Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, provides that political subdivisions, as defined, have full power during a local emergency to provide mutual aid to any affected area in accordance with local ordinances, resolutions, emergency plans, or agreements. Existing law defines emergency plan for these purposes to mean official and approved documents that describe the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies. Existing law requires that a county send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services upon an update to the plan.

Existing law requires, upon the next update to a city or countys emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets. Existing law defines warming center to mean a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold.

This bill would specify that, upon the next update to a city or countys emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, provides that political subdivisions, as defined, have full power during a local emergency to provide mutual aid to any affected area in accordance with local ordinances, resolutions, emergency plans, or agreements. Existing law defines emergency plan for these purposes to mean official and approved documents that describe the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies. Existing law requires that a county send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services upon an update to the plan.

Existing law requires, upon the next update to a city or countys emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets. Existing law defines warming center to mean a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold.

This bill would specify that, upon the next update to a city or countys emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

Existing law establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to enforce civil rights laws with respect to housing and employment and to protect and safeguard the right of all persons to obtain and hold employment without discrimination based on specified characteristics or status.

Existing law, whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a person is engaged in conduct of resistance to the full enjoyment of certain civil rights, authorizes the Attorney General, any district attorney or city attorney, or any person aggrieved by the conduct to bring a civil action in the appropriate court, as specified. Existing law also provides civil remedies for the denial of certain civil rights, including a civil penalty in any action brought by the Attorney General, a district attorney, a city attorney, or the person denied the right.

This bill would also include the Civil Rights Department as an agency authorized to bring a civil action for these purposes.

Existing law establishes procedures designed to preclude increases in lawsuits brought primarily to chill the valid exercise of constitutional rights of freedom of speech and petition for the redress of grievances. Existing law provides that a cause of action against a person arising from any act of that person in furtherance of the persons right of petition or free speech under the United States Constitution or the California Constitution in connection with a public issue is subject to a special motion to strike, unless the court determines, after consideration of the pleadings and supporting materials, that the plaintiff has established that there is a probability that the plaintiff will prevail on the claim. Existing law exempts from these provisions enforcement actions brought in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General, district attorney, or city attorney, acting as public prosecutor.

This bill would also exempt enforcement actions brought by the Civil Rights Department.

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 2232

Author: Maienschein (D)

Amended: 4/1/24 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 12-0, 5/28/24

AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Glazer, Jones, Nguyen, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Ashby, Bradford, Ochoa Bogh, Rubio

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 4/29/24 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Accessibility to emergency information and services: emergency shelters: persons with pets

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill specifies that, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, that whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Provides that, the California Emergency Services Act (ESA), political subdivisions have full power during a local emergency to provide mutual aid to any affected area in accordance with local ordinances, resolutions, emergency plans, or agreements.
2. Requires, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets.
3. Requires that a county send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services (OES) upon an update to the plan.
4. Defines “emergency plans” to mean official and approved documents that describe the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies.
5. Defines “warming center” to mean a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold.
6. Defines “pet” to mean a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes.

This bill specifies that, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, that whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

Background

1. Author Statement. According to the author’s office, “emergency situations can strike at any moment, leaving sorrow and destruction in their wake. We as a state and legislature must do all we can to ensure we have the best emergency response plans possible to confront the inevitable.”
2. Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act. The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS) was a bi-partisan initiative in the United States House of Representatives requiring states seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to accommodate pets and service animals in their plans for evacuating residents facing disasters. The bill was introduced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when the abandonment of many thousands of pets and other animals brought the matter of animal welfare during emergencies to national attention. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration conducted a review of public relief efforts and where the infrastructure in place at the time failed.

Pet ownership in the United States has jumped significantly over the past three decades. According to World Population Review, in California just over 57% of all households own at least one pet, which is just slightly lower than the national average of 59%. Specifically, 40% of California households include a dog, with households owning an average of 1.6 dogs each, and nearly 23% of households include a cat. In total, California’s cat owning households have an average of 1.7 cats. According to Forbes, 97% of pet owners consider their pets to be a part of their family.

1. California Animal Response Emergency System. In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 450 (Yee, Chapter 604, Statutes of 2006) which mandated that the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) be incorporated into the state emergency plan (SEP), and that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and OES enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would require them to incorporate CARES into their emergency planning. CARES is intended to help manage the evacuation, sheltering, and care of animals during disasters. CARES works with local agencies, nonprofit groups, and individual volunteers to accomplish this mission.

