AB 2238: Extreme heat: statewide extreme heat ranking system.
- Session Year: 2021-2022
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2022-09-09
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to transmit a study of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, to periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to transmit a study of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, to periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2024, 2025, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to transmit a study of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, to periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2024, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to transmit a study of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2024, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with ICARP the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the department, by January Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to submit transmit a study of the insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, and ICARP. the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with, and develop statewide guidance for, with local health departments and local and tribal governments governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and recommend heat adaptation measures, review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2024, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with ICARP and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the department, by January 1, 2024, to submit a study of the insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, the agency, and ICARP. The bill would require ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with, and develop statewide guidance for, local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and recommend heat adaptation measures, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governors office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioners powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events.
This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2024, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with ICARP and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the department, by January 1, 2024, to submit a study of the insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, the agency, and ICARP. The bill would require ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with, and develop statewide guidance for, local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and recommend heat adaptation measures, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Disadvantaged community means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3)Extreme heat means increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service, the Office of Emergency Services, or a county health officer.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(4)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(5)Vulnerable community has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340.
(b)On or before January 1, 2025, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events, including available mortality and morbidity information.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity, including the severity of the outcome of extreme heat on human health.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies or other cooling measures.
(5)Comments and suggestions obtained from public input received at a minimum of one public workshop, as appropriate.
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include all of the following:
(1)Recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts and prioritize reducing the impacts of extreme heat to human health.
(2)Recommendations for metrics to measure the short-term and long-term impacts of extreme heat on human health.
(3)A consideration of the information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f).
(d)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall be adaptable for use at locally relevant scales.
(e)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, the ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Insurance, and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, local health departments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events, including, but not limited to, the most vulnerable populations. The communication plan shall include both of the following:
(A)Outreach plans for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations.
(B)Recommendations for targeted communications by local governments that include the use of culturally appropriate materials translated into multiple languages based on the common languages spoken in the locality.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Review the extreme heat ranking system and, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, recommend to local governments specific and locally relevant heat adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures that could be linked to the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(f)The Department of Insurance shall develop a study that does all of the following:
(1)Identifies past extreme heat events with differing duration, maximum temperature, humidity, and measurable health impacts.
(2)Examines the past extreme heat events identified pursuant to paragraph (1) to determine uninsured and insured economic costs, the insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, including among different types of insurance policies and their costs and payouts, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat.
(3)Identifies insurance options that will support the specific adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(4)Draws information from local and regional heat mitigation plans and initiatives.
(5)Incorporates local input to identify local heat risks that are or have historically been uninsured and determine the barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools, including, but not limited to, heat-index-triggered parametric insurance, catastrophe bonds, and resilience bonds, to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies.
(6)Includes recommendations for overcoming the barriers identified pursuant to paragraph (5) and details key elements of potential model local heat risk transfer mechanisms.
(g)On or before July 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall transmit the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f) to the agency, the ICARP, and the legislative policy committees with jurisdiction over natural resources, environmental quality, insurance, and the budget, and shall post the study on its internet website.
(h)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (g) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(i)The agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Disadvantaged community means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3)Extreme heat means increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service, the Office of Emergency Services, or a county health officer.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(4)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(5)Vulnerable community has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340.
(b)On or before January 1, 2025, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events, including available mortality and morbidity information.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity, including the severity of the outcome of extreme heat on human health.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies or other cooling measures.
(5)Comments and suggestions obtained from public input received at a minimum of one public workshop, as appropriate.
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include all of the following:
(1)Recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts and prioritize reducing the impacts of extreme heat to human health.
(2)Recommendations for metrics to measure the short-term and long-term impacts of extreme heat on human health.
(3)A consideration of the information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f).
(d)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall be adaptable for use at locally relevant scales.
(e)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, the ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Insurance, and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, local health departments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events, including, but not limited to, the most vulnerable populations. The communication plan shall include both of the following:
(A)Outreach plans for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations.
(B)Recommendations for targeted communications by local governments that include the use of culturally appropriate materials translated into multiple languages based on the common languages spoken in the locality.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Review the extreme heat ranking system and, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, recommend to local governments specific and locally relevant heat adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures that could be linked to the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(f)The Department of Insurance shall develop a study that does all of the following:
(1)Identifies past extreme heat events with differing duration, maximum temperature, humidity, and measurable health impacts.
