California Pushes Pay & Retirement Boosts for First Responders | San Francisco News

California lawmakers are advancing three sweeping bills to boost pay and retirement benefits for firefighters and police officers, aiming to recognize the extreme risks and demands of their jobs—allowing early retirement at 55, raising Cal Fire pay to match local departments, and launching a new deferred retirement program. While unions and bipartisan lawmakers champion these changes as vital for recruitment and retention, critics warn of a staggering financial burden, potentially adding billions to long-term liabilities amid looming state budget deficits. The bills now face tough scrutiny in the Senate Appropriations Committee, where cost will be the deciding factor before they reach the governor’s desk. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/dd6ba4d992bde141