CPF

The Governor signed legislation to boost California's wildfire prevention and firefighting capabilities, including measures that update existing fuel management laws, promote healthier forests and make it easier to access firefighting equipment and private donations.

The emergency medical services will see reforms and the creation of a statewide EMT registry, thanks to CPF-sponsored landmark legislation, which was signed this week by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

California’s longest budget stalemate in history came to an end yesterday, when the Legislature approved a state spending plan in the early hours of the morning and sent it to the Governor.

For the first time ever, the second year of the regular two-year legislative session recessed August 31st with the passage of roughly 1,000 bills … the 2008-09 State Budget bill, however, was not one of those bills. As of this writing, California faces the 67th day in what has turned out to be the longest state budget impasse in our state’s history.

Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D - Los Angeles), has introduced CPF-sponsored resolution, SCR 130, which designates Saturday, October 18th, as the 2008 California Fire Fighters Memorial Day, giving Californians the opportunity to honor the sacrifice of those firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty this year and in years past. 

Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D - Los Angeles) introduced CPF-sponsored legislation, SB 997, that would implement certain key reforms in the emergency medical services field, specifically relating to emergency medical technicians (EMT's).

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber (D - Mountain View) has introduced CPF-supported legislation, AB 419, which would repeal Labor Code Section 4850 and give disability safeguards to firefighters who are currently exempted from these programs. 

Assemblywoman Karen Bass (D - Los Angeles) has introduced CPF-sponsored legislation that would add Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to the list of existing disputable presumptions that are afforded to public safety personnel for workers' compensation purposes.  Specifically, AB 2754, clarifies that when a firefighter or other specified public safety officer contracts MRSA it is presumed to have been contracted in the course of his or her employment or service. 

SB 1338 is now on its way to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.Senator Carole Midgen (D - San Francisco) has introduced CPF co-sponsored legislation to maintain the right of some injured workers, including firefighters, to predesignate their treating physicians and see their own doctors if they get injured on the job. This legislation, SB 1338, would eliminate the current 2009 date on which the right to predesignated is scheduled to sunset.