(2)Examines the past extreme heat events identified pursuant to paragraph (1) to determine uninsured and insured economic costs, the insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, including among different types of insurance policies and their costs and payouts, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat.
(3)Identifies insurance options that will support the specific adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(4)Draws information from local and regional heat mitigation plans and initiatives.
(5)Incorporates local input to identify local heat risks that are or have historically been uninsured and determine the barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools, including, but not limited to, heat-index-triggered parametric insurance, catastrophe bonds, and resilience bonds, to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies.
(6)Includes recommendations for overcoming the barriers identified pursuant to paragraph (5) and details key elements of potential model local heat risk transfer mechanisms.
(g)On or before July 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall transmit the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f) to the agency, the ICARP, and the legislative policy committees with jurisdiction over natural resources, environmental quality, insurance, and the budget, and shall post the study on its internet website.
(h)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (g) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(i)The agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Disadvantaged community means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3)Extreme heat means increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service, the Office of Emergency Services, or a county health officer.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(4)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(5)Vulnerable community has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340.
(b)On or before January 1, 2024, 2025, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events, including available mortality and morbidity information.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity, including the severity of the outcome of extreme heat on human health.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies or other cooling measures.
(5)Comments and suggestions obtained from public input received at a minimum of one public workshop, as appropriate.
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include all of the following:
(1)Recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts and prioritize reducing the impacts of extreme heat to human health.
(2)Recommendations for metrics to measure the short-term and long-term impacts of extreme heat on human health.
(3)A consideration of the information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f).
(d)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall be adaptable for use at locally relevant scales.
(e)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, the ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Insurance, and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, local health departments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events, including, but not limited to, the most vulnerable populations. The communication plan shall include both of the following:
(A)Outreach plans for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations.
(B)Recommendations for targeted communications by local governments that include the use of culturally appropriate materials translated into multiple languages based on the common languages spoken in the locality.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Review the extreme heat ranking system and, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, recommend to local governments specific and locally relevant heat adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures that could be linked to the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(f)The Department of Insurance shall develop a study that does all of the following:
(1)Identifies past extreme heat events with differing duration, maximum temperature, humidity, and measurable health impacts.
(2)Examines the past extreme heat events identified pursuant to paragraph (1) to determine uninsured and insured economic costs, the insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, including among different types of insurance policies and their costs and payouts, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat.
(3)Identifies insurance options that will support the specific adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(4)Draws information from local and regional heat mitigation plans and initiatives.
(5)Incorporates local input to identify local heat risks that are or have historically been uninsured and determine the barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools, including, but not limited to, heat-index-triggered parametric insurance, catastrophe bonds, and resilience bonds, to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies.
(6)Includes recommendations for overcoming the barriers identified pursuant to paragraph (5) and details key elements of potential model local heat risk transfer mechanisms.
(g)On or before July 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall transmit the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f) to the agency, the ICARP, and the legislative policy committees with jurisdiction over natural resources, environmental quality, insurance, and the budget, and shall post the study on its internet website.
(h)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (g) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(i)The agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Disadvantaged community means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3)Extreme heat means increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service, the Office of Emergency Services, or a county health officer.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(4)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(5)Vulnerable community has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340.
(b)On or before January 1, 2024, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events, including available mortality and morbidity information.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity, including the severity of the outcome of extreme heat on human health.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies or other cooling measures.
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include all of the following:
(1)Recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts and prioritize reducing the impacts of extreme heat to human health.
(2)Recommendations for metrics to measure the short-term and long-term impacts of extreme heat on human health.
(3)A consideration of the information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f).
(d)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall be adaptable for use at locally relevant scales.
(e)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, the ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Insurance, and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, local health departments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events, including, but not limited to, the most vulnerable populations. The communication plan shall include both of the following:
(A)Outreach plans for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations.
(B)Recommendations for targeted communications by local governments that include the use of culturally appropriate materials translated into multiple languages based on the common languages spoken in the locality.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Review the heat ranking system and, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, recommend to local governments specific and locally relevant heat adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures that could be linked to the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(f)The Department of Insurance shall develop a study that does all of the following:
(1)Identifies past extreme heat events with different differing duration, maximum temperature, humidity, and measurable health impacts.
