Last October, Senator Alvarado-Gil urged her colleagues to override the Governor’s veto of AB 1309, a related bill to address CAL FIRE pay. That override did not occur. AB 2129 returns the issue to the Governor with a bargaining-based approach: any salary adjustment would take effect only through a memorandum of understanding negotiated by the state and Bargaining Unit 8 and ratified by the Legislature. The bill does not create an automatic pay increase.

“Cal Fire firefighters risk their lives battling wildfires to protect our homes, businesses, and communities,” said Senator Alvarado-Gil. “Rural Californians in districts like Senate District 4 depend on them. They deserve compensation that reflects their bravery and the work they do. I asked my colleagues last year to override the veto of AB 1309. Today I am asking the Governor to sign AB 2129.”

AB 2129 would require the state and Bargaining Unit 8 to jointly survey estimated average salaries among the 20 fire departments they agree upon and report the findings to the Legislature and the public. Supporters include CAL FIRE Local 2881, the bill’s sponsor, and California Professional Firefighters. No opposition has been received.

Senator Alvarado-Gil noted that existing surveys already show a substantial gap between state firefighter base pay and local counterparts, and that communities in Senate District 4 have lived through major fires including the Caldor Fire and Mosquito Fire.

“Firefighters deserve better, and so do Californians,” Alvarado-Gil said. “AB 2129 is a commonsense path to competitive wages through bargaining and legislative ratification. I respectfully urge the Governor to sign it.”