Relating to: the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program, a major land acquisitions program, and making an appropriation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tony Kurtz

AB 612 directs Caltrans to update the Highway Design Manual to require local governments to consult fire departments on road projects, aiming to protect emergency response times.

Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

AB 612 — Summary (Highway Design Manual: emergency response times)

Note on documents: The materials provided contain conflicting meta-information (an unrelated bill title referencing a stewardship program). This summary is based on the bill text and Legislative Counsel’s Digest included in the provided documents, which address the California Department of Transportation’s Highway Design Manual and emergency response times.

Purpose and intent

AB 612 directs the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to revise the statewide Highway Design Manual so that local governments are advised to consult with local fire departments when planning or implementing road improvements. The intent is to help ensure roadway design changes do not adversely affect emergency response times.

Key provisions

Adds Government Code section 14033.5.

Requires Caltrans, on or before July 1, 2026, to update the Highway Design Manual to:

Direct local governments to consult with local fire departments when making road improvements.
Ensure guidance seeks to prevent negative impacts on emergency response times resulting from road design or configuration changes.

The bill is framed as an update to guidance (the Highway Design Manual); it does not itself impose penalties or directly change local project approval authority.

Who is affected

Caltrans: required to prepare and publish the specified update to the Highway Design Manual.

Local governments (cities, counties, and other local road authorities): would receive and be directed by the Manual to consult local fire departments during road improvement planning.

Local fire departments and emergency medical services: would be asked to participate in consultation to help identify potential impacts of roadway changes on travel time for emergency response.

Road designers, planners, and contractors: likely to incorporate fire department input into project design and mitigation measures where applicable.

Fiscal and procedural notes

Legislative digest flags a fiscal committee review (Fiscal Committee: YES) but states “Appropriation: NO” (bill does not appropriate funds).

The digest initially referenced an earlier deadline (January 1, 2026), but the enacted bill text specifies a July 1, 2026 deadline for Caltrans to complete the manual update.

Legislative actions (2025): introduced Feb 13, 2025; referred to Assembly Transportation Committee; reported out of Transportation and re-referred to Appropriations; placed in suspense/held under submission in spring 2025; later listed as referred to Rules (Nov 20, 2025). Author listed in the Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Rogers; coauthoring changes noted March 25, 2025.

Practical impact

AB 612 is advisory in form but could materially change local project workflows by institutionalizing routine consultation with fire departments. Expected benefits include reduced risk that roadway treatments (e.g., lane reductions, curb extensions, traffic calming, street furniture, or parking reconfigurations) inadvertently slow or obstruct emergency vehicles. Because it updates guidance rather than imposing mandates or funding requirements, direct fiscal impacts on state or local governments are likely limited, though project planning timelines and design costs could modestly increase where additional coordination or design alterations are needed.