BILL NUMBER: SB 1065INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Alquist FEBRUARY 13, 2012 An act to add and repeal Section 8870.56 of the Government Code, relating to emergency preparedness. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1065, as introduced, Alquist. Emergency preparedness: earthquakes and fires: water supplies. Existing law creates within state government the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission as an independent entity within the State and Consumer Services Agency. Existing law requires the commission to initiate a comprehensive program to prepare the state for responding to major earthquakes and earthquake hazard mitigation. This bill would require the commission to formulate a task force on postearthquake firefighting with regard to water supplies, as specified. The bill would require the task force to recommend statewide guidelines and an implementation plan on postearthquake firefighting and water supplies, and report those findings to the Governor and the Legislature by July 1, 2013. 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. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Fires following earthquakes are a significant problem in California. (b) California, its people, and businesses are all highly exposed. About nine and one-half million residential and one million commercial property insurance policies were in effect in 2009, with a total value of insured property of $4.7 trillion dollars. (c) Historically, every significant earthquake in California has resulted in multiple simultaneous fires that have strained, and, at least in 1906, overwhelmed, the fire service. (d) Studies show that a major earthquake in a metropolitan area of California, such as the Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco Bay area regions, will result in numerous ignitions and numerous water distribution breaks. (e) Without water, firefighters may be able to save some lives, but will be severely challenged in carrying out rescue, response, and recovery missions. (f) Increased coordination between California's fire service and water purveyor community is necessary to foster a level of preparedness for fire following major earthquakes. SEC. 2. Section 8870.56 is added to the Government Code, to read: 8870.56. (a) The commission shall initiate, with the assistance and participation of other federal, state, and local government agencies, a joint fire-water agency task force composed of key senior urban California fire chiefs and managers of water purveyor departments to develop postearthquake firefighting water target goals. On or before July 1, 2013, the task force shall recommend statewide guidelines and an implementation plan for postearthquake firefighting water supplies, and shall report those findings to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to Section 9795. (b) In implementing this section, the commission shall consult with the following agencies: (1) California Emergency Management Agency. (2) Public Utilities Commission. (3) Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (4) Department of Water Resources. (c) The commission may, at its discretion, invite stakeholders to participate in the development of the statewide guidelines and implementation plan described in subdivision (a), including stakeholders in any of the following areas: (1) Emergency management and disaster response. (2) Utility service, infrastructure, and management. (3) Fire prevention, engineering, enforcement, and response. (4) Water storage, management, safety, reliability, and ecosystems. (d) The commission shall operate within its current budget as it initiates the task force and implements subdivision (a). (e) Any department or agency that participates in the task force shall operate within its current budget. (f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends that date.