BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1620
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Date of Hearing: April 9, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Isadore Hall, Chair
AB 1620 (Rodriguez) - As Introduced: February 6, 2014
SUBJECT : The California Emergency Management and Disaster
Preparedness Commission.
SUMMARY : Establishes in state government, the California
Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness Commission
(Commission) as a statewide executive-level commission to asses
and improve the condition of the state's emergency preparedness,
management, and disaster recovery capabilities. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Specifies that the Commission shall ensure all of the
following:
a) Loss of life and damage to critical infrastructure and
property is minimized during a disaster.
b) Sufficiently trained personnel can be activated for
emergency response and recovery efforts.
c) The health and safety of hospital patients, skilled
nursing facility residents, the aged, blind, disabled,
nonnative English speakers, and other vulnerable
populations are protected during an emergency.
d) The public is provided with reliable and timely
information during an emergency or disaster.
e) Every locality has planned for, and is prepared for, a
disaster.
f) Emergency responses are effectively coordinated across
all levels of government.
2)Specifies that the Commission shall review and make
recommendations on all of the following:
a) Vulnerabilities in the state's health care, energy,
transportation, communication, and other systems
infrastructure.
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b) The availability of adequate equipment, fuel, food,
water, and other emergency supplies.
c) The ability of first responders and other critical
personnel to communicate effectively with each other and
have access to adequate resources.
3)Makes various legislative findings.
EXISTING LAW
1)Requires the Governor and the Office of Emergency Services
(OES) to prepare for and mitigate the effects of emergencies
in the state.
2)Provides for the California Emergency Services Act which
requires the Director of the OES to coordinate the emergency
activities of all state agencies during an emergency.
3)Requires OES to coordinate the activities of all state
agencies relating to preparation and implementation of the
State Emergency Plan, which is the response efforts of state
and local agencies and the integration of federal resources
into state and local response and recovery operations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of the bill : According to the author, AB 1620 will
create a mechanism by which to assess the status of
intergovernmental coordination on emergency planning,
communication protocols, disaster response, and crisis
management in the state.
California is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters,
pandemic flu, acts of terrorism, and other potential dangers.
There remains a constant need to assess the status of
intergovernmental coordination on emergency planning, disaster
response and crisis management. The Commission would also review
and make recommendations on various issues including the role of
the various federal, state, local, and private sector entities
in case of an emergency, any vulnerability in the state's
infrastructure, and the ability of first responders and other
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critical personnel to communicate efficiently with each other
and have access to adequate resources.
The author further states that the California State Legislature
and people of California have very little information about
state preparedness, emergency plans, and response activities.
AB 1620 will create a mechanism by which to assess the status of
intergovernmental coordination on emergency planning,
communication protocols, disaster response, and crisis
management in the state.
Background : Prior to 2012, the Legislature was part of the
California Emergency Council (CEC), which had been in existence
since World War II and had played a crucial role in the
development of emergency planning. Unfortunately the Governor's
Reorganization Plan no. 2 eliminated the CEC in an effort to
reduce state spending.
In addition, the GRP2 transformed the California Emergency
Management Agency from an agency-level organization into an
office within the Governor's Office and renamed it the Office of
Emergency Services. According to the author, this change has
dramatically decreased legislative and public oversight and
accountability.
State Emergency Plan : The State of California Emergency Plan
addresses the state's response to extraordinary emergency
situations associated with natural disasters or human-caused
emergencies. In accordance with the California Emergency
Services Act, the plan describes the methods for carrying out
emergency operations, the process for rendering mutual aid, the
emergency services of governmental agencies, how resources are
mobilized, how the public will be informed and the process to
ensure continuity of government during and emergency or
disaster.
The plan is a management document intended to be read and
understood before an emergency occurs. It is designed to
outline the activities of all California jurisdictions within a
statewide emergency management system and it embraces the
capabilities and resources in the broader emergency management
community that includes individuals, businesses,
non-governmental organizations, tribal governments, other
states, federal government and international assistance.
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Technical Amendment : In order to allow the Commission to review
and make recommendations on issues not explicitly expressed in
the bill. The committee may wish to make the following technical
amendment on page 3, beginning on line 1:
The commission shall review and make recommendations on all
of the following : including, but not limited to:
Author Amendments : The author will be presenting the following
amendments in committee to specify the composition of the
Commission.
The commission should consist of the following members:
(1) The Governor, or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(2) The Attorney General, or an alternate appointed by him or
her.
(3) One representative of the city governments of the state and
one representative of the county governments of the state, to be
appointed by the Governor and to serve at his or her pleasure,
except that these members shall be from different counties.
(4) One representative of the American National Red Cross, to be
appointed by the Governor.
(5) One representative of the city or county fire services of
the state and one representative of the city or county law
enforcement services of the state, to be appointed by the
Governor and to serve at his or her pleasure, except that these
members shall be from different counties.
(6) One representative of a local public health agency, to be
appointed by the Governor and to serve at his or her pleasure.
(7) One representative who is an administrator of a local
emergency medical services agency that serves a population of
less than 1 million persons, to be appointed by the Governor and
to serve at his or her pleasure.
(8) One representative who is an administrator of a local
emergency medical services agency that serves a population of
greater than 1 million persons, to be appointed by the Governor
and to serve at his or her pleasure.
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(9) The Director of the Office of Emergency Services, or an
alternate appointed by him or her.
(10) The Director of the California Emergency Medical Services
Authority, or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(11) The President of the California Public Utilities
Commission, or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(12) The Director of the California Department of Public Health,
or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(13) The Director of the California Department of Technology, or
an alternate appointed by him or her.
(b) The President pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
the Assembly shall meet with and participate in the work of the
commission to the same extent as members of the commission
appointed by the Governor, except when that participation is
constitutionally incompatible with their respective positions as
Members of the Legislature.
(c) If the President pro Tempore of the Senate does not desire
to serve on the commission, the Senate Rules Committee may
appoint a Member of the Senate to serve in his or her stead. If
the Speaker of the Assembly does not desire to serve on the
commission, he or she may appoint a Member of the Assembly to
serve in his or her stead.
Prior Legislation : AB 918 (Cooley), Chapter 187, Statutes of
2013. This bill required OES, on or before July 31, 2015, to
update the State Emergency Plan to include proposed best
practices for local governments and nongovernmental entities to
use to mobilize and evacuate people with disabilities and others
with access and functional needs during an emergency or natural
disaster.
AB 2051 (Tran), 2009-2010 Legislative Session. The bill would
have authorized the California Emergency Management Agency to
prepare, in voluntary cooperation with specific local
governmental and nongovernmental entities, a specialized plan to
mobilize senior citizens and disabled persons during an
emergency or natural disaster. (Held in Senate Appropriations
Committee)
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Felipe Lopez / G. O. / (916) 319-2531