BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 472|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 472
Author: Blumenfield (D), et al
Amended: 8/20/09 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE : 7-1, 7/8/09
AYES: Wright, Calderon, Florez, Negrete McLeod, Padilla,
Price, Yee
NOES: Harman
NO VOTE RECORDED: Benoit, Denham, Oropeza, Wiggins, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 10-0, 8/17/09
AYES: Kehoe, Cox, Corbett, Hancock, Leno, Oropeza, Price,
Runner, Wolk, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Denham, Walters, Yee
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/21/09 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Disaster preparedness
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill, beginning on July 1, 2010, authorizes
the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) to
require any state entity that publishes an Internet Web
site to prominently display on the homepage of that
Internet Web site a link, as specified by Cal EMA, in
consultation with Seismic Safety Commission, that provides
specified information regarding earthquake and emergency
CONTINUED
AB 472
Page
2
preparedness for the home and workplace.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that CalEMA is
responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response
services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters
and emergencies, including responsibility for activities
necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and
mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people
and property.
Existing law provides that the Secretary of CalEMA shall
coordinate all state disaster response, emergency planning,
emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, disaster
mitigation, and homeland security activities.
Existing law provides that the Governor may assign to a
state agency any activity concerned with the mitigation of
the effects of an emergency of a nature related to the
existing powers and duties of such agency, and, it shall
thereupon become the duty of such agency to undertake and
carry out such activity on behalf of the state.
Existing law provides that each department, division,
bureau, board, commission, officer, and employee of this
state shall render all possible assistance to the Governor
and to the Secretary of CalEMA in carrying out the
requirements contained in the California Emergency Services
Act.
Existing law directs all state agencies, in rendering
disaster assistance, to cooperate to the fullest possible
extent with each other and with political subdivisions,
relief agencies, and the American National Red Cross.
Existing law states that many different agencies at various
levels of government have substantial responsibilities in
the fields of earthquake preparedness and seismic safety.
Existing law states that there is a pressing need to
provide a consistent policy framework and a means for
coordinating on a continuing basis the earthquake-related
programs of agencies at all governmental levels and their
relationships with elements of the private sector involved
in practices important to seismic safety.
AB 472
Page
3
Existing law provides, through concerted efforts of broad
scope, coordinated by a seismic safety commission,
long-term progress should be made toward higher levels of
seismic safety.
This bill:
1. Requires every state entity that publishes an Internet
Web site to prominently display on its homepage a text
or graphical link, as specified by Cal EMA, to
earthquake and emergency preparedness tips and resources
that provide the following:
A. Information regarding earthquake and emergency
preparedness for the home and workplace.
B. Guides and other publications regarding earthquake
and emergency preparedness for the home and
workplace.
C. Links to other Internet resources for earthquake
and emergency preparedness for the home and
workplace.
2. Requires CalEMA, in consultation with the Seismic Safety
Commission, to create and maintain an Internet Web site
that a state entity shall link to in order to access the
earthquake preparedness information described above.
3. Becomes operative on July 1, 2010.
4. Makes various findings and declarations.
Comments
According to the author's office, "this bill will help
increase access and exposure to information on earthquake
preparedness and educate the public on how to be ready in
the event that a catastrophic emergency occurs."
Background
The California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) .
AB 472
Page
4
CalEMA is responsible for assuring the state's readiness to
respond to and recover from the effects of natural and
manmade emergencies that threaten lives, property, and the
environment. CalEMA assists local governments and state
agencies in developing emergency preparedness, response,
recovery and mitigation plans, for terrorism, earthquakes,
floods, fires, hazardous materials incidents, and dam
breaks in accordance with the State Emergency Plan.
CalEMA's Earthquake Program . With offices in Northern and
Southern California, CalEMA's Earthquake Program provides
planning and technical assistance on various earth-related
areas of concern. Program staff members work with local
and regional governments, businesses, hospitals, schools,
human service agencies, neighborhood and community
organizations, and individuals to address, among other
things, preparedness planning, hazard mitigation, emergency
response, business resumption planning, post-earthquake
shelter and housing, and the complexities of disaster
recovery. Formed in 1993 by combining the Bay Area
Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project and the Southern
Earthquake Preparedness Project, the Earthquake Program
concentrates its efforts in the most seismically active
areas of California, but it is involved in earthquake
preparedness and damage reduction efforts across the state.
The Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (SSC) . The
SSC was created in 1975, upon enactment of legislation
authored by Senator Alfred E. Alquist, following the
devastating Sylmar Earthquake of 1971. The SSC was
established as an independent agency specifically charged
to advise the Governor, Legislature, state and local
governments, and the private and public sectors on ways to
reduce and manage earthquake risks.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11
2011-12 Fund
AB 472
Page
5
Additional Web site Minor, absorbable
costsGeneral/
links
Special
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/21/09)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
Bob Beecher, Board of Directors, Business & Industry
Council on Emergency Planning and Preparedness
California Board of Accountancy
Derek Ross, Vice Chair, Thousand Oaks Disaster Assistance
Response Team
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield,
Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon,
DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill,
Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Lieu,
Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning,
Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A. Perez, V. Manuel
Perez, Portantino, Price, Ruskin, Salas, Silva, Skinner,
Smyth, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson,
Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, Bass
NO VOTE RECORDED: Fuentes, Nava, Saldana
TSM:mw 8/21/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****