Report 2019-103 Recommendation Responses
Report 2019-103: California Is Not Adequately Prepared to Protect Its Most Vulnerable Residents From Natural Disasters (Release Date: December 2019)
Recommendation for Legislative Action
To ensure that local jurisdictions develop emergency plans that include adequate measures to protect and assist all people in their communities, including those with access and functional needs, the Legislature should require Cal OES to: review each county's emergency plans to determine whether the plans are consistent with FEMA best practices, including those practices that relate to adequately addressing access and functional needs; review 10 county plans each year, prioritizing counties that we included as part of this audit and that are at high risk for natural disasters; report the results of its plan reviews to the Legislature and on its website at least once every year; provide technical assistance to counties in developing and revising their emergency plans to address the issues that Cal OES identifies in its review; include representatives of people with a variety of access and functional needs in its review of county emergency plans.
Description of Legislative Action
AB 580 (Chapter 744, Statutes of 2021) requires a county to send a copy of its emergency plan to Cal OES on or before March 1, 2022, and upon any update to the plan after that date. Cal OES, if requested and in consultation with representatives of the access and functional needs population, is required to review the emergency plan of each county to determine whether the plans are consistent with best practices and guidance issued by FEMA, including those practices that relate to adequately addressing the needs of those individuals with access and functional needs. Cal OES is required, on or before January 1, 2023, to conduct a review of the emergency plans of at least 10 counties that are of high risk for natural disasters. On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, Cal OES is required to review the emergency plans of at least ten counties, and, on or before January 1, 2028, is required to conduct a review of each county's emergency plan. Counties are required to develop and revise emergency plans to address the issues identified by Cal OES in its review and Cal OES, if requested, is required to provide technical assistance to a county in developing and revising its emergency plan to address the issues it identified in its review.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: December 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Legislation Enacted
Description of Legislative Action
AB 2386 (Chapter 254, Statutes of 2020) requires Cal OES to annually review a minimum of 10 county emergency plans to determine if they substantially conform to or exceed specified recommendations made by FEMA, and requires Cal OES to prioritize in its review an emergency plan submitted from a county determined to be at a high risk of a wildfire disaster.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: December 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
Description of Legislative Action
AB 2386 (Bigelow) would require Cal OES to annually review 10 city, county, or city and county emergency plans to determine if the plans substantially conform to or exceed specified recommendations made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The bill would require Cal OES to prioritize in its review a plan submitted from a county determined to be at a high risk of wildfire disaster.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: June 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Introduced
Description of Legislative Action
As of January 2020, the Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: February 2020