AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 27, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 7, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Assembly Member DeMaio

February 11, 2026

An act to amend Section 13916 of, and to add Section 13916.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire protection districts.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: no   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes a fire protection district board to charge a fee to cover the cost of any service the district provides, as specified.

This bill would prohibit a fire protection district board from charging a fee to any member of the public for use of using a 911 emergency telephone number, number or for emergency responders arriving at a location or otherwise responding to the use of a 911 emergency telephone number, except as provided.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 13916 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

13916.

(a) Except as provided in Section 13916.5, a district board may charge a fee to cover the cost of any service that the district provides or the cost of enforcing any regulation for which the fee is charged. A fee shall not exceed the costs reasonably borne by the district in providing the service or enforcing the regulation for which the fee is charged. A district board shall not charge a fee on new construction or development for the construction of public improvements or facilities or the acquisition of equipment.

(b) The district board shall adopt an ordinance establishing a schedule of fees. Before either approving an increase in an existing fee or initially imposing a new fee, the district board shall publish notice of its intention to establish a schedule of fees pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting, including a general explanation of the matter to be considered, and a statement that the data required by subdivision (d) is available.

(c) The district board shall mail the notice of the meeting at least 14 days before the meeting to any interested party who has filed a written request with the district board for mailed notice of the meeting on new or increased fees. Any written request for mailed notice is valid for one year from the date that it is filed unless a renewal request is filed. Renewal requests for mailed notice shall be filed on or before April 1 of each year. The district board may establish a reasonable annual charge for sending these notices based on the estimated cost of providing that service.

(d) At least 10 days before the meeting, the district board shall make available to the public, data indicating the amount of cost, or estimated cost, required to provide the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation for which the fee is charged and the revenue sources anticipated to provide the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation, including general fund revenues.

(e) Any costs incurred by a district in conducting the meeting required by this section may be recovered from fees charged for the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation which were the subject of the meeting.

(f) At the meeting, the district board shall hear and consider any objections or protests to the proposed schedule of fees.

SEC. 2.

Section 13916.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

13916.5.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 13916, a district board shall not charge a fee to any member of the public for use of a 911 either of the following:

(1) Using a 911 emergency telephone number. This

(b) This section does not apply prohibit a district board from charging a fee to a member of the public for use of a 911 emergency telephone number for a prank call.