Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:24:58.320><c> firefighters</c> windows, Kucky's wildland firefighters windows, Kucky's wildland
• > a</c><01:29:41.360><c> real</c> wildland firefighters, we have a real wildland firefighters, we have
• Western</c> wildland firefighters from Western wildland firefighters from Western Kentucky<01:39:27.679
• </c><01:48:23.760><c> firefighting</c> Well, in in the wildland firefighting Well, in in the wildland
• </c> wildland firefighting. wildland firefighting.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're obviously doing training for urban and wildland firefighting.
• firefighters for the U.S.
• Our lead instructor, Chief Dave Updike, brings exceptional credentials: 31 years of wildland firefighting
• experience, 20 years teaching... ...years of wildland firefighting experience, 20 years teaching wildland
• Thank you for everything you do in the firefighting technology and firefighting academies to really keep

Summary: The hearing opened the Select Committee on Effective Postsecondary Career, Technical Education, and Workforce Development Programs at Santa Ana College, with Assemblymember Mike Fong emphasizing the need for affordable, accelerated pathways into high-demand careers and noting his bill AB 1098 creating the California Interagency Education Council. Chancellor Marvin Martinez welcomed the committee and urged changes to AB 927 to remove the “duplication” barrier for community college bachelor’s degrees, arguing that applied baccalaureate programs can lead to high-wage jobs and expand access for low- and middle-income students. The first panel focused on statewide workforce trends and policy. California Community Colleges Vice Chancellor Anthony Cordova highlighted credit for prior learning, Strong Workforce funding, dual enrollment, and apprenticeship growth, asking the Legislature to restore and increase Strong Workforce funding and expand applied baccalaureate degrees. LAEDC’s Josep Bilayo described regional labor market data showing growth in health care, education, construction, bioscience, and clean energy, while stressing the need for employer-led, data-driven programs, wraparound supports, and flexible funding. Andrew Gonzalez of the Building and Construction Trades Council argued that registered apprenticeship must be paid, combine classroom and on-the-job training, and end in a portable credential; he also promoted apprenticeship readiness programs, community workforce agreements, and stronger exposure to trades starting in K-12. Eric Morrison Smith of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color discussed the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and related youth apprenticeship recommendations, including bridge programs, intermediary infrastructure, reduced employer barriers, and better coordination of state funding. A later panel highlighted Santa Ana College’s fire technology and firefighting academy programs. President Annabelle Neri and Vice President Jeffrey Lamb said the college is one of the state’s largest fire training providers, with strong partnerships with local fire agencies, law enforcement, and the U.S. Forest Service, and with high job placement and six-figure starting salaries for some graduates. They also described related certificates, advanced officer training, wellness services, and workforce preparation such as mock interviews and sponsorships. Throughout the hearing, members and panelists repeatedly stressed the importance of aligning education with labor market demand, expanding apprenticeships and work-based learning, and using regional collaboration to connect students to living-wage careers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Risk for cancer, especially in our firefighters.
• And the AFFF has high levels of PFAS in it, and it creates a significant risk for our firefighters.
• Creates a significant risk for our firefighters.
• And also in emergency firefighting situations where PFAS foam alternatives are unavailable.
• And our firefighters are the ones who are directly exposed to it.

Bills: S0698, S0958, S1066, S1230, S1288

Keywords: onsite sewage treatment, disposal systems, building permits, environmental regulation, local government authority, drinking straws, stirrers, local regulation, compostable, environmental impact, Ocklawaha River, St. Johns River, Silver Springs, river restoration, dam removal, Kirkpatrick Dam, Buckman Lock, Cross Florida Barge Canal, environmental restoration, springs protection

