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AB-2344 Fire prevention: grant programs: reporting.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 02/12/2024 09:00 PM
AB2344:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2344

Introduced by Assembly Member Petrie-Norris

February 12, 2024

An act to add Section 4772 to the Public Resources Code, relating to fire prevention.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2344, as introduced, Petrie-Norris. Fire prevention: grant programs: reporting.
Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the state’s “Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan” issued by the task force in January 2021. Existing law requires the task force to submit, as part of the implementation strategy, a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the state’s action plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions, as provided.
This bill would require the task force, on or before July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, to compile and post on its internet website specified information regarding identified state and federal grant programs relating to fire prevention and resilience, as provided.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Wildfires have been increasing in frequency and severity in California, resulting in loss of life and damage to public health, property, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
(b) More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately one in four residential structures in California, are located within or in wildfire movement proximity of “high” or “very high” fire hazard severity zones identified on maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(c) In response to longer and more intense wildfire seasons, the State of California has developed a comprehensive approach to wildfire-related disaster preparedness, mitigation, and resilience. The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan lays out a detailed framework and associated implementation strategy and expenditure plan for establishing healthy and resilient forests and communities that can withstand and adapt to wildfire, drought, and climate change.
(d) The state has invested nearly $3,000,000,000 since the 2019 Budget Act into programs and projects to improve forest health and resilience, create fuel breaks, harden homes and communities, and build resilient lifeline infrastructure to withstand wildfire disasters when they do occur.
(e) The State of California administers multiple state and federal wildfire and forest resilience grant programs with the goal of preventing catastrophic wildfire.
(f) Reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire requires immense coordination between all levels of government, communities, and stakeholders as well as information and data sharing to maximize and leverage the whole of the multipronged wildfire and forest resilience response.

SEC. 2.

 Section 4772 is added to the Public Resources Code, immediately following Section 4771, to read:

4772.
 (a) For purposes of this section, “program” means any of the following programs:
(1) The forestry assistance program established pursuant to Section 4792.
(2) The comprehensive wildfire mitigation program established pursuant to Section 8654.4 of the Government Code.
(3) The local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities established pursuant to Section 4124.5.
(4) The department’s grant programs not otherwise identified in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, including, but not limited to, those grant programs related to wildfire prevention, forest health, forest legacy, urban and community forestry, forest health research, forest improvement, wildfire resilience, workforce and business development, and volunteer fire capacity.
(5) The federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program.
(6) The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
(7) The federal Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.
(8) The federal Community Wildfire Defense Grant program.
(9) Any other relevant publicly funded grant program administered in California to benefit forest health and resilience, harden homes and communities, or prevent and mitigate wildfires, if information on the program is readily available.
(b) On or before July 1, 2025, and every July 1 thereafter, the task force shall compile and post on its internet website all of the following information for each program, for each fiscal year in which the Legislature appropriated program funding or program projects occurred in the state, as applicable:
(1) The amount of funding allocated from the program.
(2) The list of recipients and subrecipients that received an allocation from the program, including the location of the project.
(3) The amount of funding that has been encumbered by each recipient.
(4) A brief description of the project, including the location, current status, and the proposed schedule for the project’s completion.
(5) A brief description of the anticipated benefits of the project, which may include benefits for fire prevention and mitigation, habitat, forest resiliency, climate resiliency, public safety, or protection of important natural resources, including water quality and water supply.