BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2146 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 2146 (Skinner) As Amended March 28, 2014 Majority vote LABOR & EMPLOYMENT 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Roger Hernández, Grove, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, | | |Alejo, Chau, Gorell, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |Holden, | |Calderon, Campos, | | |Ridley-Thomas | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | | | |Holden, Jones, Linder, | | | | |Pan, Quirk, | | | | |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, | | | | |Weber | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Requires the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board) to review standards for firefighters' personal protective equipment, as specified. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires the Standards Board, within 30 days of the adoption by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) of new standards for firefighters' personal protection equipment, to commence a review of existing regulations for personal protective clothing and equipment for firefighters to determine if the new standards provide a greater degree of protection to a firefighter. 2)Provides that if the Standards Board determines that the standards adopted by NFPA provide a greater degree of protection, it shall consider modifying existing regulations to reflect the NFPA standards as a new safety standard for all employers of firefighters in the state. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill will result in annual costs to the Standards Board in the range of $25,000 to $30,000. In addition, this bill will result in significant state and local cost pressure, potentially in the millions, if the Standards Board determines that existing regulations need to be updated. AB 2146 Page 2 COMMENTS : This bill is sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters, who argues that it is necessary to ensure that firefighter personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) standards are up-to-date, thereby resulting in a direct and critical effect of reducing the number of job-caused injuries and illnesses sustained by firefighters due to outdated, inadequate PPE. There is no opposition on file. Analysis Prepared by : Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091 FN: 0003606