Legislative Report
Nor Cal FPO Meeting, Redwood City
April 27, 2007

AB 759 Fire sprinkler requirement for residential care facilities.

Similar to last year’s Bill, this Bill was heard on April 19 and passed its first hearing and has moved on to the Appropriations Committee. As it moves along the legislative process, expect Cal Chiefs to be asking for Fire Service support in the form of letters or personal testimony or even you just your presence in the audience when decision need to be made. (Support)

SB 839 Fireworks.

This Bill is aimed at making stiffer penalties for the possession of illegal fire works. Fines would be earmarked to pay the cost of proper disposal of fireworks with additional language that includes a fee attached to the sale of safe-and-sane fire works to assist with the cost of disposal. SB 839 was heard on April 24 and was also sent on to the Appropriations Committee. (Support)

AB 513 Prohibition of DecaBDE’s

This is a fire retardant added to plastic for use in electronic components and used in cars.

Existing law prohibits a person from manufacturing, processing, as defined, or distributing in commerce a product, or a flame-retarded part of a product, containing more than 1/10 of 1% pentaBDE or octaBDE, except for products containing small quantities of PBDEs that are produced or used for scientific research on the health or environmental effects of PBDEs.

This bill would additionally include DecaBDE in this prohibition,

on and after January 1, 2011. The bill would also delete the exemption for products containing small quantities of PBDEs that are produced or used for scientific research on the health or environmental effects of PBDEs.

WATCH. In support of the position of Cal Chiefs.

AB 706 Fire Retardants; Toxic effects.

This bill would revise and extend the findings relating to fire retardants, and would, commencing January 1, 2010, require all seating, bedding, and furniture products to comply with certain requirements, including, but not limited to, the requirement that they not contain brominated fire retardants or chlorinated fire retardants.

A proponent of this Bill will be at next month’s Nor Cal Meeting in San Francisco to deliver the afternoon program where she will be discussing their reasons for the Bill in detail.

WATCH. In support of the position of Cal Chiefs.

SB 329 Hazardous Materials Business Plans.

This bill would increase the time to resubmit Hazardous Materials Business Plans from once every 3 years to once every 5 years. The bill would also allow a business to submit a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC), to the administering agency in lieu of submitting a business plan, if the business is a qualified facility, as defined, and also meets specified requirements with regard to the handling of extremely hazardous substances. The Bill is set to be heard on May 7.

OPPOSE. Resubmitting HMBP’s every 5 years would create problems. They are working documents used for emergency response. They need to be accurate. Substituting them for a SPCC would only apply to Petroleum Products and would not apply equally to all businesses.