ARTICLE 6.5. Accessibility to Emergency Information and Services [8593. - 8594.16.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 6.5.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593. Section 8593.

The Office of Emergency Services shall work with advocacy groups representing the deaf and hard of hearing, including, but not limited to, the California Association of the Deaf and the Coalition of Deaf Access Providers, California television broadcasters, city and county emergency services coordinators, and, as appropriate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission, to improve communication with deaf and hard-of-hearing persons during emergencies, including the use of open captioning by California television broadcasters when transmitting emergency information.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.1. Section 8593.1.

The Office of Emergency Services shall investigate the feasibility of, and the funding requirements for, establishing a “Digital Emergency Broadcast System” network, to be used by local and state government agencies for the provision of warnings and instructions in digital or printed form to California broadcast outlets for relay to the public both orally and visually, through television, and orally, through radio, during emergencies.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.2. Section 8593.2.

The Office of Emergency Services shall investigate the feasibility of establishing a toll-free 800 telephone hotline, including TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) accessibility, which would be accessible to the public, including deaf, hard-of-hearing, and non-English-speaking persons, for use during nonemergency and emergency periods to respond to inquiries about emergency preparedness and disaster status.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.3. Section 8593.3.

(a) A county, including a city and county, shall, upon the next update to its emergency plan, integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan by addressing, at a minimum, how the access and functional needs population is being served by the following: (1) Emergency communications, including the integration of interpreters, translators, and assistive technology. (2) Emergency evacuation, including all of the following: (A) The identification of transportation resources and resources that are compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.) for individuals who are dependent on public transportation. (B) Integrating evacuation and transportation plans to account for local community resilience centers. (C) Ensuring that local community resilience centers are prepared to serve as communitywide assets during extreme heat events and other disasters. (D) Designating available locations that may be necessary to provide respite to individuals during emergencies, including, but not limited to, extreme heat, cold, or unhealthy air incidents. (E) Integrating evacuation plans to account for the following: (i) Community resilience center programs, including, but not limited to, the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) Community Resilience and Heat Grant Program developed by the Office of Planning and Research. (ii) Fairground resilience center programs, including, but not limited to, the Fairground and Community Resilience Center Grant Program developed by the Department of Food and Agriculture. (3) Emergency sheltering, including both of the following: (A) Ensuring that designated shelters are compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.) or can be made compliant through modification and that showers and bathrooms are fully accessible to all occupants. (B) Integrating sheltering and transportation plans to account for transportation between community resilience centers and shelters. (b) A local government may enter into an agreement with a, or may use the records of its own, social services department to access the contact information of persons from the access and functional needs population, and the contact information of the designated emergency contacts of those persons, if any, for the sole purpose of enrolling those individuals, who are residents of that local government, in a city-operated, county-operated, or city- and county-operated public emergency warning system. (c) A county, or city and county, upon the next update to its emergency plan, regarding the integration of access and functional needs into that emergency plan, shall include representatives from the access and functional needs population, pursuant to subdivision (b), including, but not limited to, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, and transportation providers. (d) A local government that enters into an agreement to access information pursuant to subdivision (b) shall include procedures to enable any covered resident or designated emergency contact to opt out of the warning system and a process to terminate the local government’s access to the contact information of the resident or the designated emergency contact from a county social services department. A local government or any third-party contractor or agent that assists with or administers an emergency warning system shall not use the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification. The local government shall ensure that the confidentiality of the contact information is protected under reasonable security procedures. (e) A local government that enters into an agreement to access information pursuant to subdivision (b) shall, upon receipt of that information, notify residents and designated emergency contacts that they have been entered into the public emergency warning system. This notification shall include a process to opt out of the warning system and to terminate the local government’s access to the contact information of the resident or the designated emergency contact for purposes of the emergency warning system, regardless of the source of the information. (f) For purposes of this section: (1) “Access and functional needs population” consists of individuals who have developmental or intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic conditions, injuries, limited English proficiency or who are non-English speaking, older adults, children, people living in institutionalized settings, or those who are low income, homeless, or transportation disadvantaged, including, but not limited to, those who are dependent on public transit or those who are pregnant. (2) “Contact information” means a person’s name, address, telephone number, and email address. (3) “Local community resilience center” means a hydration station, cooling center, clean air center, respite center, community evacuation and emergency response center, or similar facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change, such as wildfire, power outages, or flooding, on local populations. (4) “Local government” means a city or county, including a city and county. (g) Any contact information of a person from the access and functional needs population or the contact information of the designated emergency contact for that person, obtained by a local government pursuant to this section shall not specify whether that person receives public benefits or any other information, besides the contact information, that would be considered personal or confidential.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.3.2. Section 8593.3.2.

