Bill Commons

CA SB 234

in committee

Wildfires: workgroup: toxic heavy metals.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

Quick answers

Did CA SB 234 pass?

Not yet. CA SB 234 is in committee as of 2025-08-29 and has not come to a final vote. Latest recorded action (2025-08-29): August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

What is CA SB 234 about?

Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to do certain things with respect to fire prevention, including organizing fire crews and patrols. This bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control, in consultation with specified entities, to form a workgroup related to exposure to toxic heavy metals after a wildfire. The bill would require the workgroup to do certain things, including establishing best practices and recommendations for wildfire-impacted communities, first responders, and other personnel engaged in wildfire response and cleanup to avoid exposure to heavy metals after a wildfire, including outreach. The bill would authorize the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to contract with public universities, research institutions, and other technical experts to support the work of the workgroup. The bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control to report their findings to the Legislature not more than 3 years after the convening of the first meeting of the workgroup.

Who sponsors CA SB 234?

Niello is the primary sponsor of CA SB 234, joined by 1 cosponsor.

Description

Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to do certain things with respect to fire prevention, including organizing fire crews and patrols. This bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control, in consultation with specified entities, to form a workgroup related to exposure to toxic heavy metals after a wildfire. The bill would require the workgroup to do certain things, including establishing best practices and recommendations for wildfire-impacted communities, first responders, and other personnel engaged in wildfire response and cleanup to avoid exposure to heavy metals after a wildfire, including outreach. The bill would authorize the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to contract with public universities, research institutions, and other technical experts to support the work of the workgroup. The bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control to report their findings to the Legislature not more than 3 years after the convening of the first meeting of the workgroup.

Introduced
2025-01-28
Latest action
2025-08-29 — August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Nielloauthor
  • Allencoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-01-28

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    introduction,reading-1,referral-committee

  2. 2025-01-29

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 28.

  3. 2025-02-05

    Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q.

    referral-committee

  4. 2025-03-12

    Set for hearing March 25.

  5. 2025-03-25

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 532.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  6. 2025-04-02

    Set for hearing April 30.

  7. 2025-04-09

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  8. 2025-05-01

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 963.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  9. 2025-05-02

    Set for hearing May 12.

  10. 2025-05-12

    May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  11. 2025-05-16

    Set for hearing May 23.

  12. 2025-05-23

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  13. 2025-05-23

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1192.) (May 23).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  14. 2025-05-27

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  15. 2025-05-28

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 1282.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  16. 2025-05-28

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    reading-1

  17. 2025-06-05

    Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and E.S & T.M.

    referral-committee

  18. 2025-06-24

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.S & T.M. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  19. 2025-06-27

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  20. 2025-07-02

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  21. 2025-07-16

    July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  22. 2025-08-29

    August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

Versions

  • 01/28/25 - Introduced — 2025-01-28Compare
  • 04/09/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-09Compare
  • 05/23/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-05-23Compare
  • 06/27/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-27Compare
  • SB234Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Quality] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2025-03-25 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Allen: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Grove: yes

  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2025-04-30 · pass · 8-0

    Member-level votes (8)
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Valladares: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Padilla: yes

  • Placed on suspense file

    2025-05-12 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Wahab: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Caballero: yes

  • Do pass as amended

    2025-05-23 · pass · 6-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Caballero: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Dahle: other

  • 3rd Reading SB234 Niello et al.

    2025-05-28 · pass · 37-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • McNerney: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • Ochoa Bogh: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Strickland: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Valladares: yes
    • Jones: yes
    • Alvarado-Gil: yes
    • Grove: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Niello: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Limón: other
    • Reyes: other
    • Cervantes: other

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2025-06-23 · pass · 14-0

    Member-level votes (14)
    • Hoover: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Ellis: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Flora: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Zbur: yes

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2025-07-01 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Connolly: yes
    • Ellis: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Castillo: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB234

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

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