BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1369
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 30, 2004

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                   Judy Chu, Chair

                     SB 1369 (Kuehl) - As Amended:  June 17, 2004

          Policy Committee:                              Natural Resources  
                       Vote:                            9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY

           This bill:

          1)Requires owners of occupied structures located in very high  
            fire severity zones within local and state responsibility  
            areas (SRAs) to maintain firebreaks of 100 feet around those  
            structures.
            
          2)Allows insurance providers to increase the width of required  
            firebreaks if hazardous conditions exist.     

          3)Requires persons engaging in new construction or the  
            rebuilding of occupied structures located in very high fire  
            severity zones within local responsibility areas to  
            self-certify and provide proof, if requested, to their  
            insurance provider of compliance with state and local building  
            codes, including specified standards related to fire  
            prevention.

          4)Authorizes the California Department of Forestry and Fire  
            Protection (CDF) to maintain firebreaks within SRAs if there  
            is non-compliance and place liens on the property to reimburse  
            department costs.    

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Moderate costs, likely less than $200,000, to local agencies  
            to provide certification of building compliance for new  
            construction and reconstruction.  These costs are not  
            reimbursable from the state.      









                                                                  SB 1369
                                                                  Page  2

          2)Moderate GF cost pressures, likely less than $200,000, to the  
            CDF for maintaining firebreaks when occupied structure owners  
            do not do so; these costs are to be reimbursed by the owners.   
             


           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  .  The author states that numerous reports have  
          identified the lack of enforceable firebreak legislation as a  
          major factor in the spread of wildfire.  One study by Jack D.  
          Cohen concludes that "big flames of high intensity wildland  
          fires do not directly ignite homes at separation distances  
          beyond 100 feet".

          According to the author's office, in the Southern California  
          wildfires, 9 of 10 burned homes had vegetation within 30 feet of  
          the home and 2/3 of the homes had vegetation within 10 feet.   
          Houses and other buildings are a fuel source for wildfire.  This  
          bill is an attempt to reduce the vulnerability of houses and  
          other occupied structures and to enhance public safety. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Rosaline Chan / APPR. / (916) 319-2081