20250AB__079995CHP INTRODUCED 2025-02-18 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-05-29 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-08-29 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-09-12 PASSED_SENATE 2025-09-11 ENROLLED 2025-09-16 CHAPTERED 2025-10-13 APPROVED 2025-10-13 FILED 2025-10-13 2025 AB CHP CHP 0 Introduced by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bryan and Elhawary) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Celeste Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary

An act to add

Section 2780.6 to the Penal Code, relating to prisons. prisons Prisons: death benefit for incarcerated firefighters. Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camps for the purpose of having incarcerated persons work on projects supervised by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the department to utilize incarcerated persons assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work of the department.

Existing law allows an incarcerated individual, as specified, who has successfully participated in either a California Conservation Camp program or a county program as an incarcerated individual hand crew member, as determined by specified authorities, and has been released from custody, to file a petition for relief with a court. This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to pay a death benefit, as specified, for the death of any incarcerated individual hand crew members in the California Conservation Camp program, as specified.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 2780.6 is added to the Penal Code , to read: 2780.6. (

a) Notwithstanding paragraph (9) of subdivision (

a) of

Section of the Labor Code, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, shall, pursuant to subdivision (b), pay a death benefit in an amount calculated pursuant to subdivision (

c) for the death of any state prison incarcerated individual hand crew member assigned to the California Conservation Camp program. (

b) The death benefit shall be paid within days of the death of an incarcerated individual hand crew member to the beneficiary designated by the crew member to receive the death benefit if the crew member dies during any of the following circumstances:

(1) During, and resulting from, the performance of their duties on an active deployment.

(2) During, and resulting from, the performance of their duties completing firefighter Conservation Camp training exercises.

(3) While physically or mentally incapacitated due to and resulting from their performance of their duties as described in paragraph (1) or (2). (

c) The death benefit shall be the sum of the following amounts:

(1) Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(2) An amount equal to percent of the annual compensation earned by the deceased crew member during the months immediately preceding the death of the crew member.