BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1598 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 14, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 1598 (Rodriguez) - As Amended: April 23, 2014 Policy Committee: Governmental Organization Vote: 19-0 Public Safety 7-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill requires fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical services agencies to jointly establish standard operating procedures and coordinated training programs for "active shooter incidents," defined as incidents where an individual is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined area. Specifically, this bill: 1)Requires the Curriculum Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) to consult with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). 2)Requires that the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) training standards include criteria for coordinating between different responding entities. 3)Requires the Interdepartmental Committee on Emergency Medical Services (ICEMS) to consult with POST regarding emergency medical services integration and coordination with peace officer training. 4)Requires POST's guidelines and training standards to address tactical casualty care and coordination with emergency medical services providers. FISCAL EFFECT Substantial costs, in the hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of dollars, to develop and implement the training required in the bill, particularly with respect to local law AB 1598 Page 2 enforcement and emergency medical services training. COMMENTS 1) Purpose. According to the author, incidents like the November 2013 shooting at Terminal 3 of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are becoming increasingly frequent, and it is important that local law enforcement agencies, emergency medical care personnel, and other local agencies work together in a coordinated, cohesive manner. This bill is intended to decrease response times to those types of incidents and therefore save lives. 2) Active Shooter Incidents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines an "active shooter incidents" as "an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area." According to data from the US Attorney General, the number of those shot and killed in active shooter incidents has increased by 150% over the past 15 years. 3) Staff Comment. While the goals of this bill are certainly laudable, the agencies required to effect the sort of advanced training required in the bill have expressed significant concern over the scope of mandate. The first responders to events such as active shooter incidents are usually local law enforcement and emergency medical responders, not specialized tactical teams. Providing the requisite specialty training to all of California's local law enforcement and emergency medical responders would require significant investment in a training curriculum and potentially thousands of hours of additional training for those affected. The author may wish to consult with the agencies affected by this bill to see if a more prescriptive approach to this issue could be achieved with reduced, or at least contained, costs. Analysis Prepared by : Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 1598 Page 3