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources heard and advanced several bills. SB 958, by Senator Bradley, would require local straw and stirrer ordinances to allow renewable, certified compostable, marine-biodegradable products; supporters said it would reduce reliance on paper straws that may contain PFAS and create more uniform standards. The bill was reported favorably after brief supportive testimony and no opposition. The committee also approved SB 1066, by Senator Broder, a major Ocklawaha/Rodman Dam restoration proposal. The bill would direct DEP to implement a phased restoration plan, create an advisory council with local and military representation, fund recreation and economic development projects, and address safety concerns tied to the dam’s age and high-hazard status. Supporters from conservation groups, river advocates, and some local residents praised the restoration and planning framework, while several Putnam County officials opposed the bill, arguing the reservoir supports recreation, water supply, and local interests. The committee adopted a late-filed amendment adding a Naval Air Station Jacksonville representative to the advisory council, then reported the committee substitute favorably. SB 698, by Senator Martin, was also reported favorably. It would let builders proceed with local building permits while septic permits are pending, rather than waiting for sequential approval, and includes a 120-day glide path related to new DEP rules; builders supported the bill as a way to reduce delays, while some senators questioned whether the transition period was too long. The committee then approved CS/SB 1230, by Senator Harrell, which phases out PFAS-containing firefighting foam, restricts non-emergency training use, requires inventory and disposal reporting, creates DEP rulemaking and a grant program, and exempts certain federal, military, and emergency uses. Finally, the committee favorably reported CS/SB 1288, also by Senator Harrell, to designate a water body in the Jupiter Narrows area in honor of Andrew Red Harris, with a technical amendment clarifying the shoal designation. Several members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on selected bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we're not just looking at wildlands; we're looking at homes.
• I'm an ex-firefighter. I'm an ex-firefighter. Joe McAarowski, Sebastian Pole.
• I'm an ex-firefighter. I'm an ex-board director, Rancho Adobe Fire.
• I've had a lot of experience with wildland fire.
• I do have a question about PFAS and their use in firefighting foam.

Summary: The hearing focused on lessons from the 2017 Tubbs Fire and how Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and local partners have changed wildfire prevention, recovery, and rebuilding practices since then. Assemblymembers emphasized that the region has become a model for the state, with a shift from suppression to prevention, and panelists described improvements in defensible space, home hardening, vegetation management, alerting, and community coordination. The discussion also highlighted the continuing importance of sharing Sonoma County’s experience with other wildfire-impacted communities across California and beyond. Fire officials and local leaders described specific prevention measures now in place, including Santa Rosa’s vegetation management ordinance, ignition-free/Zone Zero requirements in rebuilding, restrictions on certain mulches, removal of dead and dying trees near roads and defensible space zones, and expanded prescribed burning authority. They also stressed the importance of community organization through block captains, Firewise/COPE-style networks, and the Mark West Area Community Fund. Speakers said these networks helped residents navigate recovery, avoid fraud and bad contractors, coordinate with local agencies, and support neighbors, but they argued that such efforts need more formal structure and stable funding. Water and permitting officials discussed how the fires changed their work. Santa Rosa Water described new regional coordination, generator and backup power upgrades, emergency training, and lessons learned about wildfire-related contamination in water systems, including the need to restore pressure, flush, and test quickly after a fire. Permit Sonoma said rebuilding was balanced by streamlining permits while still requiring safer, more resilient construction, and noted that reduced fees and one-stop permitting helped speed recovery. United Policyholders described helping residents maximize insurance proceeds, organize information, and avoid scams, while warning that insurance availability and affordability remain major barriers and that insurers are increasingly rewarding risk-reduction measures. Across the panels, the main policy requests were for faster and more flexible grant processes, more stable long-term funding for prevention and community programs, stronger support for home hardening and defensible space, better training and tools for local governments and legislative staff, and continued attention to insurance and utility-related resilience. No formal votes or actions were taken in the transcript excerpt; the hearing was informational and ended with a transition toward public comment and further discussion of remaining statewide wildfire policy needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> wildland firefighters. wildland firefighters. um<00:31:44.399><c> they</c><00:31:44.799><c> tend
• </c> qualified wildland firefighters. qualified wildland firefighters.
• </c> the full-time wildland firefighter the full-time wildland firefighter employees<00:32:27.919><c>
• </c><00:32:47.039><c> firefighters</c> six month seasonal wildland firefighters six month seasonal wildland
• for their wildland firefighters, and also the appropriation will fund wildland firefighters working

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• firefighter health and safety.
• Senate Joint Memorial 8015 is about recent federal orders to consolidate federal wildland firefighting
• And honestly, we've all done a lot of work in this space, in the wildland firefighter space, and forest
• firefighter space, and forest health, natural resource management.
• Our members rely on other firefighters from other agencies. They tell me this all the time.

