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AB-911 Office of Emergency Services: emergency information: study.(2019-2020)



Current Version: 10/09/19 - Chaptered

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AB911:v91#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 911
CHAPTER 686

An act to add Article 6.3 (commencing with Section 8592.20) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to emergency services.

[ Approved by Governor  October 09, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State  October 09, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 911, Rodriguez. Office of Emergency Services: emergency information: study.
Existing law establishes in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services. Existing law requires the office to be responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies, including responsibility for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property. Existing law, the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act, requires every local public agency, as defined, to have an emergency communication system and requires the digits “911” to be the primary emergency telephone number within the system. Existing law also requires the office to develop a plan and timeline of target dates for the testing, implementation, and operation of a Next Generation 911 emergency communication system, including text to 911 service, throughout the state. Existing law creates in state government the State 911 Advisory Board, which advises the office on, among other things, policies, practices, and procedures for the California 911 Emergency Communications Office.
This bill would require the office, in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders, to complete a study, as provided, to determine the feasibility of developing a statewide system that would enable all Californians, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other at-risk persons, to voluntarily provide vital health and safety information, with an encrypted connection, to be made available to all first responders in an emergency if a “911” call is placed. The bill would require the office to submit the results of the study in a report to the Legislature and the State 911 Advisory Board and make that report available to the public by January 1, 2021. The bill would also require the office to determine an estimate of the funding necessary to plan, test, implement, operate, and maintain the statewide system on an annual basis and to include the funding estimate in the report.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Article 6.3 (commencing with Section 8592.20) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:
Article  6.3. The Manny Alert Act

8592.20.
 (a) This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Manny Alert Act.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to explore the establishment of a statewide system under the management of the California Office of Emergency Services that provides the ability for Public Safety Answering Points to aid in dispatching activities. The statewide system would enable all Californians, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other at-risk persons, to voluntarily provide vital health and safety information to enable first responders to better assist them during an accident or emergency.
(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the statewide system would inform law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical service personnel, who are planning for or responding to an emergency, with crucial information necessary for interacting with all Californians, especially older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other at-risk persons, so as to maximize the safety of these persons, minimize the likelihood of injury, and promote the safety of all individuals.

8592.21.
 For purposes of this article, “office” means the Office of Emergency Services.

8592.22.
 (a) The office, in consultation with any persons that the office determines are relevant experts and stakeholders, shall complete a study to determine the feasibility of developing a statewide system that would enable all Californians, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and other at-risk persons, to voluntarily provide vital health and safety information, with an encrypted connection, to be made available to all first responders in an emergency if a “911” call is placed.
(b) In considering the feasibility of the statewide system, the office shall consider all of the following in the study required by subdivision (a):
(1) That information submitted through the statewide system is confidential and not a public record. That the office and any third-party contractor or agent that assists with or administers the statewide system not disclose or otherwise communicate any or all information it receives from any person under the statewide system orally, in writing, or by electronic or any other means to a third party except to inform law enforcement, fire department, and emergency medical service personnel at the scene of an emergency.
(2) That the technology used requires the person submitting the information to confirm the accuracy of that information and states that the information will be used only by public safety dispatch personnel and first responders solely for planning for and responding to emergencies would result in a “911” call.
(3) In order to maximize efficiency and contain costs, that the statewide system incorporate, if the office determines it is consistent with public safety and technologically feasible, shared infrastructure and elements of other public safety and emergency communication networks, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Public safety communications identified in the annual plan required by subdivision (b) of Section 15277.
(B) Local and regional public safety broadband networks authorized by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
(C) Public safety broadband networks authorized by the federal Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-96).
(D) Public safety radio and communications facilities used for the purpose of public warnings pursuant to Section 15254.
(c) The office shall determine an estimate of the funding necessary to plan, test, implement, operate, and maintain the statewide system on an annual basis. The office shall include the funding estimate in the report required by subdivision (d).
(d) The office shall, by January 1, 2021, submit the results of the study required by subdivision (a) in a report to the Legislature and the State 911 Advisory Board and make that report available to the public. The report to the Legislature shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.