BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1980
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Date of Hearing: April 6, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Adam Gray, Chair
AB 1980
(Irwin) - As Amended March 28, 2016
SUBJECT: Memorial to California firefighters: modifications
SUMMARY: Authorizes the California Fire Foundation (CFF), in
consultation with the Department of General Services (DGS), to
prepare a plan to construct modifications to the existing
memorial on the grounds of the California State Capitol, which
may include the construction of a new wall at the memorial that
would include the names of additional fallen firefighters.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires DGS, if CFF prepares a plan to construct
modifications to the California Firefighters Memorial
(Memorial), to take specified actions to ensure that the
design, review, inspection, and construction of the proposed
modifications meet prescribed requirements:
a) Review preliminary design plans for the modifications
and identify potential maintenance concerns.
b) Ensure that the proposed modifications comply with the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
and other applicable safety laws and regulations.
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c) Ensure that the proposed modifications comply with the
requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act
and any other applicable building standards for work to be
carried out at the existing memorial.
d) Review the final construction documents to ensure that
all applicable requirements are met.
e) Prepare the right-of-entry permit outlining the final
area of work, final construction documents and permits,
construction plans, and the name of the contractor who will
perform the work, and verify that the contractor is
properly licensed and insured, including maintaining
adequate personal liability insurance for damage to state
property.
f) Conduct inspections of the construction performed by the
contractor selected by the foundation.
1)Requires CFF to submit a plan for the proposed modifications
to the DGS for their review.
2)Requires CFF, in consultation with the DGS, to establish a
schedule for the design and construction, implement procedures
to solicit designs, devise a process for the choice of design
for the proposed modifications, and report to the Joint
Legislative Committee on Emergency Management regarding the
progress of the construction of the modifications.
3)Prohibits CFF from commencing construction of proposed
modifications unless the Department of Finance (DOF) has
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verified that sufficient donations have been secured to
complete construction of the modifications and DGS has
approved the plan.
4)Requires that any modifications to the Memorial be funded
exclusively by private donations secured by CFF.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Authorizes the construction of a memorial to California
firefighters on the grounds of the State Capitol, but
prohibits the expenditure of state funds for purposes of the
memorial
2)Requires firefighters' memorial ceremonies, including the
dedication of the memorial at any subsequent ceremonies, to be
conducted by the CFF, in consultation with the Assembly
General Research Committee on Fire, Police, Emergency, and
Disaster Services.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
Purpose of the bill : According to the author, firefighters have
one of the highest rates of injury and death when compared to
other careers. Regrettably, as a result of line of duty deaths,
15 to 20 new names, on average, are added to the Memorial Wall
each year.
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The average number of names added to the Wall in any given year
includes those firefighters who died as a result of a line of
duty death in the immediately preceding year, as well as those
firefighters who died as a result of a line of duty death in
years prior, but who only recently came to the attention of the
Foundation. Oftentimes, this is a result of a surviving spouse
or family member needing additional time to come to terms with
the death of their loved one before they are comfortable with
having their name inscribed on the wall. In other cases, prior
year deaths are reported by the fallen firefighter's former fire
department only after archived documentation surfaces
demonstrating a line of duty incident. Ultimately, it is
expected that there will be no more room to add names to the
current wall in the near future.
The author states, the purpose of this bill is to ensure that
the names of our state's fallen firefighters are inscribed on
memorial wall space for decades to come. To ensure that
Californians can continue to honor the brave professionals who
keep our communities safe, it is imperative that ample,
respectful space is available at the memorial site. AB 1980
achieves this important goal.
Background : CFF, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, provides
emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen
firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect.
Formed in 1987 by California Professional Firefighters (CPF),
the CFF's mandate includes an array of survivor and victim
assistance projects and community initiatives, as well as the
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design, construction and maintenance of the California
Firefighters Memorial (Memorial). Sponsored by the CFF, the
Memorial was designed and built in 2002 to honor firefighters
killed in the line of duty. The Foundation is the official
recipient organization for proceeds from the state license plate
and tax check-off funds earmarked for the Memorial.
Related Legislation : AB 3198 (Areias) of 1992. Requires the
California Fire Foundation to create the Firefighters' Memorial
Task Force. Additionally, the bill authorizes the construction
of a memorial to California firefighters on the State Capitol
grounds. (Version: 92 - Chaptered 9/30/1992).
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Professional Firefighters (Sponsor)
California Fire Chiefs Association
Fire Districts Association of California
LIUNA Local 792
Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, Local 3631
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Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531