(2)Analyzes Examines the past extreme heat events identified pursuant to paragraph (1) to determine uninsured and insured economic costs, the insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, including among different types of insurance policies and their costs and payouts, and evaluate insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat.
(3)Identifies insurance options that will support the specific adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(4)Draws information from local and regional heat mitigation plans and initiatives.
(5)Incorporates local input to identify local heat risks that are or have historically been uninsured and determine the barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools, including, but not limited to, heat-index-triggered parametric insurance, catastrophe bonds, and resilience bonds, to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies.
(6)Includes recommendations for overcoming the barriers identified pursuant to paragraph (5) and details key elements of potential model local heat risk transfer mechanisms.
(g)On or before July 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall transmit the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f) to the agency, the ICARP, and the legislative policy committees with jurisdiction over natural resources, environmental quality, insurance, and the budget, and shall post the study on its internet website.
(h)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (g) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Disadvantaged community means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2)(3)Extreme heat means increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service or Service, the Office of Emergency Services. Services, or a county health officer.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(3)(4)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(5)Vulnerable community has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 71340.
(b)On or before January 1, 2024, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events. events, including available mortality and morbidity information.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity. severity, including the severity of the outcome of extreme heat on human health.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies or other cooling measures.
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include recommendations all of the following:
(1)Recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts, and consider impacts and prioritize reducing the impacts of extreme heat to human health.
(2)Recommendations for metrics to measure the short-term and long-term impacts of extreme heat on human health.
(3)A consideration of the information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (e). (f).
(d)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall be adaptable for use at locally relevant scales.
(d)(e)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, the ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services Services, the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Insurance, and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, local health departments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events. events, including, but not limited to, the most vulnerable populations. The communication plan shall include both of the following:
(A)Outreach plans for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations.
(B)Recommendations for targeted communications by local governments that include the use of culturally appropriate materials translated into multiple languages based on the common languages spoken in the locality.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Recommend specific heat adaptation measures Review the heat ranking system and, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, recommend to local governments specific and locally relevant heat adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures that could be triggered by linked to the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(e)On or before January 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall study insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events with different duration, maximum temperature, and measurable health impacts. The results of this study shall be transmitted to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, the agency, and ICARP.(f)The Department of Insurance shall develop a study that does all of the following:
(1)Identifies past extreme heat events with different duration, maximum temperature, humidity, and measurable health impacts.
(2)Analyzes the past extreme heat events identified pursuant to paragraph (1) to determine the effectiveness of insurance coverages, including types of insurance policies and their costs and payouts, and evaluate insurance gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups that face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat.
(3)Identifies insurance options that will support the specific adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(4)Draws information from local and regional heat mitigation plans and initiatives.
(5)Incorporates local input to identify local heat risks that are or have historically been uninsured and determine the barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools, including, but not limited to, heat-index-triggered parametric insurance, catastrophe bonds, and resilience bonds, to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies.
(6)Includes recommendations for overcoming the barriers identified pursuant to paragraph (5) and details key elements of potential model local heat risk transfer mechanisms.
(g)On or before July 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall transmit the results of the study prepared pursuant to subdivision (f) to the agency, the ICARP, and the legislative policy committees with jurisdiction over natural resources, environmental quality, insurance, and the budget, and shall post the study on its internet website.
(f)(h)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (e) (g) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Extreme heat means a period of unusual and uncomfortable hot weather that could result in a heat wave or other heat health event. increasing temperatures or other meteorological conditions that could result in any of the following:
(A)Extreme heat wave.
(B)Heat health event.
(C)Heat watch, warning, or advisory from the National Weather Service or the Office of Emergency Services.
(D)A proclamation of a state of emergency by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(3)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(b)On or before January 1, 2024, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts, and consider information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study pursuant to subdivision (e).
(d)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at-risk at risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Recommend specific heat adaptation measures that could be triggered by the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(e)On or before January 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall study insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events with different duration, maximum temperature, and measurable health impacts. The results of this study shall be transmitted to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, the agency, and ICARP.
(f)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (e) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
REVISIONS: HeadingLine 5.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)Pursuant to Section 71400 of the Public Resources Code, the California Environmental Protection Agency has developed heat reduction strategies and tools, including developing an urban heat island index, released in 2015, to give cities quantifiable goals for heat reduction.
