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AB 1863

Fire protection districts: fees: 911 telephone calls.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Carl DeMaio

Prohibits fire districts from charging the public for 911 access, allowing only a prank-call exception, while preserving non-911 service fees under existing rules.

Read third time. Refused passage. (Ayes 39. Noes 4. Page 5546.).
#911telephonecalls #fireprotectiondistricts #fees
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Bill Summary · AB 1863

Summary of AB 1863 (2025-2026) – Fire protection districts: fees: 911 telephone calls

Purpose and Intent

AB 1863, introduced by Assembly Member DeMaio and co-sponsored by Carl DeMaio, seeks to limit or prohibit fire protection districts from charging the public for the use of 911 emergency telephone services. The bill adds a specific prohibition on 911 fees, while preserving existing authority to charge fees for other district services or regulations (subject to current rules). The core aim is to ensure that access to 911 calls remains free of charge to members of the public, with a narrow exception for prank calls.

Key Provisions

Amended and New Statutes

  • Amends Health and Safety Code Section 13916:
    • Current law allows a fire protection district board to charge fees to cover costs for services provided or for enforcing regulations, with caps tied to actual costs and constraints on charges for certain developments.
    • The bill maintains existing requirements for establishing and publishing fee schedules, public notice, data on costs, and the process for hearing objections, but clarifies the fee-setting process remains applicable to non-911-related fees.
  • Adds Health and Safety Code Section 13916.5:
    • Prohibits a district board from charging any member of the public a fee for the use of a 911 emergency telephone number.
    • Explicitly allows an exception for prank calls (i.e., the prohibition does not apply to prank calls, per the bill’s wording).

Notable Exclusions/Limitations

  • The prohibition in 13916.5 does not apply to the use of 911 for prank calls. The bill does not prohibit collecting fees for other district services or for enforcement costs, so long as those fees are for services other than 911 usage and comply with existing statutory requirements.

Who Is Affected

  • Affected Entities: Fire protection districts within California that currently charge or could charge fees for district services (excluding 911 calls) under Section 13916.
  • Public: Members of the public who would otherwise be charged for 911 access would be protected from such charges, reinforcing that dialing 911 should be free of charge.
  • Exception Recipients: The bill explicitly permits charging for prank calls to 911, where applicable, as an exception to the general prohibition.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legislative Process:
    • Introduced: February 11, 2026
    • Referred to policy committees and amended during the 2025-2026 session
    • House actions shown include amendments and passage in committee and recommitment to appropriate committees, with a noted amended version on April 23, 2026
  • Effective Date: The text provided does not specify an operative date; typically, if enacted, the measure would become effective on a specified date or upon becoming law, with potential transition language in the final enacted version.

Practical Impact

  • Public safety funding mechanics for 911 services in fire protection districts would not rely on public 911 fees; districts must rely on other funding sources or allowed fees for non-911 services, following the established cost-based fee framework.
  • Districts would need to adjust fee schedules and public communications to reflect that 911 access cannot be monetized, except for prank-call scenarios.
  • The bill reinforces the principle that access to emergency communications should be universally available without direct user charges.

Note

  • The bill text indicates the standard fee rules in Section 13916 remain in place for non-911 services, including public notice and cost-based fee caps. The key change is the categorical prohibition on charging for 911 access, with a narrow prank-call exception.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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