CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

97

CHAPTER 257

Statutes of 2020

[ Approved by Governor September 29, 2020. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2020. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez

February 21, 2020

An act to add Section 8593.9 to the Government Code, relating to emergency services.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, among other things, creates the Office of Emergency Services, which is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services, as specified. Existing law requires the Governor to coordinate the State Emergency Plan and those programs necessary for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency. Existing law requires the governing body of each political subdivision of the state to carry out the provisions of the State Emergency Plan.

This bill would require the office to, by January 1, 2022, establish best practices for counties developing and updating a county emergency plan. The bill would require the office to, by January 1, 2022, establish a review process for a county to request the office to review a county’s emergency plan. The bill would require that review process to provide technical assistance and feedback regarding, among other things, an emergency plan’s consistency with the office’s proposed best practices.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 8593.9 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8593.9.

(a) The Office of Emergency Services shall, by January 1, 2022, develop best practices for counties developing and updating a county emergency plan.

(b) The Office of Emergency Services shall, by January 1, 2022, establish a process for a county to request the office to review the county’s emergency plan. Upon the conclusion of the review process, the office shall provide technical assistance and feedback regarding the sufficiency of the county’s emergency plan with the following elements:

(1) Whether the plan is consistent with the office’s proposed best practices.

(2) Whether the plan protects and accommodates vulnerable populations during natural disasters.

(3) Whether the plan has established procedures for alerting, evacuating, and sheltering individuals during an emergency.

(4) Any other necessary and appropriate element, as determined by the office.