BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 494|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 494
Author: Hill (D), et al.
Amended: 9/3/15
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 7-0, 4/28/15
AYES: Hall, Block, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Lara, McGuire
NO VOTE RECORDED: Berryhill, Gaines, Galgiani, Vidak
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
SENATE FLOOR: 38-0, 5/22/15 (Consent)
AYES: Allen, Anderson, Bates, Beall, Berryhill, Block,
Cannella, De León, Gaines, Galgiani, Hall, Hancock, Hernandez,
Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Huff, Jackson, Lara, Leno, Leyva, Liu,
McGuire, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Moorlach, Morrell,
Nguyen, Nielsen, Pan, Pavley, Roth, Runner, Stone, Vidak,
Wieckowski, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Fuller
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 9/8/15 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Emergency services: seismic safety and
earthquake-related programs
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill creates the California Earthquake Safety Fund
to be used for seismic safety and earthquake-related programs,
including the earthquake early warning system and requires the
identification of funding of the earthquake early warning system
to occur by July 1, 2016.
SB 494
Page 2
Assembly Amendments require the identification of funding of the
earthquake early warning system to occur by July 1, 2016 and
make conforming changes.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Creates, within the office of the Governor, the Office of
Emergency Services (OES) which, under the Director of
Emergency Services, coordinates disaster response, emergency
planning, emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, disaster
mitigation, and homeland security activities.
2)Requires various entities, including OES, through a
public-private partnership, to develop a comprehensive
statewide earthquake early warning system in California, as
specified.
3)Requires the OES to identify funding for an earthquake early
warning system through single or multiple sources of revenues
that shall be limited to federal funds, funds from revenue
bonds, local funds, and private grants.
4)Prohibits General Fund moneys to be used for the establishment
of an earthquake early warning system.
5)Specifies that if funding is not identified by January 1,
2016, the provisions relating to the establishment of an
earthquake early warning system should be repealed.
6)Requires the OES to file with the Secretary of State a
determination that funding was not identified by January 1,
2016.
This bill:
SB 494
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1)Creates the California Earthquake Safety Fund in the State
Treasury.
2)Specifies that 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.
3)Specifies that the California Earthquake Safety Fund may
accept federal funds, funds from revenue bonds, local funds,
and funds from private sources.
4)Requires the identification of funding of the earthquake early
warning system to occur by July 1, 2016 and makes conforming
changes.
Background
Purpose of the bill. According to the author, while existing
law requires OES to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake
early warning system, it does not establish a state fund capable
of accepting grants or contributions to implement the earthquake
early warning system in California.
The author argues that SB 494 would establish the California
Earthquake Safety Fund to help fund and coordinate seismic
safety and earthquake-related programs, including the statewide
earthquake early warning system.
Prior/Related Legislation
SB 31 (Padilla, Chapter 342, Statutes of 2013) required OES, in
collaboration with various entities, to develop a comprehensive
statewide earthquake early warning system in California.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, negligible
fiscal impact to the Office of Emergency Services (OES), which
oversees earthquake preparedness programs; minor and absorbable
costs to the State Treasurer to establish the new fund. Any
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Page 4
cost pressure to implement the earthquake early warning system
will not result in General Fund costs as current law prohibits
OES from using General Fund resources for the program.
SUPPORT: (Verified9/8/15)
Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles
OPPOSITION: (Verified9/8/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Supporters argue that SB 494 will make
California better prepared by creating the California Earthquake
Safety Fund which will facilitate the private public partnership
necessary to fund earthquake preparedness programs including a
statewide seismic early warning system.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 9/08/15
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang,
Chau, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd,
Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia,
Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray,
Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones,
Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low,
Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin,
Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea,
Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago,
Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber,
Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chávez
SB 494
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Prepared by:Felipe Lopez / G.O. / (916) 651-1530
9/9/15 9:51:53
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