Firefighters: personal protective equipment.

The bill was reformatted from an official chaptered document (with page numbers, headers like 'Ch. 392', and formal layout) into a web page presentation with navigation menus, search tools, and version history links. The underlying legislative text is unchanged.

The bill was formally enacted as Chapter 392 of the Statutes of 2025, with the governor's approval date (October 6, 2025) added and the enrolled-bill header (Assembly/Senate passage lines, clerk signatures, 'received by Governor' block) replaced with the standard authenticated chaptered format.

Subdivision (d) of Section 147.4 changed from 'shall modify consider modifying' to 'shall consider modifying,' clarifying that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board must consider but is not required to actually modify the firefighter PPE safety order by January 1, 2028.

Typo correction in subdivision (d)(3): 'later that than' corrected to 'later than' regarding the implementation date for auxiliary firefighting PPE.

The core mandate in Section 147.4(d) changed from requiring the board to 'eliminate the use of PFAS and other regrettable substitutes' to requiring it to 'address NFPA performance standards for PPE that are not relevant or applicable to how firefighters utilize their PPE and that result in the use of PFAS, fluoropolymers, flame retardants, and other hazardous substances.' This shifts the focus from banning specific chemicals to fixing problematic NFPA test requirements that drive their use.

Subsection (1) was modified to require that the new standard 'includes performance standards that are relevant and applicable to how firefighters utilize their equipment' in addition to being the most protective. This adds a relevance/applicability test to the standard-setting process, reflecting the bill's new focus on fixing NFPA tests that do not match real-world firefighter use.

The scope of restricted substances was broadened. The previous version targeted 'PFAS and other regrettable substitutes known to pose long-term environmental and human health risks.' The new version adds 'fluoropolymers, flame retardants, and other hazardous substances' as explicitly covered categories.

Coauthor Assembly Member Papan was added and the bill now lists multiple authors (Haney and Harabedian), indicating broader legislative sponsorship in the Senate version.

A new subsection (3) requires the board to provide a later implementation date for auxiliary firefighting PPE than for primary firefighting personal protective garments, creating a staggered compliance timeline that gives manufacturers more time for items like SCBA, hearing protection, and fall-protection gear.

A new definitions subsection (f) was added defining 'auxiliary firefighting PPE' (SCBA, respiratory protection, hearing protection, communication devices, fall-protection products) and 'firefighting personal protective garments' (jackets, pants, shoes, gloves, helmets). This creates a legal distinction between the two categories that drives the staggered timeline.

The deadline for the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to modify its firefighter PPE safety order was extended from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2028, giving regulators one additional year.

The requirement changed from 'eliminate' NFPA performance standards that are not relevant or applicable to how firefighters use their PPE, to merely 'address' those standards. This is a significant softening of the obligation.

The phase-out provision was changed from a discretionary 'consider an implementation timeline' to a mandatory 'specify an implementation timeline,' and now requires phasing out existing PPE through normal attrition or no later than 10 years after the safety order is modified.

The mandate that firefighter PPE be free of PFAS and hazardous substances now applies only to gear 'certified for future use in California' rather than all gear certified for use, potentially exempting equipment already on the market.

The list of example hazardous substances was changed from 'brominated flame retardants' to 'PFAS and flame retardants,' broadening the category slightly while removing the specific reference to brominated compounds.

Assembly Member Ahrens was added as a coauthor alongside Assembly Member Papan.

New Section 147.4(d)(3) requires the board to consider an implementation timeline that may include phasing out firefighter PPE already in use at the time the safety order is modified. This addresses a practical gap: the prior version only set new standards for future equipment but did not direct the board to plan for transitioning existing gear.

Section 147.4(d) changed from 'do both of the following' to 'do all of the following,' reflecting the addition of the third requirement (the phasing-out timeline).

Fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires review by the fiscal committee, likely due to the new phasing-out requirement which may carry budgetary implications for fire departments.

Typo corrected in Section 1(c): 'which was been found' changed to 'which has been found.'

New subdivision (d) requires the board to modify its firefighter PPE safety order by January 1, 2027 to eliminate PFAS and other regrettable substitutes (including brominated flame retardants). The modified standard must use scientific research to be 'the most protective of firefighters' health and safety,' with the 2025 NFPA 1970 standard serving only as a floor, not a ceiling.

Manufacturers of firefighter PPE certified for use in California must certify that their products meet the new PFAS-free standards.

Subdivision (c) was modified to add 'and subject to subdivision (d),' making the existing five-year NFPA alignment review process subordinate to the new PFAS elimination mandate.

Cal/OSHA must submit a progress report to the Governor and Legislature by July 1, 2026 on implementation of the modified PPE safety standards. The reporting requirement sunsets on July 1, 2030.

A new Section 1 adds legislative findings and declarations documenting PFAS health risks, IARC's 2023 carcinogen classification, NFPA standard shortcomings, firefighters' elevated cancer rates, and California's existing AFFF phase-out law (Chapter 308, Statutes of 2020).

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment introduced recognized state fiscal impact.