The 2021-2022 California Budget, and associated trailer bill, allocated $3 million per year to the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in order to develop the California Veterinary Emergency Team program. This program must support a network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals to assist in the evacuation and care of animals and livestock in all stages of a disaster or emergency. When there is not an active emergency, the program will conduct ongoing research, recruit, train and prepare volunteers, and train veterinarians and veterinary students on best practices in shelter and emergency medicine.

CDFA’s CARES internet website includes helpful information and links to provide operational guidance to assist with all aspects of animal care in the event of a disaster or emergency with the assistance of agencies and volunteer organizations. The CARES Unit resides within the Emergency Preparedness and response Section of the Animal Health Branch in the Animal Health and Food Safety Services Division of CDFA. The CARES Unit provides assistance to the California Emergency Support Function 11 Food and Agriculture. To meet animal disaster related responsibilities, CDFA leverages the CARES Unit to coordinate State agency response in support of local government and with the assistance of volunteer organizations.

1. Warming Centers. The ESA requires cities and counties, upon updating their emergency plans, to include specific accommodations for pets with regard to “cooling centers,” “emergency shelters,” and “warming centers.” Each serves a specific function in mitigating the public health impacts associated with extreme temperatures – either hot or cold. Specifically, existing law defines “warming centers” as a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold and requires that a city or county provide at least one such center equipped to handle people with pets whenever multiple facilities are designated to deal with an extreme weather event.

In addition to facility-specific requirements, the ESA mandates that public information about the availability of these pet-accommodating centers be readily accessible to the public. This includes posting information on the internet and providing resources for pet emergency preparedness. The latter encompasses creating an evacuation plan and emergency checklist for pets, guided by recommendations from CDFA and FEMA.

Existing law, however, states that whenever a city or county designates “any number of emergency warming centers, it shall, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets.” This bill replaces “heating center” with “warming center,” bringing consistency to the ESA.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1983 (Maienschein, 2024) recreates the previously repealed Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund program on the personal income tax return, as specified. (Pending in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 781 (Maienschein, Chapter 344, Statutes of 2023) required, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, or whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency shelters, that emergency plan be updated to designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets, as specified. Additionally, the bill requires a city or county, to the extent practicable, designate at least one cooling or heating center that can accommodate persons with pets, as specified.

AB 1141 (M. Dahle, 2023) would rename the “Livestock Pass” program to the “Agricultural Pass” or “Ag Pass” program and make the Agricultural Pass program applicable to qualified agricultural producers, as defined. (Pending in the Senate Agriculture Committee)

AB 1215 (W. Carrillo, 2023) would have required the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified. (Vetoed by Governor Newsom)

AB 1648 (Maienschein, Chapter 547, Statutes of 2022) required any city or county to require, as a condition for obtaining a kennel license or permit, that the kennel owner create and submit to the city or county an animal natural disaster evacuation plan, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 5/28/24)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/28/24)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 4/29/24

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Alvarez, Megan Dahle, Mathis, Rendon, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez

Prepared by: Brian Duke / G.O. / (916) 651-1530

5/31/24 10:05:37

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Senator Bill Dodd

Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB Hearing Date: 5/28/2024

SUBJECT:

DIGEST: This bill specifies that, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, that whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. The California Emergency Services Act (ESA) provides that political subdivisions have full power during a local emergency to provide mutual aid to any affected area in accordance with local ordinances, resolutions, emergency plans, or agreements.
2. Requires, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets.
3. Requires that a county send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services (OES) upon an update to the plan.
4. Defines “emergency plans” to mean official and approved documents that describe the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies.
5. Defines “warming center” to mean a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold.
6. Defines “pet” to mean a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes.

This bill specifies that, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, that whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, that it also, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets.

Background

Author Statement. According to the author’s office, “emergency situations can strike at any moment, leaving sorrow and destruction in their wake. We as a state and legislature must do all we can to ensure we have the best emergency response plans possible to confront the inevitable.”

Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act. The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS) was a bi-partisan initiative in the United States House of Representatives requiring states seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to accommodate pets and service animals in their plans for evacuating residents facing disasters. The bill was introduced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when the abandonment of many thousands of pets and other animals brought the matter of animal welfare during emergencies to national attention. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration conducted a review of public relief efforts and where the infrastructure in place at the time failed.

Pet ownership in the United States has jumped significantly over the past three decades. According to World Population Review, in California just over 57% of all households own at least one pet, which is just slightly lower than the national average of 59%. Specifically, 40% of California households include a dog, with households owning an average of 1.6 dogs each, and nearly 23% of households include a cat. In total, California’s cat owning households have an average of 1.7 cats. According to Forbes, 97% of pet owners consider their pets to be a part of their family.

California Animal Response Emergency System. In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 450 (Yee, Chapter 604, Statutes of 2006) which mandated that the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) be incorporated into the state emergency plan (SEP), and that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and OES enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would require them to incorporate CARES into their emergency planning. CARES is intended to help manage the evacuation, sheltering, and care of animals during disasters. CARES works with local agencies, nonprofit groups, and individual volunteers to accomplish this mission.

The 2021-2022 California Budget, and associated trailer bill, allocated $3 million per year to the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in order to develop the California Veterinary Emergency Team program. This program must support a network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals to assist in the evacuation and care of animals and livestock in all stages of a disaster or emergency. When there is not an active emergency, the program will conduct ongoing research, recruit, train and prepare volunteers, and train veterinarians and veterinary students on best practices in shelter and emergency medicine.

CDFA’s CARES internet website includes helpful information and links to provide operational guidance to assist with all aspects of animal care in the event of a disaster or emergency with the assistance of agencies and volunteer organizations. The CARES Unit resides within the Emergency Preparedness and response Section of the Animal Health Branch in the Animal Health and Food Safety Services Division of CDFA. The CARES Unit provides assistance to the California Emergency Support Function 11 Food and Agriculture. To meet animal disaster related responsibilities, CDFA leverages the CARES Unit to coordinate State agency response in support of local government and with the assistance of volunteer organizations.

Warming Centers. The ESA requires cities and counties, upon updating their emergency plans, to include specific accommodations for pets with regard to “cooling centers,” “emergency shelters,” and “warming centers.” Each serves a specific function in mitigating the public health impacts associated with extreme temperatures – either hot or cold. Specifically, existing law defines “warming centers” as a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold and requires that a city or county provide at least one such center equipped to handle people with pets whenever multiple facilities are designated to deal with an extreme weather event.

In addition to facility-specific requirements, the ESA mandates that public information about the availability of these pet-accommodating centers be readily accessible to the public. This includes posting information on the internet and providing resources for pet emergency preparedness. The latter encompasses creating an evacuation plan and emergency checklist for pets, guided by recommendations from CDFA and FEMA.

Existing law, however, states that whenever a city or county designates “any number of emergency warming centers, it shall, to the extent practicable, designate at least one heating center that can accommodate persons with pets.” This bill replaces “heating center” with “warming center,” bringing consistency to the ESA.

Prior/Related Legislation

AB 1983 (Maienschein, 2024) recreates the previously repealed Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund program on the personal income tax return, as specified. (Pending in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 781 (Maienschein, Chapter 344, Statutes of 2023) requires, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, or whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency shelters, that emergency plan be updated to designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets, as specified. Additionally, this bill requires a city or county, to the extent practicable, designate at least one cooling or heating center that can accommodate persons with pets, as specified.

AB 1141 (M. Dahle, 2023) would rename the “Livestock Pass” program to the “Agricultural Pass” or “Ag Pass” program and make the Agricultural Pass program applicable to qualified agricultural producers, as defined. (Pending in the Senate Agriculture Committee)

AB 1215 (W. Carrillo, 2023) would have required the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a grant program to provide funding to homeless shelters and domestic shelters and domestic violence shelters to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by individuals experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence, as specified. (Vetoed by Governor Newsom)

AB 1648 (Maienschein, Chapter 547, Statutes of 2022) requires any city or county to require, as a condition for obtaining a kennel license or permit, that the kennel owner create and submit to the city or county an animal natural disaster evacuation plan, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT:

None received

OPPOSITION:

None received

Date of Hearing: April 22, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Freddie Rodriguez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2232 (