Bills: SB5919, SB5816, SJM8015, HB2737

Keywords: fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, federal response, wildfire protection, community safety, infrastructure, natural resources, commercial shellfish, shellfish fees, Department of Health, biotoxin testing, export certificate

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard several public hearings on bills and a joint memorial. SB 5838 would add tribal representation to the Board of Natural Resources; the staff explained the bill would add two tribal members, one from each side of the Cascades, and the sponsor said it would strengthen stewardship and partnership without changing government-to-government consultation. Tribal leaders from the Colville, Yakama, and Quinault nations and DNR supported the bill, while county representatives and a policy group raised concerns about fiduciary duties to trust beneficiaries, lack of consultation with counties, and possible changes to board decision-making. Public testimony on the bill was mixed, with the sign-in record showing more support than opposition. SB 5816 would add juice grapes to the state Agricultural Marketing and Fair Practices Act, allowing juice grape producers to use the same negotiated marketing framework already available to pear, sweet corn, and potato growers. The sponsor said the bill would help juice grape growers get fairer prices from processors, and there was little discussion beyond that. SJM 8015 urged Congress to ensure federal wildfire response agencies have enough capacity to protect communities, watersheds, and firefighter safety during the federal consolidation of wildland fire programs. The sponsor and multiple testifiers from conservation, industry, labor, and fire-related groups supported the memorial, emphasizing wildfire risk, smoke impacts, and the need for strong federal-state coordination. The committee also heard HB 2737, which would cap shellfish regulatory fees, exempt the program from full fee-supported status, and make the caps retroactive. The sponsor and shellfish growers said Department of Health fee increases were too steep and could force small businesses out, while DOH explained it was required to move toward full cost recovery absent legislative general-fund support and that the program’s public-health role justified the fees. The agency said it had reopened rulemaking to reconsider fee categories, and growers described large projected increases that would threaten family businesses. The chair noted HB 2737 could not advance because policy cutoff had passed, but the hearing was held for public discussion. The committee also briefly heard SB 5919, which would encourage voluntary wildfire-mitigation incentives between fire districts and insurers; the sponsor said it would help rural landowners and fire districts work together, and the bill was described as optional and additive. No votes were taken on the bills in this transcript, and the chair announced the committee would adjourn after reminding members to work on possible amendments before the executive session next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did not include it, but now we've seen other people... ...in our local wildland urban interface.
• Case in point, the proposed El Noka housing development in Santa Rosa’s wildland-urban interface would
• build 275 more houses in an undeveloped 69-acre wildland immediately adjacent to Oakmont Village and
• build 275 more houses in an undeveloped 69-acre wildland immediately adjacent to Oakmont Village and
• And I'm wondering if the state is making any movement toward mandating PFAS-free firefighting foam.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is where homes and development meet wildland or open vegetation.
• Our firefighters focused on responding from one emergency to the next.
• That's what we know physically is in the wildland-urban interface.
• Firefighters and firefighter culture are thick, and I want that culture to be maintained.
• We need more patches of black on the landscape in the wildlands.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Bills: SCR8, SCR40, SCR83, SCR179, SCR90, SCR94, SCR159, SCR165, SCR177

Keywords: building permits, seniors, health care, disability, safety modifications, county regulations, expedited processing, environment, pollution, tourism, disposable bodyboards, polystyrene, marine ecosystems, lithium-ion batteries, environmental safety, recycling, public safety, waste management, Honolulu, Maui County

