Relating to the authority of a county to commission certain individuals as peace officers and establish certain law enforcement agencies.

Contracts

• Lease Agreements: Landlords with properties in unincorporated areas must review "Compliance with Laws" sections. Ensure lease terms permit immediate default if a tenant’s violation triggers criminal enforcement or arrest by the Fire Marshal.
• Vendor Indemnification: Update agreements with hazardous waste and construction vendors. Indemnity clauses must explicitly cover costs arising from "criminal or civil enforcement actions" initiated by county fire officials.

Hiring/Training

• Site Access Protocols: Retrain security and front-desk personnel. A County Fire Marshal is no longer a civilian inspector; they are a peace officer. Denying access or arguing can now constitute Interference with Public Duties, a criminal offense.
• De-escalation Training: Site managers must be trained to handle inspections as potential criminal investigations. Staff should be instructed to provide requested documentation immediately but to refrain from volunteering non-required information without counsel.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Incident Logging: Update corporate incident reporting systems. A citation from a Fire Marshal is now a law enforcement interaction and must be logged as such for insurance and liability purposes.
• HazMat Documentation: Because the bill explicitly covers "codes involving hazardous materials," ensure Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and disposal manifests are audit-ready. Gaps in records can now support criminal negligence claims.

Fees & Costs

• Legal Defense: Budget for potential increases in legal costs. Resolving a code violation involving a peace officer often requires criminal defense counsel rather than standard regulatory support.
• Insurance: Consult your broker regarding "Law Enforcement Professional Liability" exclusions in your current policies, specifically regarding how your private security interacts with these new peace officers.