Amended IN Assembly April 11, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 415Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Arambula, Bennett, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Flora, Hart, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Schiavo, Villapudua, Waldron, and Wood)February 02, 2023 An act to add Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to emergency services.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 415, as amended, Rodriguez. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.The Emergency Services Act establishes in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the states emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, as specified.This bill would enact the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act and would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the office to establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would require the office to establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. The bill would require those standards to require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds be located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities and be capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year. authorize the office to prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on prescribed criteria. The bill would also require the office to consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would provide that the program is operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585.8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. Amended IN Assembly April 11, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 415Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Arambula, Bennett, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Flora, Hart, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Schiavo, Villapudua, Waldron, and Wood)February 02, 2023 An act to add Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to emergency services.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 415, as amended, Rodriguez. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.The Emergency Services Act establishes in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the states emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, as specified.This bill would enact the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act and would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the office to establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would require the office to establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. The bill would require those standards to require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds be located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities and be capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year. authorize the office to prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on prescribed criteria. The bill would also require the office to consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would provide that the program is operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Amended IN Assembly April 11, 2023 Amended IN Assembly April 11, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 415 Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Arambula, Bennett, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Flora, Hart, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Schiavo, Villapudua, Waldron, and Wood)February 02, 2023 Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Arambula, Bennett, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Flora, Hart, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Schiavo, Villapudua, Waldron, and Wood) February 02, 2023 An act to add Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to emergency services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 415, as amended, Rodriguez. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act. The Emergency Services Act establishes in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the states emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, as specified.This bill would enact the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act and would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the office to establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would require the office to establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. The bill would require those standards to require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds be located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities and be capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year. authorize the office to prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on prescribed criteria. The bill would also require the office to consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would provide that the program is operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes. The Emergency Services Act establishes in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the states emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, as specified. This bill would enact the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act and would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the office to establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would require the office to establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. The bill would require those standards to require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds be located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities and be capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year. authorize the office to prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on prescribed criteria. The bill would also require the office to consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would provide that the program is operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes. ## Digest Key ## Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585.8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. The people of the State of California do enact as follows: ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585.8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. SECTION 1. Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 8601) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: ### SECTION 1. Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585.8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act.8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585.8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program Article 8.5. Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Program 8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act. 8601. This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act. 8602. For purposes of this article:(a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code.(b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585. 8602. For purposes of this article: (a) Fairground means a state-designated fair, as defined in Section 19418 of the Business and Professions Code. (b) Office means the Office of Emergency Services established pursuant to Section 8585. 8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria:(A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities.(B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year.(c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria:(1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site.(2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground.(d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds.(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section. 8603. (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the office shall establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. (b) (1)The office shall establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairgrounds need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. (2)The standards shall require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds pursuant to this section meets both of the following criteria: (A)The fairground is located in an area with sufficient open-access middle-mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairgrounds expanded broadband capabilities. (B)The fairground is capable of providing public access to the fairgrounds broadband network throughout the year. (c) The office may prioritize the order of grant disbursements based on any of the following criteria: (1) The frequency in which fairgrounds are used as an emergency staging area, evacuation center, community resilience center, or other relevant emergency response site. (2) The need to address an operational or response gap or other deficiency or problem that would be addressed through building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure at a specific fairground. (d) The office shall consult with the Department of Technology and the Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the statewide building and upgrading of communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. (e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section.