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions related to water, coastal management, and permitting. Early measures included SCR 8 on faster county action for certain home-modification permits for older adults and people with disabilities, SCR 40 on banning disposable body boards, SCR 83 on creating a lithium-ion battery disposal facility, SCR 179 on enforcing Maui fire-code provisions for brush clearance and emergency access, and SCR 90 on kupuna-friendly permit requirements. No testifiers were present for those measures, and the chair moved through them without taking votes in the portion provided. The most extensive discussion was on SCR 94, endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, and SCR 159, urging shared guiding principles for restoring and maintaining Waikiki’s beaches and shoreline. University of Hawaii testimony said the surfing-reserve designation would bring recognition, could help attract grants, and would require a stewardship committee and management plan, but would not itself block beach nourishment or shoreline restoration. Members asked about possible effects on dredging, beach nourishment, and shoreline structures; the witness said impacts on surfing were not expected to be immediate or significant. For SCR 159, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the resolution but requested clarifying amendments to broaden references to law, stakeholder collaboration, and coastal science expertise. The Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association also supported the measure, emphasizing coordinated maintenance, public access, and the economic importance of Waikiki beaches, while noting that existing legal agreements and court decisions should be reflected in the resolution. The discussion also covered whether the state and private owners share repair and maintenance obligations for Waikiki seawalls; testimony said existing agreements remain relevant but must yield to current law. The committee also heard SCR 165 designating March as Water Month, with support from the Board of Water Supply and others, and SCR 177 requesting DAGS to convene a cooperative working group on state projects needing county permits. Mary Alice Evans said the latter would help expedite permitting, especially for housing and other state projects, and would complement efforts to standardize county permitting processes. No final votes or dispositions were announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm vice president of Tacoma Professional Firefighters Local 31.
• I was a Tacoma firefighter for 36 years.
• I'm the president of the Washington State Council of Firefighters.
• I've worked in the wildland fire arena in eastern Washington for 40 years.
• I've worked in the wildland fire arena in eastern Washington for 40 years.

Bills: HB1069, HB2091, SB6355, HB2104, SB6003, HB2441, HB2124, HB2610, HB2338

Keywords: collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, electric transmission, energy policies, infrastructure, regulatory framework, transmission systems, aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• firefighters are not part of the LEOFF pension system.
• And given the work that they do and putting their lives on the line, we'd like to see wildland firefighters
• I don't know if you knew this, but wildland firefighters are not part of the left fiscal impact.
• I don't know if you knew this, but wildland firefighters are not part of the left pension system.
• And given the work that they do and putting their lives on the line, we'd like to see wildland firefighters

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session with an update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Commissioner Dave Upthe Grove outlined DNR’s size and scope, previewed agency-request legislation, and emphasized budget priorities. He said DNR will seek authority to sell ecosystem service credits, better use underutilized water rights with tribal consultation, add a tribal representative to the State Board of Natural Resources, make minor timber-sales efficiencies, and include wildland firefighters in the LEOFF pension system. He also urged restoration of wildfire prevention and preparedness funding, warning that reduced funding would mean fewer firefighters, less forest health work, and less support for rural fire districts. He noted DNR’s wildfire suppression costs are rising and argued prevention spending can reduce larger, more expensive fires. State Forester George Geisler followed with a detailed wildfire season review. He said Washington now responds to fires year-round and also assists other states, including Texas. He described DNR’s use of 31 aircraft, 691 firefighters, and corrections-based crews, and said the agency’s success rate for keeping fires under 10 acres improved slightly from 93.7% to 94.1%. He highlighted increased arson activity, especially around Spokane, and described the Crescent Road Fire as an example of early detection, rapid response, and the use of bulldozers, aircraft, and hand crews to contain a fire to 182 acres with no structure losses. Senator Saldan praised the emphasis on prevention and the use of bulldozers as cost-effective tools. Assistant deputy supervisor Dwayne Emmons then reviewed the trust land transfer program, which was codified in statute in 2023 after being funded through the capital budget for decades. He said more than 130,000 acres of underperforming trust land have been transferred since the 1990s to other public or tribal entities for more appropriate use, while DNR acquires replacement lands to keep the trust whole. He described the current application and ranking process, including tribal input, and said DNR is requesting funding for remaining parcels from the last round, including portions of Tract C, Babcock Bench, and Middle Fork Snoqualmie. In questions, Senator Wagoner raised concerns about DNR’s decision to remove some acres from timber harvest rotation and its impact on local revenue and mills; the commissioner responded that current five-year harvest plans provide short-term stability and that any changes would be explored through the Board of Natural Resources process, not through immediate reductions in supply. The committee then received a history briefing from staff member Jeff Olson on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and agency structure. He traced the evolution from early fish and game commissioners to the current commission-appointed director model adopted by voter-approved Referendum 45 in 1995. Olson explained the commission’s statutory duties, membership requirements, and how Washington compares with other states. Chair Chapman said he had no plans to hear a bill this session changing the commission’s makeup, but he expressed personal interest in exploring reforms, accountability, and possibly a future broader coalition or referendum process. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only, and the chair adjourned the session with holiday and New Year’s wishes.

