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: 9/4/07 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 health benefits to survivors
of federal firefighters who reside in California and who
are killed while performing firefighting services.
CONTINUED
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Senate Floor Amendments of 9/4/07 delete provisions which
prohibited the University of California and California
State University 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. This
change is because it is understood that these provisions
could reduce or eliminate existing federal benefits for the
family members of firefighters killed in the line of duty.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides, under the Public
Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), which is
administered by the Public Employees' Retirement System,
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 enacts the California Fallen Federal Firefighter
Survivor Assistance Act of 2007. This bill 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.
Comments
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
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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
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
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.
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
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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 9/5/07 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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