(a) A county shall send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services on or before March 1, 2022, and upon any update to the plan after that date. (b) The office, if requested, in consultation with representatives of people with a variety of access and functional needs, shall review each county’s emergency plans pursuant to the schedule described in subdivision (c) to determine whether the plans are consistent with best practices and guidance issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including those practices that relate to adequately addressing the needs of those individuals with access and functional needs, including people with disabilities, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 8588.15. The review shall include an evaluation of the following: (1) The status of the county emergency alert system, including the different alerting systems used and the number of individuals signed up for each system. (2) Evacuation routes and plans and shelter-in-place plans, including preparations for evacuating or caring for individuals with access and functional needs. (3) Efforts at community outreach to prepare communities and individuals to take action in the event of an emergency or a disaster. (4) Large animal evacuation plans. (5) Plans to ensure the health and safety of citizens during power outages. (c) On or before January 1, 2023, the office shall conduct a review pursuant to subdivision (b) of the emergency plans of at least 10 counties that are of high risk for natural disasters. On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the office shall conduct a review pursuant to subdivision (b) of the emergency plans of at least ten counties. On or before January 1, 2028, the office shall conduct a review pursuant to subdivision (b) of the emergency plan of each county. (d) The county shall develop and revise its emergency plan to address the issues that the office identified in its review pursuant to subdivision (b). (e) The office, if requested, shall provide technical assistance to a county in developing and revising its emergency plan to address the issues that the office identified in its review pursuant to subdivision (b).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.3.5. Section 8593.3.5.

(a) A county, including a city and county, shall, upon the next update to its emergency plan, integrate cultural competence into its emergency plan by addressing, at a minimum, how culturally diverse communities within its jurisdiction are served by the following: (1) Emergency communications, including the integration of interpreters and translators. (2) Emergency evacuation and sheltering. (3) Emergency mitigation and prevention. (4) Emergency planning, including drawing on community-based values and customs, and incorporating qualified representatives from diverse population groups in the community, during the planning process. (5) Emergency preparedness, including the use of culturally appropriate resources and outreach techniques to educate and prepare community members for emergencies or disasters. (b) In relation to subdivision (a), a county, including a city and county, shall provide a forum for community engagement in geographically diverse locations in order to engage with culturally diverse communities within its jurisdiction. (1) A county, including a city and county, may establish a separate community advisory board for the purpose of cohosting, coordinating, and conducting outreach for the community engagement forums. The advisory board may assist the county in prioritizing which culturally diverse communities to outreach to and in implementing strategies related to elements in subdivision (a) for integration into the county emergency plan. Representatives of the following parties shall be considered for the composition of the advisory board: (A) Interagency county government departments including, but not limited to, emergency services, public health, social services, and transportation. (B) Culturally diverse community advocacy groups and community members as identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c). (2) A county, including a city and county, through the advisory board may coordinate community outreach forums to solicit input from and share information with culturally diverse community organizations and community members as identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) on related topics of the emergency plan as identified under subdivision (a). (3) The community engagement forums may include translation and interpretation in languages other than English. (c) For purposes of this section: (1) “Cultural competence” means the ability to understand, value, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures in order to ensure that the needs of all community members are addressed, with priority given to “culturally diverse communities.” “Cultural competence” includes, but is not limited to, being respectful and responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of diverse population groups. (2) “Culturally diverse communities” includes, but is not limited to, race and ethnicity, including indigenous peoples, communities of color, and immigrant and refugee communities; gender, including women; age, including the elderly and youth; sexual and gender minorities; people with disabilities; occupation and income level including low-income individuals and the unhoused; education level; people with no or limited English language proficiency; as well as geographic location.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.4. Section 8593.4.