Transcript Highlights:

• is where the homes and development meet wildland or open vegetation.
• That’s what we know physically is in the wildland-urban interface.
• Firefighters and firefighter culture are thick, and I want that culture to be maintained.
• Firefighters and firefighter culture are thick and I want that culture to be maintained.
• We need more patches of black on the landscape and the wildlands.

Summary: The joint Senate hearing focused on California wildfire resilience funding, the SB 254 report on natural catastrophe resilience, and how the state should better prioritize community hardening, recovery, and financing. Senators emphasized that catastrophic wildfires have driven major property losses, insurance cancellations, and affordability problems, and several members argued that prevention and home/community hardening should receive far more attention than they have to date. Members also raised concerns about CEQA and other permitting delays, the need for ongoing rather than one-time funding, and whether the state should rely more on the General Fund, utilities, or other sources such as polluter-pays approaches. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the state has appropriated about $4.7 billion for wildfire resilience since 2018-19, with most funding going to forest health, fuels reduction, and related landscape work, while only about $65 million has been specifically targeted to community hardening. LAO also noted that future one-time funding is likely to decline, that GGRF revenues may be limited under the new cap-and-invest structure, and that maintenance costs for treated areas could be substantial over time. Senators pressed LAO on why wildfire resilience is not more often funded through the General Fund and on whether current spending matches the scale of the risk. Cal Fire’s State Fire Marshal described the state’s community wildfire preparedness strategy, centered on home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation, and said the SB 254 report aligns with Cal Fire’s direction. He said California has roughly 4 million homes in the wildland-urban interface, most built before modern wildfire-resistant standards, and highlighted recent streamlining that approved 383 fuels-reduction projects in under 30 days during an emergency proclamation. Cal OES described the AB 38 pilot and FEMA hazard mitigation work, saying federal approval delays have been a major barrier and that the state has hardened 155 properties so far through the pilot, with many more in process. The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force said the state has coordinated more than $6 billion in state and federal investments, treated over 700,000 acres annually, and is shifting toward more regional, data-driven planning and block grants. Task force staff and Cal Fire both said they are moving beyond simple acreage metrics toward models that estimate avoided loss and community risk reduction, but acknowledged major data gaps on parcel-level home hardening and defensible space. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members discussing possible future legislation and budget changes, including home inspection reforms and continued CEQA streamlining.

Transcript Highlights:

