Bill Text: CA AB1770 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1770

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Emergency services: Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission: seismic mitigation and earthquake early warning technology.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Enrolled) 2024-08-19 - Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0.). [AB1770 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1770-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate September 01, 2023

Amended IN Senate June 19, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1770

Introduced by Committee on Emergency Management (Assembly Members Rodriguez (Chair), Aguiar-Curry, Alvarez, Calderon, Megan Dahle, Schiavo, and Waldron)

March 22, 2023

An act to ~~amend~~ amend, repeal, and add Section 8589.75 of the Government Code, relating to emergency services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1770, as amended, Committee on Emergency Management. Emergency services: Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission: seismic mitigation and earthquake early warning technology.

Existing law creates, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services which, under the Director of Emergency Services, coordinates disaster response, emergency planning, emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, disaster mitigation, and homeland security activities. Existing law establishes in the Office of Emergency Services the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (commission) and requires the commission, among other things, to work with specified agencies to identify key activities and responsibilities related to seismic safety and develop a schedule to provide periodic updates to the commission on their activities in order to provide a consistent policy framework to track and monitor the activities of governmental agencies in the fields of earthquake preparedness and seismic safety. Existing law authorizes the commission to take various actions to support monitoring and tracking of these activities, as specified.

This bill ~~would~~ would, until January 1, 2030, authorize the commission to coordinate with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Office of Emergency Services to take certain actions related to implementing and funding seismic mitigation activities and earthquake early warning technology, including collecting certain related information on fire stations in California, as specified. The bill would, by ~~June 30, 2024,~~ January 1, 2025, and annually ~~thereafter,~~ thereafter until January 1, 2030, require the commission to provide a report to the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management and the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization describing the commission’s actions and conclusions pursuant to these provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 8589.75 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8589.75.

(a) The commission exists as a separate unit within the Office of Emergency Services, and may recommend policies, hold meetings, hold hearings, set dates of the meetings or hearings, and positions on proposed state and federal legislation. The commission shall retain authority to issue reports, publications, and literature.

(b) (1) At a minimum, the commission shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on its findings, progress, and recommendations related to activities of the commission and the state toward higher levels of seismic safety and any other seismic safety issues.

(2) The Legislature finds that numerous agencies at various levels of government have substantial responsibilities in the fields of earthquake preparedness and seismic safety. To provide a consistent policy framework to track and monitor those activities, the commission shall, at a minimum, work with agencies that include, but are not limited to, the entities listed in subparagraphs (A) to (I), inclusive, to identify key activities and responsibilities related to seismic safety and develop a schedule to provide periodic updates to the commission on their activities. This information shall be summarized in the report required in paragraph (1) and include information to find additional information related to these activities therein:

(A) Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.

(B) California Earthquake Authority.

(D) Department of Transportation.

(E) Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams.

(F) Public Utilities Commission.

(G) State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.

(H) University of California.

(I) The California State University.

(c) (1) The commission may coordinate with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Office of Emergency Services to do any of the following:

(A) Develop a list of all fire stations in California and each station’s status in meeting the standards of the Essential Services Buildings Seismic Safety Act of 1986 (Article 1 (commencing with Section 16000) of Chapter 2 of Division 12.5 of the Health and Safety Code) to determine which stations are adequately designed and constructed to minimize fire hazards and to resist the forces generated by earthquakes, gravity, and winds.

(B) Collect data on the implementation of earthquake early warning technology in all fire stations in California and their interest in implementing that technology.

(C) Develop a template that can be used to request future funding for seismic mitigation activities related to the Essential Services Buildings Seismic Safety Act of 1986 (Article 1 (commencing with Section 16000) of Chapter 2 of Division 12.5 of the Health and Safety Code) and earthquake early warning technology.

(D) Research other potential sources of funding for seismic mitigation activities and earthquake early warning technology.

(2) By ~~June 30, 2024,~~ January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the commission shall provide a report to the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management and the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization describing the commission’s actions and conclusions pursuant to paragraph (1).

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.

Section 8589.75 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8589.75.
(a) The commission exists as a separate unit within the Office of Emergency Services, and may recommend policies, hold meetings, hold hearings, set dates of the meetings or hearings, and positions on proposed state and federal legislation. The commission shall retain authority to issue reports, publications, and literature.
(b) (1) At a minimum, the commission shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on its findings, progress, and recommendations related to activities of the commission and the state toward higher levels of seismic safety and any other seismic safety issues.
(2) The Legislature finds that numerous agencies at various levels of government have substantial responsibilities in the fields of earthquake preparedness and seismic safety. To provide a consistent policy framework to track and monitor those activities, the commission shall, at a minimum, work with agencies that include, but are not limited to, the entities listed in subparagraphs (A) to (I), inclusive, to identify key activities and responsibilities related to seismic safety and develop a schedule to provide periodic updates to the commission on their activities. This information shall be summarized in the report required in paragraph (1) and include information to find additional information related to these activities therein:
(A) Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.
(B) California Earthquake Authority.
(C) Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
(D) Department of Transportation.
(E) Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams.
(F) Public Utilities Commission.
(G) State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.
(H) University of California.
(I) The California State University.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.