(b)The latest California Climate Change Assessment projects hotter, longer, and more frequent heat events. Heat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.
(c)California has experienced record-setting temperatures in the last two years, demonstrating the urgency of addressing climate-intensified extreme heat impacts. In 2020, temperatures in Los Angeles County reached as high as 121 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, causing an increase of 10 times the normal number of emergency room visits. Additionally, in 2021, the Coachella Valley had its hottest year ever, with temperatures reaching 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
(d)A statewide ranking system for extreme heat is one of the recommendations from the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which was convened by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and pursuant to Senate Bill 30 (Chapter 614 of the Statutes of 2018). The California Climate Insurance Working Group made extreme heat an area of emphasis, focusing on recommendations to close the protection gap and better protect vulnerable communities.
(e)Existing advance warnings of disasters from other perils save lives and provide a window of opportunity for protecting property, avoiding harm, and saving lives. For example, Californias red flag warnings for wildfire conditions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality App, the naming system for tropical storms and hurricanes by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and air quality alerts embedded in smart phone weather applications that allow those with respiratory conditions to find shelter in advance from dirty air could serve as templates for ranking extreme heat events.
SEC. 2.Part 5.5 (commencing with Section 71410) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:5.5.Extreme Heat71410.(a)For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)Agency means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(2)Extreme heat means a period of unusual and uncomfortable hot weather that could result in a heat wave or other heat health event.
(3)ICARP means the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, established pursuant to Section 71354, at the Office of Planning and Research.
(b)On or before January 1, 2024, the agency, in coordination with the ICARP and the Department of Insurance, shall develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system to be based upon, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)Available meteorological data from government and academic sources, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and duration of extreme heat events.
(2)Information and data on health impacts of heat established through best available science or data from past heat and extreme heat events.
(3)Measures of extreme heat severity.
(4)Locally relevant information, such as urban heat island effects, or cooling effects from urban tree canopies
(c)The statewide extreme heat ranking system shall include recommendations on thresholds or triggers for public policies that reduce the risk of extreme heat impacts, and consider information reported by the Department of Insurance, including the results of the study pursuant to subdivision (e).
(d)After the statewide extreme heat ranking system is finalized, ICARP shall do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services and other state agencies, and with input from local governments, tribal organizations, labor organizations, environmental organizations, and community groups from vulnerable communities, a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system with a focus on strategies that target communications to populations that are most at-risk of public health and emergency impacts from extreme heat events.
(2)Recommend partnerships with local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events.
(3)Recommend specific heat adaptation measures that could be triggered by the statewide extreme heat ranking system and identify how the statewide extreme heat ranking system aligns with additional extreme heat adaptation policies pursuant to Section 71354.
(e)On or before January 1, 2024, the Department of Insurance shall study insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat events with different duration, maximum temperature, and measurable health impacts. The results of this study shall be transmitted to the appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, the agency, and ICARP.
(f)The requirement for submitting a study imposed under subdivision (e) is inoperative on January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Sep 9, 2022 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 264, Statutes of 2022. |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep 8, 2022 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m. |
| Aug 31, 2022 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
| Aug 31, 2022 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5367.). |
| Aug 30, 2022 | Ordered to special consent calendar. |
| Aug 25, 2022 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 24, 2022 | Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. |
| Aug 15, 2022 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 11, 2022 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 11). |
| Aug 2, 2022 | In committee: Referred to suspense file. |
| Jun 23, 2022 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun 13, 2022 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on INS. |
| Jun 8, 2022 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on INS. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on INS. |
| Jun 1, 2022 | Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and INS. |
| May 24, 2022 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May 23, 2022 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 4836.) |
| May 19, 2022 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 19). |
| May 4, 2022 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. |
| Mar 30, 2022 | Coauthors revised. |
| Mar 24, 2022 | Re-referred to Com. on INS. |
| Mar 23, 2022 | Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 22, 2022 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on INS. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (March 21). |
| Mar 3, 2022 | Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and INS. |
| Feb 17, 2022 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 19. |
| Feb 16, 2022 | Read first time. To print. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2022 | AB 2238 Luz Rivas Concurrence in Senate Amendments | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| Aug 31, 2022 | Special Consent AB2238 | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| May 23, 2022 | AB 2238 Luz Rivas Assembly Third Reading | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
