BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1214
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1214 (Nava)
As Amended August 17, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(May 4, 2009) |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 24, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: INS.
SUMMARY : Requires personnel retained by an insurance company to
protect structures threatened by fire to check in with, and
follow the instructions of, the incident commander in charge of
fighting the fire.
The Senate amendments delete the provision that required an
incident commander to allow specially trained insurance
adjusters into evacuated areas as soon as practical.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the Office of Emergency Services to establish a
standardized emergency management system that includes an
Incident Command System to ensure that there is a central
command point in charge of any disaster situation.
2)Provides generally for the regulation of insurance companies,
but does not contain any specific provisions relating to
private fire mitigation or suppression services.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
1)Required anyone hired by an insurer for the purpose of
protecting structures endangered by fire, or to perform
firefighting duties to report to the incident commander or the
incident commander's designee, and comply with the incident
commander's orders, including evacuation orders.
2)Provided that a specially trained and certified insurance
adjuster shall, upon reporting to the incident commander or
his or her designee at the site of a fire, be allowed into an
evacuated area as soon as operationally practical.
AB 1214
Page 2
FISCAL EFFECT : Undetermined, but unlikely to have any fiscal
impact on the state.
COMMENTS : According to the author, there is an increasing trend
of insurance companies hiring private fire mitigation services.
These private companies enter fire zones in an effort to
mitigate the risk to insured homes. There are concerns that
these services may clog roadways, compete for limited resources
such as water, and that the private services may feel compelled
by contract to carry out duties in an area that is subject to an
evacuation order.
Analysis Prepared by : Mark Rakich / INS. / (916 319-2086
FN: 0002240