BILL NUMBER: SB 1151	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 28, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hall

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2016

   An act to  amend Section 8574.17 of   add
Section 8588.4 to  the Government Code, relating to state
government.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1151, as amended, Hall. Emergency services:  state
toxic disaster contingency plan.   feasibility study.
 
   Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services within
the office of the Governor and under the supervision of the Director
of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the state'
s emergency and disaster response services for natural,
technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies.  
   This bill would require the office to conduct a study to determine
the feasability of establishing a contract with the United States
Postal Service to obtain the assistance of the United States Postal
Service with emergency response during a declared disaster, as
specified.  
   Existing law requires the Governor to establish a state toxic
disaster contingency plan that provides for an integrated and
effective state procedure to respond to the occurrence of toxic
disasters within the state.  
   This bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to post
the state toxic disaster contingency plan on its Internet Web site.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1   .    Section 8588.4 is added to
the   Government Code  , to read:  
   8588.4.  The office shall conduct a study to determine the
feasability of establishing a contract with the United States Postal
Service to obtain the assistance of the United States Postal Service
with emergency response services during a declared disaster. The
study shall include, but is not limited to, an examination of the use
of United States Postal Service employees, resources, and assets to
provide the following:
   (a) An identification of residential or commercial structures that
have been damaged as a result of a declared emergency.
   (b) An identification of persons who reside in an area damaged by
a declared emergency, and any emergency medical or physical needs of
those persons.
   (c) Assistance in assessing damage to neighborhoods or schools as
a result of a declared emergency.
   (d) Any other activity that the office deems necessary to assist
in responding to a declared disaster.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 8574.17 of the Government
Code is amended to read:
   8574.17.  (a) (1) A state toxic disaster contingency plan
established pursuant to this article shall provide for an integrated
and effective state procedure to respond to the occurrence of toxic
disasters within the state. The plan shall provide for the
designation of a lead agency to direct strategy to ameliorate the
effects of a toxic disaster, for specified state agencies to
implement the plan, for interagency coordination of the training
conducted by state agencies pursuant to the plan, and for on-scene
coordination of response actions.
   (2) Notwithstanding any provision of the plan, the authority for
the management of the scene of an on-highway toxic spill or disaster
shall be vested in the appropriate law enforcement agency having
primary traffic investigative authority on the highway where the
incident occurs or in a local fire protection agency as provided by
Section 2454 of the Vehicle Code. During the preparation of the toxic
disaster contingency plan, the Office of Emergency Services shall
adopt the recommendations of the Department of the California Highway
Patrol in developing response and on-scene procedures for toxic
disasters which occur upon the highways, based upon previous studies
for such procedures, insofar as the procedures are not inconsistent
with the overall plan for initial notification of toxic disasters by
public agencies and for after-incident evaluation and reporting.
   (b) The Office of Emergency Services shall establish a central
notification and reporting system to facilitate operation of the
state toxic disaster response procedures designated by the toxic
disaster contingency plan.
   (c) The Office of Emergency Services shall post the state toxic
disaster contingency plan on its Internet Web site.