BILL NUMBER: AB 3032	CHAPTERED  08/25/04

	CHAPTER  308
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 25, 2004
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  AUGUST 24, 2004
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 12, 2004
	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 12, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 15, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 3, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 30, 2004

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yee

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2004

   An act to amend Sections 8875.8 and 8875.9 of the Government Code,
relating to seismic safety.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 3032, Yee.  Seismic safety.
   Existing law establishes a program within all cities and all
counties and portions thereof located within seismic zone 4, as
defined, to identify all potentially hazardous buildings and to
establish a mitigation program for these buildings.  The mitigation
program may include, among other things, the adoption by ordinance of
a hazardous buildings program, measures to strengthen buildings, and
the application of structural standards necessary to provide for
life safety above current code requirements.  On or before April 1,
1993, any owner of a building located in seismic zone 4 who has
received notice that the building is constructed of unreinforced
masonry is required to post in a conspicuous place a specified sign
at the entrance of the building, unless the walls are nonload bearing
with steel or concrete frame.  The Seismic Safety Commission is
required to coordinate the earthquake related responsibilities of
government agencies imposed by the above-described provisions to
ensure compliance with these provisions.
   This bill would, with an exception for an owner of a building
subject to the above-described sign requirement who is in compliance
with the requirement on and after December 31, 2004, revise the sign
requirement, as specified, and would exempt a building that has been
brought into compliance with an adopted hazardous buildings ordinance
or mitigation program from the sign requirement. It would also
authorize a local jurisdiction to authorize the posting of a sign
regarding the improvements made to the building.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 8875.8 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   8875.8.  (a) An owner who has received actual or constructive
notice that a building located in seismic zone 4 is constructed of
unreinforced masonry shall post in a conspicuous place at the
entrance of the building, on a sign not less than 5 X 7 the following
statement, printed in not less than 30-point bold type:
   "This is an unreinforced masonry building.  Unreinforced masonry
buildings may be unsafe in the event of a major earthquake."
   (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), unless the owner of a
building subject to subdivision (a) is in compliance with that
subdivision on and after December 31, 2004, an owner who has received
actual or constructive notice that a building located in seismic
zone 4 is constructed of unreinforced masonry and has not been
retrofitted in accordance with an adopted hazardous building
ordinance or mitigation program shall post in a conspicuous place at
the entrance of the building, on a sign not less than 8 X 10 the
following statement, with the first two words printed in not less
than 50-point bold type and the remainder in at least 30-point type:

   "Earthquake Warning.  This is an unreinforced masonry building.
You may not be safe inside or near unreinforced masonry buildings
during an earthquake."
   (c) Notice of the obligation to post a sign, as required by
subdivisions (a) and (b), shall be included in the Commercial
Property Owner's Guide to Earthquake Safety.
  SEC. 2.  Section 8875.9 of the Government Code is amended to read:

   8875.9.  Section 8875.8 shall not apply to either one of the
following:
   (a) Unreinforced masonry construction if the walls are nonload
bearing with steel or concrete frame.
   (b) A building that has been retrofitted in accordance with an
adopted hazardous buildings ordinance or mitigation program, in which
case the local jurisdiction may authorize the owner to post in a
conspicuous place at the entrance of the building, on a sign not less
than 5 X 7 the following statement, printed in not less than
30-point bold type:
   "This building has been improved in accordance with the seismic
safety standards of a local building ordinance that is applicable to
unreinforced masonry buildings."