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SB-1239 Animals: California Animal Response Emergency System program: Animal Care Network in Disasters program. (2019-2020)



Current Version: 02/20/20 - Introduced

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SB1239:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1239

Introduced by Senator Glazer

February 20, 2020

An act to add the heading of Part 1 (commencing with Section 32000) to, and to add Part 2 (commencing with Section 32100) to, Division 14.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1239, as introduced, Glazer. Animals: California Animal Response Emergency System program: Animal Care Network in Disasters program.
Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services, in coordination with all interested state agencies with designated response roles in the state emergency plan and interested local emergency management agencies, to jointly establish by regulation a standardized emergency management system for use by all emergency response agencies, to include specified components. Existing law requires the office to approve, adopt, and incorporate the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) program developed under the oversight of the Department of Food and Agriculture into the standardized emergency management system.
This bill would require the department to expand and develop, as part of its CARES program, under the oversight of the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, the Animal Care Network in Disasters program that represents a coordinated network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and volunteers to assist in the evacuation and care of household and domestic animals and livestock in emergencies. The bill would establish the Animal Care Network in Disasters Fund in the State Treasury to, upon appropriation, be used solely to support the program, including through an agreement with one or more schools of veterinary medicine, as specified. The bill would specify that moneys in the fund are not to be considered offsets to any other state funds appropriated to the program or contracting veterinary schools or their affiliated educational institutions. The bill would require the secretary to annually review and approve proposed uses of any program funds.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 The heading of Part 1 (commencing with Section 32000) is added to Division 14.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

PART 1. Animal Facilities and Shelters

SEC. 2.

 Part 2 (commencing with Section 32100) is added to Division 14.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

PART 2. Animal Care Network In Disasters Program

32100.
 (a) The department shall expand and develop, as part of its California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) program, under the oversight of the secretary, the Animal Care Network in Disasters program that represents a coordinated network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and volunteers to assist in the evacuation and care of household and domestic animals and livestock in emergencies.
(b) The program shall establish, train, equip, and drill local governmental and nongovernmental responders to accomplish the evacuation and care of domestic pets and livestock evacuated during disasters. The program shall also conduct or support research on best practices for the evacuation and care of the animals in disasters.
(c) For purposes of this part, “program” means the Animal Care Network in Disasters program.

32101.
 The Animal Care Network in Disasters Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose, shall be used solely to support the program, including, but not limited to, funding, through an agreement between the department and the appropriate representative of one or more schools of veterinary medicine, the necessary network of services and other program elements to successfully establish and implement the program. The agreement shall ensure that the training and the care provided by the network are at levels that are consistent with those standards generally accepted within the veterinary profession.

32102.
 Funds made available from the Animal Care Network in Disasters Fund pursuant to this part shall not be considered an offset to any other state funds appropriated to the program, any school of veterinary medicine that is a party to a program implementation agreement with the department pursuant to Section 32101, or the college or university affiliated with that school of veterinary medicine.

32103.
 The secretary shall annually review and approve proposed uses of any funds made available pursuant to this part.