California law gives incarcerated firefighters pathway to state fire department jobs after release

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2483 on September 28. It standardizes the firefighting credentials incarcerated people receive when they leave prison and gives them hiring preference for certain entry-level Cal Fire jobs, which can lead to a six-figure income and a state pension. Incarcerated crews handle nearly half the emergency hours spent fighting California's wildfires.

The law gives a hiring preference, not a guaranteed job, and the new credentials take effect by 2028.