BILL NUMBER: SB 2104	CHAPTERED  09/27/00

	CHAPTER   698
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 27, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 25, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 31, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 29, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 28, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 24, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 18, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MAY 26, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MAY 15, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   APRIL 4, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Morrow
   (Principal coauthor:  Senator Haynes)
   (Principal coauthors:  Assembly Members Bates, Florez, and
Thompson)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2000

   An act to add Section 8570.5 to the Government Code, relating to
agricultural disasters, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take
effect immediately.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 2104, Morrow.  Agricultural disasters.
   The California Emergency Services Act requires the Governor to
develop and coordinate implementation of the state emergency plan and
those programs necessary for the mitigation of the effects of an
emergency in this state.
   This bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to
develop and adopt by January 2002 a guidance document to the state
emergency plan that would specify the response of the state and its
political subdivisions to agriculture-related disasters.
   This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as
an urgency statute.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 8570.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   8570.5.  The Office of Emergency Services shall develop a guidance
document to the state emergency plan to specify the response of the
state and its political subdivisions to agriculture-related
disasters.  This document shall be completed by January 2002 and
shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (a) The roles and responsibilities of the county agricultural
commissioners.
   (b) The roles and responsibilities of the Department of
Agriculture and other relevant state agencies that are involved in
the response to agriculture-related disasters.
   (c) Coordination of initial and ongoing crop damage assessments.
   (d) Disaster assistance between the time of the request for a
federal disaster declaration and issuance of a federal declaration.
   (e) State assistance available if a requested federal declaration
is not issued.
   (f) State assistance under a United States Department of
Agriculture designation rather than a federal declaration.
   (g) State assistance for long-term unemployment in areas with high
unemployment rates prior to an emergency.
   (h) Provision for the removal and elimination of extraordinary
numbers of dead livestock for purposes of protecting public health
and safety.
   (i) Strategies to assist in the development of an integrated and
coordinated response by community-based organizations to the victims
of agriculture-related disasters.
   (j) Procedures for the decontamination of individuals who have
been or may have been exposed to hazardous materials, which may vary
depending on the hazards posed by a particular hazardous material.
The report shall specify that individuals shall be assisted in a
humanitarian manner.
   (k) Integration of various local and state emergency response
plans, including, but not limited to, plans that relate to hazardous
materials, oil spills, public health emergencies, and general
disasters.
  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order that farmers affected by natural or quarantine disasters
may receive the benefits of this act at the earliest possible time,
it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.