Overview

• Assembly Bill 1309 would have required CAL FIRE to keep rank-and-file pay within 15% of the average for comparable ranks at 20 local departments and to complete a fire chiefs' salary survey by Jan. 1, 2027.
• A State Assembly analysis estimated first-year costs between $373 million and $609 million if the pay floor took effect.
• The measure passed with near-unanimous support, including a unanimous state Senate vote and only one 'no' vote in the Assembly.
• CAL FIRE union leaders criticized the veto as a setback for recruitment and morale, noting it came just before a ceremony honoring six fallen firefighters.
• A 2023 CalHR report found a large base-pay gap that narrowed to an average 16.7% when total compensation was counted, with state firefighters scheduled for more workdays than local peers as the administration continues a recruitment push.