BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2146
                                                                  Page  1


          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 2146 (Skinner)
          As Amended  March 28, 2014
          Majority vote 

           LABOR & EMPLOYMENT          7-0 APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
           
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          |Ayes:|Roger Hern�ndez, 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
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           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 


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