AB 1567

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, establishes the Office of Emergency Services (OES) within the office of the Governor, and sets forth its powers and duties, including responsibility for addressing natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies, including activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property. This bill would require OES to develop state recovery frameworks for California's catastrophic plans, as provided. The bill would also require the governing body of a political subdivision, as defined, to develop regional recovery frameworks for California's catastrophic plans and would require OES to provide technical assistance in this regard. This bill would require OES and the governing bodies of political subdivisions, in developing recovery frameworks, to incorporate lessons learned from recent major disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would require the recovery frameworks to be consistent with guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and to address, at a minimum, specified recovery support functions, including economic recovery, health and social services, and infrastructure systems. The bill would require OES to use, to the greatest extent possible, federal preparedness grant funding to offset the state, local, and tribal government costs associated with developing recovery frameworks. The bill would require the state and regional recovery frameworks to be completed by January 15, 2023. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.