BILL ANALYSIS �
Bill No: AB
1620
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Lou Correa, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 1620 Author: Rodriguez
As Amended: April 22, 2014
Hearing Date: June 24, 2014
Consultant: Art Terzakis
SUBJECT
California Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness
Commission
DESCRIPTION
AB 1620 establishes the California Emergency Management and
Disaster Preparedness Commission (Commission), consisting
of at least 14-members, to assess and improve the condition
of the state's emergency preparedness, management, and
disaster recovery capabilities. Specifically, this
measure:
1)Makes legislative findings and declarations relative to
the state's vulnerability to natural disasters, public
health pandemics, effects of climate change, acts of
terrorism, and other potential dangers and that the state
has an obligation to its people to assess the status of
intergovernmental coordination of emergency planning and
response as well as communication protocols and crisis
management.
2)Creates the Commission in state government as a statewide
executive-level body to assess and improve the condition
of the state's emergency preparedness, management, and
disaster recovery capabilities and requires the
Commission to ensure all of the following:
a) Loss of life and damage to infrastructure and
property is minimized;
AB 1620 (Rodriguez) continued
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b) Sufficiently trained personnel can be activated;
c) Hospital patients, skilled nursing facility
residents, the aged, the blind, disabled, non-English
speakers, and other vulnerable populations are
protected;
d) Reliable and timely information is disseminated;
and,
e) Every locality has planned for, and is prepared for
a disaster, and emergency responses are coordinated
across all governmental levels.
3)In addition, requires the Commission to review and make
recommendations on emergency management and disaster
preparedness, including, but not limited to, all of the
following:
a) Vulnerabilities in the state's health care, energy,
transportation, communication, and other
infrastructure.
b) The availability of equipment, fuel, food water,
and other emergency supplies.
c) The ability of first responders and other personnel
to communicate effectively with each other.
4)Stipulates that the Commission will be composed of the
following members:
a) The Governor.
b) The Attorney General.
c) One representative of a city government and one
representative of a county government, appointed by
the Governor.
d) One representative of a city/county fire service
and one representative of a city/county law
enforcement service, appointed by the Governor.
e) One representative of a local public health agency,
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appointed by the Governor.
f) One representative who is an administrator of a
local emergency medical services agency that serves a
population of less than one million persons and a
second representative that serves a population of
greater than one million persons, both of whom will be
appointed by the Governor.
g) The Director of Emergency Services.
h) The Director of the Emergency Medical Services
Authority.
i) The President of the Public Utilities Commission.
j) The Director of the State Department of Health.
aa) The Director of Technology.
5)Requires the President pro Tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the Assembly, or their designees, to meet and
participate in the Commission's activities to the extent
their participation is not incompatible with their
respective positions in the Legislature.
6)Also, authorizes the Commission to include one
representative of the American Red Cross, appointed by
the Governor.
EXISTING LAW
Existing law requires the Governor and the Office of
Emergency Services (OES) to prepare for and mitigate the
effects of emergencies in the state.
Existing law requires OES to perform a variety of duties
with respect to specified emergency preparedness,
mitigation, and response activities in the state, including
emergency medical services.
Existing law specifies that the State Emergency Plan shall
be in effect in each political subdivision of the state,
and the governing body of each political subdivision shall
take necessary actions to carry out the provisions of the
Plan.
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Existing law requires the Governor to coordinate the State
Emergency Plan and those programs necessary to mitigate the
effects of an emergency.
Existing law requires the Governor to coordinate the
preparation of plans and programs for the mitigation of the
effects of an emergency by the political subdivisions of
the State of California, such plans and programs to be
integrated into and coordinated with the State Emergency
Plan and the plans and programs of the federal government
and of other states to the fullest possible extent.
BACKGROUND
In 2012, the Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2 (GRP2)
transformed the California
Emergency Management Agency from an agency-level
organization into part of the
Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) - the
Secretary of the Agency became the Director of Emergency
Services. GRP2 also eliminated the California Emergency
Council for cost saving purposes. Generally speaking, the
make-up of the former Emergency Council and its stated
purpose/duties are similar to those found in AB 1620.
Purpose of AB 1620: It is the author's belief that
elimination of the California Emergency Council has
resulted in decreased legislative and public oversight and
accountability. The author's office contends that the
Legislature and the people of California have very little
information about state preparedness, emergency plans, and
response activities. This measure is intended to create a
mechanism for assessing the status of intergovernmental
coordination on emergency planning, communication
protocols, disaster response, and crisis management across
the state and reassuring the public and government
officials that the Administration and legislative leaders
are on top of things when it comes to planning for and
responding to emergencies.
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
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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 an 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.
Staff Comments: The author may wish to consider adding a
provision which makes it clear that neither the members of
the Commission nor the Members of the Legislature shall
receive compensation for their services under this bill,
but they shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary
expenses incurred in connection with their duties.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 918 (Cooley), Chapter 187, Statutes of 2013. Required
OES, on or before July 31, 2015, to update the California
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 2200 (Perez), 2013-14 Session. Would create, until
January 1, 2019, a 12-member "California Cyber Security
Commission," within the Department of Technology, as an
advisory body to discuss strategies for improving the
state's cyber security and cyber response capabilities.
AB 1116 (Fong), 2011-12 Session. Would have required the
Secretary of California Emergency Management to consider
the multiple languages and needs of populations who have
limited proficiency in the English language during
emergency preparedness planning, response, and recovery.
(Vetoed - Governor's message stated "this bill is
unnecessary. Cal EMA already considers the needs of limited
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English proficiency populations when revising and preparing
emergency preparedness materials. Moreover, I will direct
Cal EMA to review local plans to account for populations
that do not speak English when alerts for evacuation are
issued or when emergency medical care is required at
shelters.")
SUPPORT: As of June 20, 2014:
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME)
California Primary Care Association
OPPOSE: None on file as of June 20, 2014.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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