contain a per-state funding formula or scored breakdown, so no figures are shown.
Official actions
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).
- In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- 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.
- 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.
- Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and L., P.E. & R.
- In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.)
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
- In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- Coauthors revised.
- Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R.
- From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. E. & R. Read second time and amended.
- Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
- Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
- Read second time and amended.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (March 23).
- Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and PUB. S.
- From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Read first time. To print.