BILL NUMBER: SB 477	CHAPTERED  09/29/05

	CHAPTER  377
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 29, 2005
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 29, 2005
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 29, 2005
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 25, 2005
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 27, 2005
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 31, 2005
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 30, 2005

INTRODUCED BY   Senators Soto and Alarcon
   (Coauthors: Senators Kehoe and Romero)
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Torrico)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2005

   An act to add Section 8687.7 to the Government Code, relating to
emergency services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 477, Soto  Emergency services: recovery process.
    Existing law, the Disaster Assistance Act, requires that the
Director of the Office of Emergency Services provide financial
assistance to local agencies for public real property that is damaged
or destroyed by a disaster.
   This bill would authorize the office to establish a model process
that would be made available to assist a community in recovering from
an emergency proclaimed by the Governor and would provide that the
process may consider, among other things, the role of the office as
an advisor and facilitator for the community recovery process,
procedures to provide that the office has representation onsite as
soon as practicable after the Governor proclaims a state of
emergency, the role of the office to facilitate the use of temporary
services, the role of the office to facilitate the establishment of
temporary structures, including local assistance centers, showers and
bathroom facilities, and temporary administrative offices, and
measures to encourage the participation of nongovernmental
organizations in the community recovery process to supplement
recovery activities undertaken by federal or local agencies.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 8687.7 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   8687.7.  (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
   (1) "Community" means a geographic area impacted by an emergency
proclaimed by the Governor that includes the jurisdiction of one or
more local agencies.
   (2) "Community recovery partners" means local, state, and federal
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental agencies,
faith-based organizations, and other private entities.
   (b) The office may establish a model process that would be made
available to assist a community in recovering from an emergency
proclaimed by the Governor. The model process may include the
following:
   (1) The role of the office in the community recovery process.
   (2) Procedures for the office to have representation onsite as
soon as practicable after the Governor proclaims a state of
emergency.
   (3) The role of the office to facilitate the use of temporary
services, including, but not limited to, direct assistance to
individuals, families, and businesses, crisis counseling, disaster
unemployment assistance, food and clothing vouchers, communications
systems, replacement of personal identification documents, provision
of potable water, housing, farm service assistance, tax relief,
insurance, and legal services.
   (4) The role of the office to facilitate the establishment of
temporary structures, including local assistance centers, showers and
bathroom facilities, and temporary administrative offices.
   (5) Measures to encourage the participation of nongovernmental
organizations in the community recovery process to supplement
recovery activities undertaken by federal or local agencies.
   (6) The office may refer the model process to the standardized
Emergency Management System (SEMS) Advisory Board, or any other
advisory board it deems appropriate, for review and modifications.
   (7) It is the intent of the Legislature that the model process
assists and complements local procedures. The model process should
allow the office to offer additional assistance when that assistance
is needed but not available through local agencies.