BILL NUMBER: SB 1437	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   JUNE 22, 1998
	PASSED THE SENATE   APRIL 2, 1998
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MARCH 3, 1998

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Kopp

                        JANUARY 27, 1998

   An act to amend Section 8607.1 of the Government Code, relating to
fire suppression.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1437, Kopp.  Fire hydrants:  color coding.
   Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to establish a
statewide uniform color coding of fire hydrants that relates to flow
testing.  Each agency that maintains fire hydrants is required to
comply with these requirements as part of its ongoing maintenance
program.
   This bill would provide, as an alternative, that an agency may
comply with the requirements by installing a reflector button in a
mid-street location directly adjacent to the fire hydrant in the
appropriate color that would otherwise be required for the hydrant
and a curb marking as near to the hydrant as practicable in that same
color.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 8607.1 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   8607.1.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a statewide
system for fire hydrants be adopted so that all firefighters can
respond to emergencies calling for the use of water at any location
in the state.  Without this statewide standardized system, the lives
of firefighters and those they serve would be put in serious jeopardy
in a mutual aid fire response effort stretching across city and
county boundaries.
   (b) By January 1, 1994, the State Fire Marshal shall establish a
statewide uniform color coding of fire hydrants.  In determining the
color coding of fire hydrants, the State Fire Marshal shall consider
the national system of coding developed by the National Fire
Protection Association as Standard 291 in Chapter 2 on Fire Flow
Testing and Marking of Hydrants.  The uniform color coding shall not
preempt local agencies from adding additional markings.
   (c) Compliance with the uniform color coding requirements of
subdivision (b) shall be undertaken by each agency that currently
maintains fire hydrants throughout the state as part of its ongoing
maintenance program for its fire hydrants.  Alternatively, an agency
may comply with the uniform color coding requirements by installing
one or more reflector buttons in a mid-street location directly
adjacent to the fire hydrant in the appropriate color that would
otherwise be required for the hydrant and a curb marking as near to
the hydrant as practicable in that same color.
   (d) By July 1, 1994, the State Fire Marshal shall develop and
adopt regulations establishing statewide uniform fire hydrant
coupling sizes.  The regulations adopted pursuant to this section
shall include provisions that permit the use of an adapter mounted on
the hydrant as a means of achieving uniformity.  In determining
uniform fire hydrant coupling sizes, the State Fire Marshal shall
consider any system developed by the National Fire Protection
Association, the National Fire Academy, or the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
   (e) By December 1, 1996, each local agency, city, county, city and
county, or special district in order to be eligible for any funding
of mutual aid fire response related costs under disaster assistance
programs, shall comply with regulations adopted pursuant to this
section.  Compliance may be met if at least one coupling on the
hydrant is of the uniform size.
   (f) Subdivision (d) shall not be applicable to the City and County
of San Francisco due to the existing water system.