20250AB__186397AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-11 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-04-07 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-04-27 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member DeMaio LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY DeMaio

An act to amend

Section of, and to add

Section 13916.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire protection districts. fire protection districts Fire protection districts: fees: 911 telephone calls. Existing law authorizes a fire protection district board to charge a fee to cover the cost of any service the district provides, as specified. This bill would prohibit a fire protection district board from charging a fee to any member of the public for using a emergency telephone number or for emergency responders arriving at a location or otherwise responding to the use of a emergency telephone number, except as provided. MAJORITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 13916. (

a) Except as provided in

Section 13916.5, a district board may charge a fee to cover the cost of any service that the district provides or the cost of enforcing any regulation for which the fee is charged. A fee shall not exceed the costs reasonably borne by the district in providing the service or enforcing the regulation for which the fee is charged. A district board shall not charge a fee on new construction or development for the construction of public improvements or facilities or the acquisition of equipment. (

b) The district board shall adopt an ordinance establishing a

schedule of fees. Before either approving an increase in an existing fee or initially imposing a new fee, the district board shall publish notice of its intention to establish a

schedule of fees pursuant to

Section of the Government Code. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting, including a general explanation of the matter to be considered, and a statement that the data required by subdivision (

d) is available. (

c) The district board shall mail the notice of the meeting at least days before the meeting to any interested party who has filed a written request with the district board for mailed notice of the meeting on new or increased fees. Any written request for mailed notice is valid for one year from the date that it is filed unless a renewal request is filed. Renewal requests for mailed notice shall be filed on or before April of each year. The district board may establish a reasonable annual charge for sending these notices based on the estimated cost of providing that service. (

d) At least days before the meeting, the district board shall make available to the public, data indicating the amount of cost, or estimated cost, required to provide the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation for which the fee is charged and the revenue sources anticipated to provide the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation, including general fund revenues. (

e) Any costs incurred by a district in conducting the meeting required by this

section may be recovered from fees charged for the service or the cost of enforcing any regulation which were the subject of the meeting. (

f) At the meeting, the district board shall hear and consider any objections or protests to the proposed

schedule of fees.

SEC.

Section 13916.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code , to read: 13916.5. (

a) Notwithstanding

Section 13916, a district board shall not charge a fee to any member of the public for either of the following:

(1) Using a emergency telephone number.

(2) Emergency responders arriving at a location or otherwise responding to the use of a emergency telephone number unless emergency services are provided. (

b) This

section does not prohibit a district board from charging a fee to a member of the public for use of a emergency telephone number for a prank call.