AB 1391: Forest resources: state responsibility area fire prevention: vegetation management.

Existing law establishes the forestry assistance program, to be conducted by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is required to encourage forest resource improvements and otherwise facilitate good forest land management through a program of financial, technical, and educational assistance, as well as through applied research. Existing law authorizes the director of the department to enter into agreements or make loans for certain purposes, including the preparation of management plans for forest lands. requires the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection 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. Existing law requires the fee moneys to be expended, upon appropriation, in specified ways, including to reimburse the State Board of Equalizations expenses incurred in the collection of the fee and to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection and to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for administrative purposes, with excess moneys being expended only for specified fire prevention activities, as provided. Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a land with various types of flammable material, including forest-covered lands, to maintain defensible space of 100 feet, as provided.

This bill would authorize the director to enter into an agreement with, or make a loan to, fee money to be expended to provide loans or grants to a person who is at or below 500% of the federal poverty level for purposes of complying with the above law.