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<ns0:Id>20250SB__091199INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-26</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 county assessor of the written agreement and to provide a copy of that agreement to the county assessor. The bill would require the county assessor to notify the local fire department having jurisdiction over the property of the buyer’s obligation to obtain documentation of compliance. The bill would also require that fire department to conduct a compliance check 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. By increasing the duties of local entities, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</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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(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 county assessor of the written agreement and shall provide a copy of that agreement to the county assessor.
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<html:p>
(C)
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The county assessor shall notify the local fire department having
jurisdiction over the property of the buyer’s obligation to obtain documentation of compliance pursuant to subparagraph (A).
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<html:p>
(D)
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If the local fire department 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 shall conduct a compliance check at the property.
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(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>
<ns0:Content>
<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>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.</html:p>
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