Existing law establishes the Climate Ready Program in the State Coastal Conservancy to address the impacts and potential impacts of climate change on resources within the conservancy’s jurisdiction. Existing law authorizes the conservancy to undertake projects within its jurisdiction, including projects related to beach and bluff erosion and other coastal hazards that threaten coastal communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services, in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology, the California Geological Survey, the University of California, the United States Geological Survey, the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, and other stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive statewide earthquake early warning system in California through a public-private partnership, which is required to include, among other things, the installation of field sensors.

Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The University of California comprises 10 institutions of higher education, which are located at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.

Existing law, upon appropriation by the Legislature, requires the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, to conduct research on coastal cliff landslides and erosion in the County of San Diego, as specified, and to report to the Legislature recommendations for developing a coastal cliff landslide and erosion early warning system based on available research.

This bill would, upon appropriation of necessary funds by the Legislature, require the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, to conduct research on coastal cliff landslides landslides, flooding, and erosion in the County of Orange, as provided. The bill would require the research to be completed by January 1, 2026. 2027. The bill would require, by no later than March 15, 2026, 2027, the institution to provide a report to the Legislature with recommendations for establishing advanced coastal cliff landslide, erosion, and inundation flood warning systems based on available research. The bill would exempt the Regents of the University of California and its employees, acting in good faith, from civil liability for any harm resulting from measurements, predictions, or warnings regarding bluff failure, cliff landslides, or erosion contained in the report or from the research or related to the recommendations, unless those damages are the result of acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.