Wildfire prevention: state responsibility areas: fire prevention fee.

Existing law requires the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before September 1, 2011, to adopt emergency regulations to establish a fire prevention fee in an amount not to exceed $150 to be charged on each habitable structure on a parcel that is within a state responsibility area, as specified, and authorizes the board to annually adjust the fire prevention fee using prescribed methods.

Existing law requires that the fire prevention fees collected, except as provided, be deposited into the State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and be made available to the board and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for certain specified fire prevention activities that benefit the owners of habitable structures in state responsibility areas who are required to pay the fee.

Existing law, effective July 1, 2017, suspends the fire prevention fee and requires any moneys held in reserve in the fund to be appropriated by the Legislature in a manner consistent with the purposes of the fund.

Existing law repeals the fire prevention fee program on January 1, 2031.

This bill would reinstate the fire prevention fee effective January 1, 2027. The bill would delete the repeal date of the above-described provisions, thereby extending the operation of those provisions indefinitely.