Author:Maienschein) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2024

SUBJECT: Accessibility to emergency information and services: emergency shelters: persons with pets

SUMMARY: This bill adds greater clarification to existing law that requires, upon the next update to a city or county’s emergency plan, to designate a warming center open to pets when any number of centers are opened, to the extent practicable. Specifically, this bill:

1. Replaces the term “heating center,” with “warming center” to provide consistency with a previously defined term in current law.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in the Office of the Governor and provides that OES is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies. (Government Code § 8550)
2. Requires Cal OES to be responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made 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. (Government Code § 8550)
3. Require all counties plans, and cities with previously adopted emergency plans that designate emergency shelters, to, upon their next update to their emergency plan, designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with household pets and requires, to the extent practicable, to designate a cooling center or warming center open to pets when any number of centers are opened. (Government Code § 8593.10)
4. Requires Cal OES, 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. (Government Code § 8607)
5. Requires Cal OES to approve and 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. (Government Code § 8608)
6. Requires a city or county permitted kennel to create and submit an animal natural disaster evacuation plan, as specified (Government Code § 8608.1)

COMMENTS:

According to the author: “As extreme weather events become increasingly more prevalent in the state it is crucial that local and county emergency plans meet the demands of their constituencies, up to and including allocating particular warming centers for individuals with animals. Existing legislation has formalized these provisions, however this bill would correct a typographical error in the language, clarifying any confusion and ensuring the proper implementation of the bill.”

Equity Impact: According to the author’s staff, “Existing law that this legislation is in regards to particularly impacts, following a local emergency, individuals with pets who find themselves without shelter. All Californians should have the ability to secure suitable shelter after a disaster regardless of their companion.”

Warming Centers: Warming Centers are activated to provide community members with a safe and warm environment to stay when the weather is cold. These can be activated during an emergency or whenever a local jurisdiction determines a need based on lower temperatures.

Existing law defines “warming center” to mean a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold. Government Code § 8593.10 has a singular reference to “heating center,” which is not defined in statute. This bill changes “heating” to “warming” to conform to defined statute and proper terminology.

Background: Animals play an integral role in society. In many homes, pets are considered members of the family. Additionally, working animals provide valuable services to the community, and production livestock contribute millions to the economy.

According to a study from the American Journal of Epidemiology, the risk of evacuation failure in all households was significantly higher in households with an increasing number of dogs or cats. Individuals who do not heed evacuation orders risk injury or death while placing first responders at greater risk. Additionally, when individuals leave pets behind, they are more likely to return before an evacuation order is lifted or develop traumatic responses to abandoning their pets. In September, 2021, the ASPCA released a survey which found that “while more than 90 percent of pet owners plan to bring their pet with them during an evacuation, only 16% have emergency pet-friendly housing secured, and only 46% have a preparedness plan in place.” Furthermore, roughly 80% of people who prematurely reenter an evacuation site are attempting to rescue their pets. Proponents of this bill argue that adequately planning for animal evacuation and co sheltering will mitigate threats to evacuees, animals, and first responders.

California is home to nearly 19 million domestic animals. Polls conducted in 2012 estimate that California is home to 6.7 million dogs and 7.1 million cats. Approximately one out of every three households in California owns a dog or a cat. The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported in 2012 that there are over 5.5 million cattle, 570,000 sheep, 141,000 goats, 670,000 horses, just over 100,000 hogs, and millions of chickens in the Golden State.

California Animal Response Emergency System: In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 450 (Yee), which mandated that the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) be incorporated into the State Emergency Plan, and that CDFA and Cal OES enter into a Memorandum of Understanding that would require them to incorporate CARES into all levels of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS.) The California Emergency Services Act, Section 8608, includes direction on implementation and authorities of the CARES program.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is required by the government code. The original MOU between Cal OES and CDFA was completed in 2007. A new MOU including UC Davis’ California Veterinary Emergency Team is under development. In the interim, each party informally outlined their role and are working together. CDFA and Cal OES are also working together to support interagency and volunteer stakeholder engagement for numerous issues that arise relating to animals during disasters.

