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<ns0:Id>20250SB__091198AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-26</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-10</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Becker</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Becker</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 1102.19 of the Civil Code, relating to fire safety. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>fire safety</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Transfer of real property: fire hazard severity zones: compliance documentation.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law requires a seller of a real property that is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to provide to the buyer documentation stating that the property is in compliance with specified fire safety requirements or local vegetation management ordinances. If the seller of a real property as described above has not obtained that documentation of compliance, existing law requires the seller and the buyer to enter into a written agreement pursuant to which the buyer agrees to obtain documentation of compliance with those specified fire safety requirements or local vegetation management ordinances. In a local jurisdiction that has not enacted an ordinance requiring an owner or buyer to obtain documentation of compliance, and if a state or local agency, or other government entity, or other qualified nonprofit entity, provides an inspection with documentation for the
jurisdiction in which the property is located, existing law requires the buyer to obtain documentation of compliance within one year of the date of the close of escrow.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would additionally require the seller to notify the local fire department having jurisdiction over the property, or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection if the property is within a state responsibility area, as provided, of the written agreement and of the buyer’s obligation to obtain documentation of compliance. The bill would also require
that fire department, or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as applicable, to conduct a compliance inspection at the property if it has not received documentation of compliance from a qualified entity or otherwise certified compliance within one year of the date of the close of escrow. The bill would authorize the local fire department to prioritize compliance inspections and reinspections based on certain factors. By increasing the duties of local entities, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that a local fire department is authorized to recover the costs of compliance inspections and reinspections, as specified. The bill would also provide that the above-described provisions do not modify the immunities granted to a local fire department under any provision of law, as specified. The bill would state that these 2 provisions do not constitute a change in, but are declaratory of, existing law.</html:p>
<html:p>The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 1102.19 of the
<ns0:DocName>Civil Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>1102.19.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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On and after July 1, 2021, a seller of a real property subject to this article that is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, shall provide to the buyer documentation stating that the property is in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or local vegetation management ordinances, as follows:
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<html:p>
(1)
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In a local jurisdiction that has enacted an ordinance requiring an owner of real property to obtain documentation that the property is
in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or a local vegetation management ordinance, the seller shall provide the buyer with a copy of the documentation that complies with the requirements of that local ordinance and information on the local agency from which a copy of that documentation may be obtained.
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<html:p>
(2)
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In a local jurisdiction that has not enacted an ordinance for an owner of real property to obtain documentation that a property is in compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or a local vegetation management ordinance, and if a state or local agency, or other government entity, or other qualified nonprofit entity, provides an inspection with documentation for the jurisdiction in which the property is located, the seller shall provide the buyer with the documentation obtained in the six-month period preceding
the date the seller enters into a transaction to sell that real property and provide information on the local agency from which a copy of that documentation may be obtained.
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<html:p>
(b)
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On and after July 1, 2021, if the seller of a real property described in subdivision (a) has not obtained documentation of compliance in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), the seller and the buyer shall enter into a written agreement pursuant to which the buyer agrees to obtain documentation of compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or a local vegetation management ordinance as follows:
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<html:p>
(1)
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In a local jurisdiction that has enacted an ordinance requiring an owner or buyer to obtain documentation of compliance with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or a local
vegetation management ordinance, the buyer shall comply with that ordinance.
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<html:p>
(2)
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(A)
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In a local jurisdiction that has not enacted an ordinance requiring an owner or buyer to obtain documentation of compliance, and if a state or local agency, or other government entity, or other qualified nonprofit entity, provides an inspection with documentation for the jurisdiction in which the property is located, the buyer shall obtain documentation of compliance within one year of the date of the close of escrow.
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<html:p>
(B)
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Before the close of escrow, the seller shall notify the local fire department having
jurisdiction over the property, or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection if the property is within a state responsibility area, as described in Section 4125 of the Public Resources Code, of the written agreement and the buyer’s obligation to obtain documentation of compliance pursuant to subparagraph (A). The written agreement and documentation of compliance may be transmitted electronically or by hard copy.
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<html:p>
(C)
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(i)
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If the local fire department or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as applicable, has not received documentation of compliance from a qualified entity or otherwise certified compliance within one year of the date of the close of escrow, the fire department
or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as applicable, shall conduct a compliance inspection at the property.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
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The local fire department or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as applicable, may delegate the responsibility to conduct a compliance check to a third-party, nonprofit entity that it or the State Fire Marshal deems qualified to conduct defensible space programs and compliance inspections and reinspections.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Compliance inspections and reinspections may be conducted via in-person, on-site inspection, or by remote
verification by the property owner using photographic evidence or by documentation of completed work.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iv)
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The local fire department may prioritize compliance inspections and reinspections based on factors including, but not limited to, wildfire risk and repetitive noncompliance.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
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(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A local fire department may recover the costs of compliance inspections and reinspections pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 13146.2 of, and Section 13916 of, the Health and Safety Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
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Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to modify the immunities granted to a local fire department under any provision of law, including, but not limited to, Sections 815, 818.2, and 818.8 of the Government Code.
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<html:p>
(iii)
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This subparagraph does not
constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, existing law.
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<html:p>
(c)
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Nothing in this section, including the existence of an agreement between a buyer and seller pursuant to subdivision (b), shall limit the ability of a state or local agency to enforce defensible space requirements pursuant to Section 51182 of the Government Code, Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code, or other applicable statutes, regulations, and local ordinances.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that the prevention of wildland fires is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, Section 1 of this act amending Section 1102.19 of the Civil Code applies to all cities, including charter cities.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.
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