BILL NUMBER: AB 398	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 12, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Morrell
    (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member  
Beth Gaines   )

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2011

   An act to add Section 13159.2 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to fire protection.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 398, as amended, Morrell. State Fire Marshal: certification.
   Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to establish
recommended minimum standards for fire protection personnel at all
career levels. Under existing law, the Training Regulations of the
State Fire Marshal establish minimum standards for statewide training
and certification systems for the California fire service. Existing
law allows a state agency or an agency of a political subdivision
within the state to elect to be subject to those standards or to
petition for an alternative to those training and certification
standards.
   This bill would authorize the State Fire Marshal to accept
certification by the United States Department of Defense as a
firefighter  , as specified,  as an alternative for the fire
protection personnel training and certification standards for the
position of Firefighter I established by the State Fire Marshal.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 13159.2 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   13159.2.   The State Fire Marshal   (a) 
   For purposes of this section, the State Fire Marshal
shall be referred to as the SFM. 
    (b)     The SFM  may accept
certification by the United States Department of Defense as a
firefighter as an alternative for the basic  State Fire
Marshal   SFM  training and certification standards
for the position of Firefighter I of the California Fire Service
Training and Education Program  , if the United States Department
of Defense certification is accompanied by a national certification
or accreditation that has been approved by the SFM and that is based
on the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress, Pro Board,
or other accepted third-party certification standard.  . 
   (c) If the United States Department of Defense certification is
not accompanied by a national certification approved by the SFM, as
described in subdivision (b), the SFM shall follow the verification
process adopted pursuant to the authority provided in Sections 13157
and 13159.