BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 384|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 384
Author: Portantino (D), et al
Amended: 7/5/07 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/27/07
AYES: Scott, Wyland, Alquist, Denham, Maldonado, Romero,
Torlakson
NO VOTE RECORDED: Padilla, Simitian
SENATE PUBLIC EMP. & RET. COMMITTEE : 4-0, 7/9/07
AYES: Wiggins, McClintock, Migden, Negrete McLeod
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ashburn
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 14-0, 7/16/07
AYES: Torlakson, Cox, Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Cedillo,
Corbett, Dutton, Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Runner,
Steinberg, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ridley-Thomas, Simitian, Yee
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-0, 5/31/07 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Firefighters
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill provides college tuition fee waivers
and health benefits to survivors of federal firefighters
who reside in California and who are killed while
performing firefighting services.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Provides certain University of California (UC) and
California State University (CSU) fee exemptions to
surviving spouses and children of other law enforcement
and fire suppression personnel in California.
2. Provides, under the Public Employees Medical and
Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), which is administered by the
Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), continuing
health benefits coverage to the surviving spouse and
children of a firefighter or peace officer who dies as a
result of an injury or disease sustained in the line of
duty.
This bill:
1. Enacts the California Fallen Federal Firefighter
Survivor Assistance Act of 2007.
2. Prohibits the UC and CSU from imposing or collecting
mandatory systemwide fees or tuition from surviving
spouses and children of permanent career civilian
federal firefighters who were residents of California
and performing services in California who were killed in
the line of duty.
3. Provides continuing health benefit coverage as specified
under PEMHCA for surviving spouses and children of
permanent career civilian federal firefighters who were
residents of California and performing services in
California who were killed in the line of duty.
This bill provides benefits that will supplement, not
supplant, any federal benefits, and makes survivors
ineligible for the mandatory tuition and fee waiver if
obtaining those benefits will result in a reduction or
elimination of a federal educational assistance program.
Comments
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According to the author:
"When a firefighter is killed in the line of duty, he or
she leaves behind a family who not only suffers this
great loss but a family faced with financial challenges
including college education and health care. Existing
law provides specific relief in these vital areas for
survivors of fallen police officers and firefighters, but
omits protection for those on the permanent, career
federal payroll. This bill cures this omission.
"Last fall, five men died while fighting the Esperanza
fire in Riverside County. Two of these men were
permanent career civilian federal fighters who resided in
California and served on Engine 57 at the San Jacinto
Ranger Station and left behind surviving family members.
The survivors of these men will not receive the benefits
that are available to other Californians who have died in
the line of similar duty.
"In recent years there have been approximately 500
permanent civilian federal firefighters in California.
In addition to the men who perished in the Esperanza
fire, 14 federal firefighters have died in the line of
duty in California in the last five years."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2007-08 2008-09
2009-10 Fund
Tuition waiver -unknown, probably less than $25
annually- General
Health benefits -unknown, probably less than
$50 annually- General
Exact costs will depend on the number of eligible survivors
of federal firefighters who are killed while performing
services in California. There are approximately, on
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average, two fallen firefighters each year in California.
Assuming there were four surviving spouses with children
who receive health benefits, costs will be approximately
$50,000 annually. Assuming four survivors attended UC, the
tuition fee waiver will amount to approximately $25,600, or
if they choose to attend the CSU, costs will be $5,600
annually.
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/9/07)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
CDF Firefighters
California Fire Chiefs Association
California Peace Officers' Association
Federal Wildland Fire Service Association
Fire Districts Association of California
Marin Professional Firefighters
PERS Retirement Betterment Committee, Inc.
Presidio Federal Firefighters, IAFF
Public Employees' Retirement System
State Council of the International Association of Fire
Fighters
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Local 112
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Aghazarian, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall,
Benoit, Berg, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Brownley, Caballero,
Charles Calderon, Carter, Cook, Coto, Davis, De Leon,
DeSaulnier, DeVore, Duvall, Dymally, Emmerson, Eng,
Evans, Feuer, Fuentes, Fuller, Gaines, Galgiani, Garcia,
Garrick, Hancock, Hernandez, Horton, Houston, Huff,
Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Karnette, Keene, La Malfa,
Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Ma, Maze, Mendoza,
Mullin, Nakanishi, Nava, Niello, Parra, Plescia,
Portantino, Price, Richardson, Sharon Runner, Ruskin,
Salas, Saldana, Silva, Smyth, Solorio, Spitzer,
Strickland, Swanson, Tran, Villines, Walters, Wolk, Nunez
NO VOTE RECORDED: De La Torre, Hayashi, Krekorian, Soto,
Torrico
NC:mw 7/18/07 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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