AB716 - Fire safety standards: hydrogen facilities.

Amended IN Senate July 14, 2025 Amended IN Assembly April 21, 2025 Amended IN Assembly March 24, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 716 Introduced by Assembly Member Carrillo February 14, 2025 An act to add Section 13105.4 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to the State Fire Marshal. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 716, as amended, Carrillo. Fire safety standards: hydrogen facilities. Existing law creates the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to foster, promote, and develop ways and means of protecting life and property against fire and panic. This bill would require the State Fire Marshal to adopt the National Fire Protection Association Hydrogen Technologies Code (NFPA 2) as the statewide fire safety standards and guidelines for hydrogen production, storage, and distribution facilities. The bill would authorize local governments, in consultation with the State Fire Marshal, to adopt more stringent fire safety standards than the statewide fire safety standards, based on unique local hazards and risks. The bill would require the State Fire Marshal to appoint a hydrogen fire expert, with specified duties. to appoint a hydrogen fire expert to answer questions and provide clarification on the implementation of hydrogen production, storage, and distribution facilities, ensuring that hydrogen facilities comply with the most up-to-date fire safety standards. The bill would require the State Fire Marshal to provide ongoing training to local fire departments and building inspectors, as specified. inspectors to ensure that hydrogen-related safety protocols are understood and enforced statewide. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 13105.4 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 13105.4. (a) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt the National Fire Protection Association Hydrogen Technologies Code (NFPA 2) as the statewide fire safety standards and guidelines for hydrogen production, storage, and distribution facilities. (b) A local government, in consultation with the State Fire Marshal, may adopt fire safety standards more stringent than the statewide fire safety standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal, based on unique local hazards and risks. (c) 13105.4. (a) The State Fire Marshal shall appoint a hydrogen fire expert to answer questions and provide clarification on the implementation of NFPA 2, hydrogen production, storage, and distribution facilities, ensuring that hydrogen facilities comply with the most up-to-date fire safety standards. (d) (b) The State Fire Marshal shall provide ongoing training to local fire departments and building inspectors to ensure that hydrogen-related safety protocols are understood and enforced statewide.