Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to develop a plan with recommendations and guidelines for counties to use in the case of a significant air quality event, as defined, caused by wildfires or other sources, including establishing policies and procedures that address respiratory protection and other protective equipment and devices and providing information to residents on what they should do if the air quality index hits a significant threshold. Existing law requires a county to develop a county-specific plan that addresses all of the recommendations and guidelines of the plan developed by the department.
This bill would require the department's plan to be completed on or before June 30, 2026, posted on the department's internet website within 7 days of completion, and distributed within 14 days of completion to specified local and state entities and officers. The bill would require the county-specific plan to incorporate a process to conduct outreach and communicate to the public and with key stakeholders specified information about the plan. The bill would require, after a county-specific plan or a regional multicounty plan is approved by the county's board of supervisors, a copy of the plan to be distributed to specified local officers and to the local and state public health directors. The bill would require the department to post a copy of each county-specific plan or regional multicounty plan after a plan is adopted by each county within 14 days of receiving each plan. By imposing a higher level of service on local officers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would also create the Wildfire Smoke Research and Education Fund in the General Fund. The bill would provide that moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be distributed for research on the short-term and long-term adverse health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke, the burned remains after a wildfire, and the fire-retardant materials used in battling a wildfire. The bill would further require the research to examine the health impact on firefighters, individuals who lived in the areas where the fires did damage, and individuals who live in areas impacted by the wildfire smoke.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
AB 1003: 8593.25 GOV, 107250 HSC
02/20/25 - Introduced: 8593.25 GOV, 107250 HSC