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<br />Legislative
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<br />Action
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<br />levels of each reporting fire department with
<br />the standard found in NFPA 1710, the Standard
<br />for the Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations,
<br />Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Opera-
<br />tions to the Public by Career Fire Departments, a
<br />voluntary standard produced by the National Fire
<br />Protection Association.
<br />
<br />While the League agrees it is important for local
<br />governments to develop performance objectives,
<br />benchmarks and evaluations, the League is
<br />opposed to the comparison of fire department
<br />data to the controversial NFPA 1710 standard,
<br />which is opposed by most local jurisdictions in
<br />California. Staff: Liisa Lawson Stark; Status:
<br />Assembly Appropriations Hrg. 4/20, Position:
<br />Oppose.
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<br />AB 1295 (Bermudez). Fireworks. Sale.
<br />Disposal. AB 1295 seeks to expand the sale of
<br />fireworks for one week each year pursuant to a
<br />license issued by the State Fire Marshal, if autho-
<br />rized oy a city or county. Additionally, AB 1295
<br />establishes the State Fire Marshal Dangerous
<br />Fireworks Management Fund for the purpose of
<br />covering the disposal costs associated with any
<br />fireworks seized.
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<br />The League agrees that a reliable revenue
<br />source for enforcement and disposal of fireworks is
<br />needed. However, extending the sale of fireworks
<br />for one week a year is a public safety concern for
<br />cities throughout California. Amending the bill to
<br />remove the extended sale of fireworks would ensure
<br />that the State Fire Marshal Dangerous Fireworks
<br />Management Fund is established without resulting in
<br />significant impacts to local governments.
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<br />Specifically, the League suggests amending
<br />this bill to remove Section 1, which adds Sec-
<br />tion 12599.5 to the Health and Safety Code, to
<br />provide for the sale of fireworks from 9 a.m. on
<br />December 26, of a year within 2006 to 2011, until
<br />midnight of January 1 of the following year.
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<br />Many city officials report that the sale of safe
<br />and sane fireworks also brings an influx of illegal
<br />fireworks into their communities. Additionally, fire-
<br />works sold in one city are likely to adversely affect a
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<br />neighboring city, as fireworks purchasers are not
<br />limited by jurisdictional boundaries. There is no
<br />guara~ntee that fireworks will remain in the jurisdic-
<br />tion in which they were purchased.
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<br />In addition to the impact on community safety,
<br />this bill will have a costly impact on public safety
<br />operations. Fire departments and law enforce-
<br />ment agencies will need to increase staffing during
<br />this period in order to prepare for the inevitable
<br />increase in calls that result from the use of fire-
<br />works. This will result in additional personnel for
<br />patrols, inspections, attempts at enforcement and
<br />therefore, increased overtime costs, during an
<br />already very busy time of year for public safety
<br />agencies. Staff: Liisa Lawson Stark; Status:
<br />Assembly Governmental Organization, Hrg. 4/20,
<br />Position: Oppose Unless Amended.
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<br />WANT TO SEND A LETTER IN SUPPORT
<br />OF A LEAGUE POSITION?
<br />HERE'S WHO TO CALL:
<br />
<br />ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS (18}-Chu
<br />(Chair), Runner (Vice Chair), Bass, Berg,
<br />Calderon, Emmerson, Gordon, Haynes, Karnette,
<br />Klehs, Leno, Nakanishi, Nation, Oropeza, Ridley-
<br />Thomas, Saldaña, Walters, and Yee. Room 2114.
<br />Phone: 319-2081.
<br />
<br />ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZA-
<br />TION (15)-J. Horton (Chair), Plescia (Vice Chair),
<br />Aghazarian, Bermúdez, Calderon, Chavez, Coto,
<br />Garcia, La Suer, Levine, Liu, Mountjoy, Negrete
<br />McLeod, Torrico, and Yee. 1020 N Street, Room
<br />156. Phone: 319-2531.
<br />
<br />AsSEML Y LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (8)-
<br />Koretz (Chair), Nakanishi (Vice Chair), Chan, Chu,
<br />Houston, Klehs, Laird, and Lena. 1020 N Street,
<br />Room 155. Phone: 319-2091.
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<br />PAGE 6/PRIORITY FOCUS
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<br />Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www .cacities.org
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