AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 9, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 25, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alvarez, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Connolly, Hart, Irwin, Patel, Rogers, and Schultz)

February 13, 2026

An act to amend Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 4209.4 of the Public Resources Code, relating to fire safety.

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to allow certification of contractors who conduct defensible space, home hardening, fuel reduction, roadside clearance, and other contracting activities for wildlife resiliency efforts and who have completed specified training programs. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to establish the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2028, the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop an implementation plan for a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be voluntarily implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with state building standards for wildland-urban interface areas. The bill would require the committee, in developing the implementation plan for the home hardening certification program, to provide specified recommendations. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the implementation plan for the home hardening certification program. The bill would require the committee, on or before January 1, 2028, to provide a report to specified legislative committees on its findings and recommendations pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2029, the State Fire Marshal to establish the home hardening certification program and implement the program consistent with based on the recommendations made by the Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

13159.5.

(a) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel. This training shall be updated as changes are made to Chapter 7A (commencing with Section 701A.1) of Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, or any appropriate successor regulatory code, and shall include any pertinent mandates for emergency power backup, including, but not limited to, battery backup requirements for automatic garage door openers.

(b) The Office of the State Fire Marshal may allow certification of contractors who conduct defensible space, home hardening, fuel reduction, roadside clearance, and other contracting activities for wildfire resiliency efforts and who have completed the training program developed pursuant to Section 4291.6 of the Public Resources Code or an equivalent program.

(c) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall develop and update on a regular basis a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with Chapter 7A (commencing with Section 701A.1) of Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, or any appropriate successor regulatory code, for products such as the following:

(1) Exterior wall siding and sheathing.

(2) Exterior windows, skylights, and doors.

(3) Vents, including eave and cornice vents.

(4) Decking.

(5) Treated lumber and ignition-resistant materials.

(6) Roofing materials.

(7) Emergency battery power backup for automatic garage door openers.

(d) In researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions under this section, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is authorized to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, pursuant to Section 18931.7.

(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2028, the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 4209.4 of the Public Resources Code, shall develop an implementation plan for a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be voluntarily implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions adopted in the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations).

(2) In developing the implementation plan for a home hardening certification program, the Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee shall provide recommendations that include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) (i) Multiple tiers of home hardening certification with at least one tier defined as ember resistant.

(B) Identifying the qualifications necessary for individuals tasked with inspecting a home and confirming its compliance with the home hardening standards established in the implementation plan for the home hardening certification program.

(C) The length of time that a certification is valid.

(3) On or before January 1, 2028, the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, shall provide a report to the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management, Senate Committee on Emergency Management, Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on its findings and recommendations pursuant to this subdivision.

(f) On or before January 1, 2029, the State Fire Marshal shall establish the certification program pursuant to subdivision (e) and implement the certification program consistent with based on the recommendations made pursuant to subdivision (e) by the Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

SEC. 2.

Section 4209.4 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

4209.4.

(a) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall establish the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to provide a public forum to solicit and consider public input on programs and activities pursuant to this article, to advise the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation in developing and implementing programs and activities pursuant to this article, and to develop an implementation plan for a home hardening certification program pursuant to Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) The committee shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide a consistent and regular means of communication on topics related to community wildfire preparedness and fire mitigation between the department, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, representatives of relevant industries, state agencies, fire service agencies, and other stakeholders.

(2) Provide a forum for addressing wildfire preparedness and mitigation issues of statewide concern.

(3) Share latest available research and best practices with regard to community fire preparedness and mitigation efforts.

(4) Seek and provide comments and specific input on proposed programs, policies, guidelines, budget, and technical issues, and inform local agencies and the public of applicable new laws and regulations.

(5) Provide and receive updates and feedback regarding the programs operated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this article.

(c) Members of the committee shall be all of the following:

(1) The director of the department, or their designee.

(2) The director of the Department of Conservation, or their designee.

(3) The Director of the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, or their designee.

(4) The chair of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, or their designee.

(5) The State Fire Marshal, or their designee.

(6) The Director of Emergency Services, or their designee.

(7) The Insurance Commissioner, or their designee.

(8) The Director of State Planning and Research, Land Use and Climate Innovation, or their designee.

(9) A representative from the California Fire Safe Council.

(10) A representative from the insurance industry or an insurance research organization.

(11) A local fire service representative.

(12) A representative from the building industry.

(13) A representative from the University of California Cooperative Extension.

(14) A representative from the California Fire Science Consortium.

(15) Any other appropriate stakeholders, including representatives from local governmental agencies, as decided by the State Fire Marshal.

(d) The committee shall meet monthly.

(e) The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but each member shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(f) The chairperson of the committee shall be the State Fire Marshal.