(a) The State Fire Marshal shall, prior to the next triennial edition of the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) adopted after January 1, 2023, research and develop, and may propose to the California Building Standards Commission, mandatory building standards for fire resistance based on occupancy risk categories in very high, high, and moderate California fire severity zones in state responsibility areas, local responsibility areas, and in land designated as a Wildland Urban Interface Fire Area by cities and other local agencies under the scope of Chapter 7A (Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure) of the California Building Standards Code. The building standards required under this section shall apply to nonresidential, critical infrastructure buildings and shall include both of the following:

(1) Fire rating requirements for structures under Risk Category III and IV as per ASCE 7 in addition to ignition-resistant construction.

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(2) For Risk Category III and IV structures, require fire ratings of four hours, three hours, and two hours in very high, high, and moderate severity zones, respectively.

(b) As used in this section, “ASCE 7” means the Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, as adopted by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

(c) The California Building Standards Commission shall consider for adoption the building standards proposed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to subdivision (a).

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 284, Sec. 1. (AB 2322) Effective January 1, 2023.)