Amended in Senate April 6, 2015

Senate BillNo. 494


Introduced by Senator Hill

February 26, 2015


An actbegin delete relating to emergency services.end deletebegin insert to add Section 8587.9 to the Government Code, relating to emergency services.end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 494, as amended, Hill. Emergency services:begin delete earthquake early warning system.end deletebegin insert seismic safety and earthquake-related programs.end insert

Existing lawbegin insert creates, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services which, under the Director of Emergency Services, coordinates disaster response, emergency planning, emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, disaster mitigation, and homeland security activities. Existing lawend insert requires various entities, including the Office of Emergency Services, through a public-private partnership, to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning system in California that includes certain features, including the installation of field sensors.

This bill wouldbegin delete declare that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would further the implementation goals of the statewide earthquake early warning system.end deletebegin insert create the California Earthquake Safety Fund and would require moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be used for seismic safety and earthquake-related programs, including the earthquake early warning system described above. The bill would authorize the fund to accept grants, contributions, and appropriations from public agencies, private foundations, entities, or individuals for purposes of carrying out its provisions.end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

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

begin delete
P2    1

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
2legislation that would further the implementation goals of the
3statewide earthquake early warning system.

end delete
4begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert

begin insertSection 8587.9 is added to the end insertbegin insertGovernment Codeend insertbegin insert,
5to read:end insert

begin insert
6

begin insert8587.9.end insert  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a
7critical need for a consistent and coordinated approach to seismic
8safety and earthquake-related programs in the State of California
9through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. These
10programs may include, but are not limited to, earthquake response,
11recovery, warning, mitigation, planning, research, preparedness,
12training and exercises, hazard grants, public information, and
13education. This approach includes the coordination of state
14agencies and departments that have responsibilities to monitor
15and respond to, and to recover from, earthquakes and to assist the
16citizens and businesses in California. In order to facilitate the
17requirements of Section 8587.8, the Legislature establishes the
18Earthquake Safety Fund within the State Treasury.

19(b) (1) The California Earthquake Safety Fund is hereby created
20in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the
21moneys in the fund shall be used for seismic safety and
22earthquake-related programs, including the statewide earthquake
23early warning system described in Section 8587.8.

24(2) The California Earthquake Safety Fund may accept grants,
25contributions, and appropriations from public agencies, private
26foundations, entities, or individuals for purposes of carrying out
27the provisions of this section.

end insert


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