• The mission of the Forest Service is to protect Florida and its people from the dangers of wildland fire
• The Florida Forest Service firefighters are highly trained experts that respond.
• Our firefighters are some of the best in the country.
• And we use it to support our firefighters, really for firefighter safety, because it's eyes in the sky
• Do we have any firefighters or equipment that's on loan to other states?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture received a presentation from Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan on the agency’s wildfire response, forest management, and emergency support roles. He described the service’s four regions and 14 districts, its year-round wildfire response, use of bulldozers, helicopters, and drones, and the current high fire danger due to drought conditions. Dolan also highlighted prescribed burning, fuels mitigation, state forest management, the pine seedling nursery, and the agency’s role in hurricane response and incident management. Members asked about equipment loans and whether more prescribed burning could reduce wildfire impacts; Dolan said Florida already leads the nation in prescribed fire and emphasized public education and fuels reduction. The committee then considered and unanimously reported favorably Senate Bill 386, which creates a farm-equipment consumer protection process similar to a lemon law, allowing purchasers to seek repair or replacement of defective major farm equipment at no cost. The committee also took up Senate Bill 290, the Agriculture and Consumer Services omnibus bill. The bill would modernize fair association rules, preempt local bans on gas- and diesel-powered farm and landscape equipment, allow surplus of certain state-owned lands for bona fide agricultural use while excluding parks, forests, and wildlife lands, create a veterinary loan repayment program, make Farmers Feeding Florida permanent, expand Forest Service training opportunities, criminalize signal-jamming devices, increase penalties for CDL and English-proficiency exam cheating, restrict certain door-to-door solicitation, protect food safety inspectors, clarify biosolids rules, and add criminal and vendor-list penalties for contractors who fail to pay subcontractors. The committee adopted three amendments to align dates and technical language and to authorize native seed research and marketing through the Florida Wildlife Foundation. Testimony on SB 290 included support from several industry groups, concerns from the Home Builders Association about the new contractor-payment criminal penalties, and opposition from a citizen worried about the new surplus-land process for conservation lands. Despite concerns, CS/SB 290 was reported favorably. Finally, the committee unanimously recommended confirmation of the appointees listed on tabs 4 and 5, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• firefighter employees to enroll in the Wyoming National Guard Firefighter Retirement Plan.
• Full-time and temporary wildland firefighter employees to enroll in the Wyoming National Guard Firefighter
• firefighters.
• What this will do is basically the appropriation will allow for wildland firefighters to go on paid leave
• consistent with federal standards for wildland firefighters, as well as providing hazardous when we're

Bills: SF0052

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to provide this committee with a wildland fire update.
• Wyoming's local and federal firefighters have been very successful keeping...
• We had 18 participants complete wildland fire and chainsaw training in early June.
• The Gannett Peak Wildland Fire Module in Lander and the Pronghorn Wildland Fire Module in Douglas have
• Hired and onboarded their seasonal firefighters.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:43.360><c> So</c><00:16:43.600><c> you'll</c><00:16:43.839><c> see</c> wildland firefighters
• So you'll see wildland firefighters.
• This last year, appropriations had the opportunity to look into firefighting and wildland firefighting
• wildland crews, the wildland<01:00:20.880><c> firefighting</c><01:00:21.599><c> crews,</c><01:00:22.400
• ><c> uh</c><01:00:22.559><c> when</c> wildland firefighting crews, uh when wildland firefighting crews