CARES provides operational guidance to assist with all aspects of animal care and control in the all four phases of a disaster. In the mitigation and preparedness phases, the CARES Unit will assist local government with planning and preparing for animals in disasters. In the response and recovery phases, the CARES system, as one of the core functions of the California Emergency Support Function (ESF) 11, will primarily assist and support the CA-ESF 11 Coordinator in carrying out the responsibilities of the position in response operations. CDFA leads CA-ESF 11 and is supported by other State agencies and stakeholders with similar discipline-specific responsibilities. CA-ESF 11 is responsible for the management and oversight based on its authorities, resources, and capabilities as outlined in the State Emergency Plan (SEP). In addition, CARES provides resources for the public, for animal businesses, for shelters, and for emergency planners. CARES is structured in accordance with the SEMS and the Incident Command System (ICS).

Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act: In 2006, Congress passed the PETS Act. This act:

1. Requires the FEMA Director to ensure that state and local emergency plans address the needs of persons with household pets and service animals before, during, and after an emergency.
2. Authorizes the FEMA Director to:
   1. Study and develop plans accounting for the needs of persons with pets and service animals; and
   2. Contribute project and program funds to state and local governments for animal emergency preparedness purposes, such as the procurement, construction, leasing, or renovating of emergency shelter facilities to accommodate people, pets, and service animals.
3. Authorizes federal agencies, during an emergency, to provide rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs to persons with household pets and service animals.

California Veterinary Emergency Team: The 2021-2022 California Budget, and associated trailer bill, allocated $3 million per year to the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in order to develop the California Veterinary Emergency Team program. This program must support a network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals to assist in the evacuation and care of animals and livestock in all stages of a disaster or emergency. When there is not an active emergency, the program will conduct ongoing research, recruit, train and prepare volunteers, and train veterinarians and veterinary students on best practices in shelter and emergency medicine.

Prior and Related Legislation:

AB 781 (Maienschein) Chapter 344, Statutes of 2023. Requires all counties plans, and cities with previously adopted emergency plans that designate emergency shelters, to update their emergency plan and designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets.

AB 1648 (Maienschein) Chapter 547, Statutes of 2022. Requires a city or county permitted kennel to create and submit an animal natural disaster evacuation plan.

SB 547 (Glazer, 2020) would have required the University of California, Davis (UCD) School of Veterinary Medicine to develop a program to assist in coordinating and training a network of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals to care for household and domestic animals and livestock during emergencies. It was held in Assembly Agriculture and incorporated into the budget by AB 132 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 144, Statutes of 2021.

AB 2568 (Maienschein, 2020) was substantively similar to AB 1648 (Maienschein) Chapter 547, Statutes of 2022. and died in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. This bill would have required a city or county that requires a kennel license or permit to operate a kennel within its jurisdiction, to require, as a condition for obtaining the kennel license or permit, that the kennel owner create and submit to the city or county an animal natural disaster evacuation plan for any kennel covered by the license or permit.

AB 486 (Limón, 2019) was substantively similar to AB 1648 and held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This bill would have required a city or county that requires a kennel license or permit to operate a kennel within its jurisdiction, to require, as a condition for obtaining the kennel license or permit, that the kennel owner create and submit to the city or county an animal natural disaster evacuation plan for any kennel covered by the license or permit.

AB 1877 (Limón), Chapter 630, Statutes of 2018. Required OES to create a library of translated emergency notifications and a translation style guide, as specified, and required designated alerting authorities to consider using the library and translation style guide when issuing emergency notifications to the public.

SB 821 (Jackson), Chapter 615, Statutes of 2018. Authorized counties to enter into an agreement to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility, as defined, for the sole purpose of enrolling county residents in a county-operated public emergency warning system.

SB 833 (McGuire), Chapter 617, Statutes of 2018. Required Cal OES, in consultation with specified stakeholders, to develop voluntary guidelines for alerting and warning the public of an emergency, and requires Cal OES to develop an alert and warning training, as specified.

AB 289 (Gray), Chapter 289, Statutes of 2017. Required Cal OES to update the State Emergency Plan on or before January 1, 2019, and every five years thereafter.

AB 2311 (Brown), Chapter 520, Statutes of 2016). Required each county to integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan upon the next update.

AB 450 (Yee), Chapter 604, Statutes of 2006. Required OES to approve, adopt, and incorporate the CARES program into the SEMS.

FISCAL EFFECT: None.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Ryan Fleming / E.M. / (916) 319-3802