BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  ACR 38
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          Date of Hearing:   March 17, 2011

                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
                                Nancy Skinner, Chair
              ACR 38 (Bonnie Lowenthal) - As Introduced:  March 14, 2011
           
          SUBJECT  :   The Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency 
          Management.

           SUMMARY  :  Continues in existence the Joint Legislative Committee 
          on Emergency Services (Joint Committee), comprised of 7 Members 
          of the Senate and 7 Members of the Assembly, as specified, and 
          authorizes the Joint Committee to act until November 30, 2012, 
          and to address California's emergency management issues.  
          Specifically,  this resolution  makes the following legislative 
          findings:  

          1)In November 2003, a Blue Ribbon Fire Commission (Commission) 
            was established to conduct a review of the efforts to fight 
            the October 2003 fires and present recommendations to make 
            California less vulnerable to disasters of such enormity in 
            the future; and, in its report to the Governor, the Commission 
            recommended, among other things, the establishment of a 
            permanent Joint Committee. 

          2)The Joint Committee was established by Resolution Chapter 144, 
            Statutes of 2004, and was reestablished in 2005 and 2006 to 
            continue in existence until November 30, 2010.

          3)The Joint Committee shall be in existence until November 30, 
            2012; shall exercise all of the rights, duties, and powers 
            conferred upon investigative committees including making 
            recommendations as to legislation and forming technical 
            advisory committees to assist in its duties.

          4)The failed governmental response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 
            indicates an immediate need to continue to assess and improve upon 
            California's emergency preparedness and response plans, especially 
            in the areas of:  the specific roles of local, state, and federal 
            agencies; evacuation planning; interoperable communication 
            systems; emergency warning protocols; and, private sector 
            preparedness.

          3)California is the site of some of the most extraordinary 
            natural disasters in North America, including fires, 








                                                                  ACR 38
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            earthquakes, floods, landslides, mudslides, insect 
            infestations and drought; and, the ongoing threat of avian and 
            pandemic flu could also present unprecedented challenges to 
            the state's public health system and place at risk the state's 
            residents and our economy.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   None.

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :   

           Support 
           
          None on file.

           Opposition 
           
          None on file.

           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Anna McCabe / RLS. / (916) 319-2800