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our firefighters go out. We buy the equipment and go up and serve.
• So that in itself is beneficial to our community members and to us as firefighters.
• This year we have a county wildland drill, probably one of the best drills in the state.
• We bring the firefighters from all over the county and we go through training exercises.
• This year we have a county wildland drill, probably one of the best drills in the state.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs met on Barona tribal land to examine rising homeowners insurance costs affecting tribal communities, with opening remarks from tribal leaders and Assembly members emphasizing tribal sovereignty, the history of forced settlement in high-risk areas, and the need for the state to recognize mitigation work already being done on tribal lands. The committee heard that wildfire, drought, and other climate-driven disasters have sharply increased insurance premiums and reduced coverage options, especially for tribes located in rural or mountainous areas that were not chosen by the tribes themselves. Cal Fire Deputy Director Frank Bigelow described the state’s wildfire response and tribal engagement efforts, including tribal liaisons on incident management teams, a Southern Region Tribal Affairs Deputy Chief, cultural burning agreements, and more than $30 million in tribal wildfire resilience grants over the last three years. Members questioned why tribal communities receive only a small share of grants, whether Cal Fire should do more outreach and budget proposals for tribes, and whether mitigation work is being recognized by insurers. Bigelow said Cal Fire is working with insurers and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety on mitigation standards, but acknowledged that more tribal outreach and participation are needed. Tribal chairpersons and fire chiefs testified that their communities are already investing heavily in fire protection through dedicated fire departments, fuel reduction, defensible space, prescribed burns, firebreaks, and home-hardening efforts, yet premiums remain high or coverage is denied. Barona leaders said premiums can range from $6,000 to $18,000 and urged insurers to assess properties individually rather than by broad high-risk zones. Soboba, Hamu, and Pechanga representatives described similar efforts and said grant rules, environmental review, and insurer practices can make it difficult to translate mitigation into lower rates. Several members suggested short-term state assistance or a tribal insurance mitigation fund, and the committee discussed the possibility of requiring insurers to better account for tribal mitigation and sovereignty in risk assessments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our firefighters go out. We buy the equipment and go out and serve.
• This year we have a county wildland drill, probably one of the best drills in the state.
• We bring the firefighters from all over the county and we go through training exercises.
• This year we have a county wildland drill, probably one of the best drills in the state.
• We bring the firefighters from all over the county and we go through training exercises.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• itself we we experience in firefighting itself we we do<02:00:44.159><c> maintain</c><02:00:44.719><
• </c><02:00:58.520><c> capability</c> little bit of firefighting capability little bit of firefighting
• </c><02:01:11.280><c> fire</c><02:01:11.800><c> of</c> recent events the Maui Wildland fire of recent
• </c><02:05:13.159><c> Urban</c> discussing using a Wildland Urban discussing using a Wildland Urban interface
• </c> all of the Lina was in the Wildland all of the Lina was in the Wildland Urban<02:20:29.439><c> interface

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee held its first hearing of the 2025 session and began with housekeeping on testimony deadlines, hybrid participation rules, time management, and expectations for civility. The chair said testimony posted at least 24 hours in advance would be available to members and the public at the same time, late testimony would still be processed, and decision-making would generally be deferred to later in the day so morning hearings could adjourn before the noon floor session. The first bill heard was HB 673 on emergency management. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency administrator James Barros testified in opposition, saying the bill could undermine the executive’s unity of command during emergencies and objecting to provisions allowing the legislature to terminate a state of emergency by a two-thirds vote. Members asked about the difference between an emergency order and a state of emergency, whether other states use legislative checks and balances, and whether long-running emergencies such as COVID-19 or homelessness should have clearer end conditions. Barros said the agency, along with the Attorney General’s office and the governor’s office, would review the language and that the issue is setting conditions for when an emergency ends. The committee then heard HB 596, also on emergency management, which would clarify types of events that count as dangers and emergencies. Barros opposed the bill, saying the current list covers known hazards but should remain open-ended for future threats; he cited COVID-19 as an example of an unforeseen event and said the bill could limit flexibility. Members asked whether the list could be expanded, and Barros said the agency would look at that possibility. Testimony included support from the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii and concerns from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii about the bill’s special fund provisions; the committee also corrected testimony that had been submitted for the wrong bill. The final measure discussed was HB 1060 on emergency preparedness and the Community Readiness Center Program. Barros explained the proposal as part of HEMA’s effort to build local readiness centers and community hubs, with an initial target of 10 communities through a federal grant and a longer-term concept of roughly 100 statewide. The Climate Advisory Team supported the bill’s intent but urged that centers be developed with strong community and nonprofit involvement through the HARRP program. The Department of Taxation offered comments on the special fund, and members raised questions about cost, size, use of existing school facilities, public messaging, and equity across communities. Barros said the centers would provide backup communications, power, water, and food for a community group, would not function as general shelters, and would be designed to help communities hunker down and recover after a disaster.

Transcript Highlights:

• The CCC-Cal Fire Partnership has produced more than 1,000 professional firefighters since 2018.
• Wildland Fire Service, as well as a director from the U.S. Forest Service.
• And we reimburse for six wildland engines, two full hand crews, and one dozer.
• And we reimburse for six wildland engines, two full hand crews, and one dozer.
• to transitioning to a fire captain, a fire apparatus engineer, and a firefighter.

Keywords: 987, senate, all