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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 270: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: autonomous firefighting pilot project.

Did not advance Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted
  6. Did not advance

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 270 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on January 21, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: autonomous firefighting pilot project. Primary sponsor: Cottie Petrie-Norris (D). Most recent recorded action (February 2, 2026): From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

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

Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in accordance with a plan approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, to, among other things, provide fire prevention and firefighting implements and apparatus and organize fire crews and patrols, as provided.

This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a pilot project to assess whether a firefighting helicopter equipped with autonomous aerial suppression technology can be transitioned into operational use in the State of California. The bill would also require the department to invite local, state, tribal, and federal fire agencies to participate in those familiarization and training activities. The bill would require the department to convene, within 60 days of completion of the pilot project, or January 1, 2029, whichever comes first, leading fire professionals in California to assess the performance of the pilot project and, if the pilot project meets its objectives, determine how to incorporate autonomous aerial suppression technology into existing state wildfire mitigation efforts. The bill would require an operator of autonomous aerial suppression technology that is part of the pilot project and that is required to submit reports to local or federal agencies about autonomous aerial suppression technology to also provide those reports to the department and the Legislature, as provided. The bill would include related legislative findings.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Cottie Petrie-NorrisPrimary sponsorDemocraticAssembly73

“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. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
  3. In committee: Held under submission.
  4. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
  5. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  6. Read second time and amended.
  7. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 1).
  8. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
  9. Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
  10. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.
  11. Referred to Coms. on E.M and P. & C.P.
  12. From printer. May be heard in committee February 21.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page