Legislative Update – March 2025

By Lary Camp, Legislative Committee Co-Chair
Regulatory Update: The Executive Director of the Board of Forestry, Edith Hanigan has submitted her resignation effective in late February. Dan Stapleton, the Executive Officer for Licensing, has temporarily filled the position. The Board passed Emergency Rules to implement the Forest Resilience and the Oak Woodland Exemptions in January that are effective for one year. Talk to your RPF or local Cal Fire forester for more details. The Board is also working on regulations governing operations within the Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone (WLPZ) and home hardening in the Zero Zone (0 to 5 feet) from the outside of a residence.

The table below lists the bills that FLC and CFA are currently monitoring.  Many are listed in the “watch” group at the moment awaiting Committee hearings or amendments.

In addition to the bills listed above FLC is monitoring in conjunction with CFA proposed bills in the following areas:

• Firefighters/Emergency Response: AB 270, AB 294, AB 591, AB 1075, AB 1309, AB 1395, SB 223, SB 234, SB 514, and SB 581.
• Fire Mapping/Planning: AB 261, AB 300, AB 1455, and SB 326.
• Proposition 4 Funding: AB 307, AB 372, and SB 90.
• Wildlife/Parks/30x30 Implementation: AB 43, AB 454, AB 679, AB 846, AB 900, and AB 902.
• Water: AB 263, AB 362, AB 430, and AB 794.

You can find any bill’s text at the following link:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/home.xhtml

Governor’s Press Release to Fast-Track Wildfire Projects
FLC’s Joe Smailes (President) and Larry Camp (Legislative Committee Co-Chair) were requested to submit a short statement that was included in the recent Governor’s Press Release.
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/03/06/what-theyre-saying-governor-newsoms-state-of-emergency-to-fast-track-wildfire-prevention-projects

Current Year

Legislative Archives

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Appellate Decision on WFMP Case

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Good News -- Exemptions and NTMPs

CAL FIRE has reversed its policy change regarding the acceptance of exemptions for NTMPs. Please refer to the link below to view the letter from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Ken Pimlott) to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Keith Gilless).

Should you have any questions, please send an email to the FLC Legislative Committee at legchair@forestlandowners.org.
 
Letter and Supporting Content from CAL FIRE to Board of Forestry

Download Letter

Legislative Committee Assignments

• Assembly Committees Webpage
• Senate Committees Webpage

Public Policy Institute of California

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) issued a report in mid-September on the status of forest health in the Headwaters Forests. On September 20, there was a panel debriefing on the report. Click on the links below to download the documents.

• PPIC Forest Health Report (Sept 2017)
• PPIC Forest Health Panel Debrief (Sept 2017)

If you are interested in wathcing the panel debrief, the video is posted on the PPIC's website:

Agency and Advocacy Letters

• FLC Letter - USFWS - NSO TA