2005 California Government Code Sections 8871-8871.5 CHAPTER 12.1. THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ACT

8871.  The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
   (a) California is situated on the rim of the Circum-Pacific
seismic belt and it is inevitable that earthquakes along the state's
numerous faults will cause extensive property damage and endanger the
lives of people nearby.  The risk to life and property is especially
significant near the San Andreas fault where rapid growth and
population increases have occurred in our largest urban centers over
the last several decades.  With each passing year, the potential for
an earthquake-caused catastrophe increases as California's growth
continues and the time lengthens since the last great earthquake.
   (b) Earthquakes have caused and can cause in the future enormous
loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and
social disruption.  With respect to future earthquakes, that loss,
injury, destruction, and disruption can be reduced substantially by
developing and implementing earthquake hazards reduction measures,
including, but not limited to, the following:
   (1) Improving design and construction methods and practices.
   (2) Rehabilitating hazardous buildings.
   (3) Coordinating emergency planning for response by the government
and private sectors.
   (4) Implementing land use and redevelopment planning.
   (5) Developing public information and education programs.
   (6) Improving emergency response capabilities and emergency
management systems.
   (7) Developing long-term social and economic recovery strategies.
   (8) Upgrading the strong motion instrumentation system.
   (9) Improving basic research of physical and social earthquake
phenomena.
   (c) While the major responsibility for dealing with earthquakes
before and after they happen is firmly fixed with local government,
state government also has fundamental responsibilities to take all
reasonable measures to reduce the seismic hazards to which the
citizens of California are exposed.  The state should assume a
leadership role by influencing the direction of existing and future
national earthquake hazard reduction programs and should serve as a
model for local hazard reduction measures.
   (d) Earthquake hazard reduction measures often benefit many state
programs and bring about improvements in buildings, dams,
transportation facilities, communications, fire safety, toxic
materials handling, and emergency response preparations.
   (e) Over the past 10 years, numerous studies have been completed
by the Seismic Safety Commission, the Office of Emergency Services,
the California Division of Mines and Geology, the Governor's
Earthquake Task Force, the federal government, and private sector
organizations recommending improvements in hazard mitigation programs
to reduce the earthquake threat in  California. Implementing
recommendations from these studies will reduce earthquake hazards,
improve earthquake disaster response, and guide reconstruction and
recovery efforts.
8871.1.  This chapter shall be known and may be cited as The
California Earthquake   Hazards Reduction Act of 1986.
8871.2.  (a) There is hereby established a coordinated program
pursuant to which the state shall implement new and expanded
activities to significantly reduce the earthquake threat to its
citizens.  This program, to be known as the California Earthquake
Hazard Reduction Program, shall be prepared and administered by the
Seismic Safety Commission pursuant to its existing authority under
Section 8870.7.
   (b) The program set forth in subdivision (a) shall specify
priorities, funding sources, and amounts, schedules, and other
resources needed to significantly reduce earthquake hazards statewide
by January 1, 2000.  The achievement of this goal shall be
undertaken with the following objectives:
   (1) Mitigation.  The reduction of the earthquake hazard to
acceptable levels through significant reduction in the number of
hazardous buildings and the expansion of scientific and engineering
studies.
   (2) Preparedness.  The increase in the level of preparedness
statewide by appropriate measures to deal with special issues, such
as earthquake prediction, hazardous materials, critical facilities,
and disaster preparedness plans for all major population centers, and
education, training, and public information.
   (3) Response.  The enhancement of the state's capability to
respond to a major earthquake disaster by giving priority to
increased coordination and integration of federal, state, and local
plans and preparedness activities, improvements in the statewide
communication system, creation of a state emergency coordination
center or centers, and greater automation of emergency management
data.
   (4) Recovery.  The development of management systems for major
earthquake recovery, the enhancement of resources management, and the
minimization of high unemployment, multiple business failures, tax
base erosion, and associated monetary and financial issues critical
to the restoration of California's economy and public services.
   (c) The state's existing seismic safety activities are currently
administered by over two dozen separate agencies.  Responsibility for
administering these activities shall remain with these agencies.
These existing activities shall continue and shall be incorporated
into the coordinated program established under subdivision (a).
   (d) The program shall consist of a series of five-year programs
and each five-year program shall be revised by the Seismic Safety
Commission annually and submitted to the Governor and the
Legislature.  Each revision shall include a finding on the state's
progress toward the goal stated in subdivision (b).
   (e) The immediate steps to be undertaken by the commission shall
include the performance of existing activities provided in the budget
prepared by the Governor for the 1985-86 fiscal year and the Budget
Act of 1985 and the preparation of the first five-year program.
   (f) The first five-year program document shall be completed by
September 1, 1986, and shall include specific measures and funding
needed for adequate progress towards the state's earthquake safety
goals by January 1, 2000.  This program and subsequent programs shall
cover a five-year implementation period and shall recommend any
necessary statutory changes for program implementation.
8871.3.  (a) The Office of Emergency Services shall establish an
interim state operations center in southern California to coordinate
response to a major earthquake.  The office shall also develop an
operational communications plan for the center based upon an
inventory of current communications capabilities and an assessment of
structural vulnerabilities.
   (b) The office shall undertake a design analysis regarding
construction of a permanent state operations center in southern
California, including an evaluation of telecommunications and
information technology systems for emergency management functions.
   (c) All appropriations for the purposes of subdivision (a) or (b)
shall be reviewed by the Department of Finance prior to obligation of
funds.
8871.4.  The commission shall prepare the California Earthquake
Hazard Reduction Program, in consultation with the Office of
Emergency Services, the Division of Mines and Geology in the
Department of Conservation, the Office of the State Architect, the
Emergency Medical Services Authority, the University of California
and other appropriate institutions of higher learning, the California
National Guard, the Department of Finance, other appropriate state
and local agencies, the private sector, volunteer groups, and the
Legislature.
   The commission may hold public hearings or joint hearings with
other groups and conduct other activities as necessary for the
development of the program.
8871.5.  The disastrous effects and after effects of the Mexico City
earthquake of September 19, 1985, have increased the urgency for
development of local plans to provide authority and procedures for
orderly transition from emergency disaster response operations to
short- and long-range efforts toward reestablishment of governmental
services, private business activity, and reconstruction and
rehabilitation.
   In furtherance of that purpose, the commission shall enter into a
grant agreement with a local agency situated in a high
earthquake-hazard area for development of a program model for use by
local agencies and the state which will address at least, but need
not be limited to, the following elements:
   (a) Establishment of a coordinating body within the jurisdiction
to assess the various impacts of the disaster, recommend appropriate
legislative, administrative, and private actions, and monitor
implementation efforts.
   (b) Creation of an information-gathering mechanism to provide the
basis for evaluation, prioritization, and implementation.
   (c) Procedures for coordination and orderly transition from
disaster response to reconstruction and rehabilitation.
   (d) Identification, delineation, and preparation of legislation,
both statutory and local, necessary to provide authority on a
preevent basis for postevent activity to accomplish the purposes of
this program.
   (e) Integration and coordination with this chapter, the California
Emergency Services Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550)),
the Disaster Assistance Act (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section
8680)), the Economic Disaster Act of 1984 (Chapter 7.6 (commencing
with Section 8695)), the Planning and Zoning Law (Title 7 (commencing
with Section 65000)), the Community Redevelopment Law (Part 1
(commencing with Section 33000) of Division 24 of the Health and
Safety Code), and the Community Development Financial Assistance and
Disaster Project Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 34000) of
Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code).
   (f) Identification of those components of the local program which
may serve as a program model for disasters other than those caused by
earthquake.