AB 1913: Licensure: emergency equipment.

Official summary

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

Existing law prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle upon a highway unless that person holds a valid driver’s license to operate the type of vehicle that the person is driving.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to require an examination for issuance of a driver’s license. The examination is required to be appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or combination of vehicles the applicant desires a license to drive or tow, in accordance with certain license classifications. A class C driver’s license includes the operation of, among other vehicles, firefighting equipment, provided that the equipment is operated by a person who holds a firefighter endorsement, as specified.

This bill would include the operation of specified emergency equipment under a class C driver’s license, provided the equipment is owned by a law enforcement agency and is operated by a person who has completed the emergency equipment training described below.

Existing law establishes the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to set minimum standards for the recruitment and training of peace officers and to develop training courses and curriculum.

This bill would require specified peace officers and volunteers registered with specified law enforcement agencies be permitted to operate emergency equipment, as specified. The bill would require the training to include both classroom and driver training components, as specified, and a written examination. The bill would impose certification, experience, and licensure requirements on instructors for the training program, including, among other things, a requirement that an instructor be certified as a qualified training instructor by the State of California, the federal government, or a county training officers’ association.

The bill would define “emergency equipment” as a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles that meets the definition of a class A or class B vehicle and is subject to certain requirements, including, but not limited to, that they are used to travel to and from the scene of an emergency situation, to and from a place where the emergency equipment is repaired or positioned, or to transport equipment used in the control of an emergency situation and that is owned, leased, rented by, or under the exclusive control of specified law enforcement agencies.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 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. August 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 133, Statutes of 2026.
2. August 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 18, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.
4. August 11, 2026In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
5. August 10, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5322.).
6. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
7. August 3, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. July 1, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. June 24, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
10. June 3, 2026Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and PUB. S.
11. May 14, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
12. May 14, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5052.)