BILL NUMBER: SB 494	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 22, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 6, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hill
    (   Coauthor:   Senator  
Hertzberg   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to add Section 8587.9 to the Government Code, relating to
emergency services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 494, as amended, Hill. Emergency services: seismic safety and
earthquake-related programs.
   Existing law 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 law 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 would 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.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 8587.9 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   8587.9.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a
critical need for a consistent and coordinated approach to seismic
safety and earthquake-related programs in the State of California
through the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. These programs
may include, but are not limited to, earthquake response, recovery,
warning, mitigation, planning, research, preparedness, training and
exercises, hazard grants, public information, and education. This
approach includes the coordination of state agencies and departments
that have responsibilities to monitor and respond to, and to recover
from, earthquakes and to assist the citizens and businesses in
California. In order to facilitate the requirements of Section
8587.8, the Legislature establishes the  California 
Earthquake Safety Fund within the State Treasury.
   (b) (1) The California Earthquake Safety Fund is hereby created in
the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the
moneys in the fund shall be used for seismic safety and
earthquake-related programs, including the statewide earthquake early
warning system described in Section 8587.8.
   (2) The California Earthquake Safety Fund may accept grants,
contributions, and appropriations from public agencies, private
foundations, entities, or individuals for purposes of carrying out
the provisions of this section.