AB 1309: State employees: compensation: firefighters.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law provides that in order for the state to recruit skilled firefighters for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it is the policy of the state to consider prevailing salaries and benefits prior to making salary recommendations. Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources, in order to provide comparability in pay, to take into consideration the salary and benefits of other jurisdictions employing 75 or more full-time firefighters who work in California.

This bill would require the state to pay firefighters who are rank-and-file members of State Bargaining Unit 8, employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, within 15% of the average salary for corresponding ranks in 20 listed California fire departments. The bill would require the state and the exclusive representative for State Bargaining Unit 8 to jointly survey annually and calculate the estimated average salaries for those fire departments. The bill would also require the Department of Human Resources, on or before January 1, 2027, to conduct and report to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection a cursory survey on the salaries and benefits for the prior year of each of the fire chiefs for 5 listed California fire departments.

The bill would provide that when determining compensation for uniformed classifications of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it is the policy of the state to consider the salary of corresponding ranks within the comparable jurisdictions listed, as well as other factors, including internal comparisons. The bill would require any salary increase for firefighters under these provisions to be implemented through a memorandum of understanding, in accordance with specified procedures governing collective bargaining agreements. The bill would include legislative findings and declarations related to its provisions.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. January 22, 2026Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2. October 3, 2025Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
3. October 3, 2025Vetoed by Governor.
4. September 15, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
5. September 4, 2025In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
6. September 4, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2524.).
7. September 2, 2025Ordered to special consent calendar.
8. August 29, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
10. July 7, 2025In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
11. June 25, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
12. June 18, 2025Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.