(a) A local government may enter into an agreement to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility for the sole purpose of enrolling residents of that local government in a city-operated, county-operated, or city- and county-operated public emergency warning system. (b) A local government that enters into an agreement to access the records of a public utility pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include procedures to enable any resident to opt out of the warning system and a process to terminate the receiving agency’s access to the contact information of the resident from a public utility. A local government or a third-party contractor or agent that assists with or administers the emergency warning system may not use the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification. The receiving agency shall ensure that the confidentiality of the contact information is protected under reasonable security procedures. (c) A local government that enters into an agreement to access contact information pursuant to subdivision (a) shall, upon receipt of that information, notify residents that they have been entered into the public emergency warning system. This notification shall include a process to opt out of the warning system and to terminate the local government’s access to the contact information of the resident for purposes of the emergency warning system, regardless of the source of the information. (d) Notwithstanding any other law, a public utility shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for the accuracy of, or any use, nonuse, or improper release of, the contact information it provides to the local government under this section, including, without limitation, for any deficiencies or inaccuracies of the contact information provided. (e) For purposes of this section: (1) “Contact information” means a person’s name, address, telephone number, and email address. (2) “Local government” means a city or county, including a city and county. (3) “Public utility” has the same meaning as in subdivision (a) of Section 216 of the Public Utilities Code and also includes a local publicly owned electric utility as defined in Section 224.3 of the Public Utilities Code, a mobile telephony service as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 224.4 of the Public Utilities Code, a public water agency, and an agency responsible for solid waste or recycling services.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.5. Section 8593.5.

(a) A governing body of a postsecondary institution that receives state funds, including funds for student financial assistance, may access its own enrollment, registration, and personnel records for the sole purpose of enrolling students and employees in a university- or college-operated public emergency warning system. (b) The governing body of a postsecondary institution that receives state funds, including funds for student financial assistance, that operates a public emergency warning system pursuant to subdivision (a), shall include procedures to enable any student or employee to opt out of receiving messages from the warning system via contact information, as defined in subdivision (d). The governing body of a postsecondary institution that receives state funds, including funds for student financial assistance, and any third-party contractor or agent that assists with or administers the emergency warning system may not use the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification. The governing bodies of a postsecondary institution that receives state funds, including funds for student financial assistance, shall each ensure that the confidentiality of the contact information is protected under reasonable security procedures. (c) A governing body of a postsecondary institution that receives state funds, including funds for student financial assistance, that accesses contact information pursuant to subdivision (a), upon receipt of that information, shall notify students and employees that they have been entered into the public emergency warning system. This notification shall include a process to opt out of receiving messages from the warning system via contact information, as defined in subdivision (d). (d) For purposes of this section, “contact information” means a person’s name, home address, personal telephone number or numbers, and personal email address.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.6. Section 8593.6.

(a) No later than six months after securing funding for the purposes of this section, the Director of Emergency Services shall convene a working group for the purpose of assessing existing and future technologies available in the public and private sectors for the expansion of transmission of emergency alerts to the public through a public-private partnership. The working group shall advise the secretary and assist in the development of policies, procedures, and protocols that will lay the framework for an improved warning system for the public. (b) (1) The working group shall consist of the following membership, to be appointed by the director: (A) A representative of the Office of Emergency Services. (B) A representative of the Attorney General’s office. (C) A representative of the State Department of Public Health. (D) A representative of the State Emergency Communications Committee. (E) A representative of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, at the option of that agency. (F) A representative or representatives of local government, at the option of the local government or governments. (G) Representatives of the private sector who possess technology, experience, or insight that will aid in the development of a public-private partnership to expand an alert system to the public, including, but not limited to, representatives of providers of mass communication systems, first responders, and broadcasters. (H) Additional representatives of any public or private entity as deemed appropriate by the director. (2) In performing its duties, the working group shall consult with the Federal Communications Commission, and with respect to grants and fiscal matters, the Office of Emergency Services. (c) The working group shall consider and make recommendations with respect to all of the following: (1) Private and public programs, including pilot projects that attempt to integrate a public-private partnership to expand an alert system. (2) Protocols, including formats, source or originator identification, threat severity, hazard description, and response requirements or recommendations, for alerts to be transmitted via an alert system that ensures that alerts are capable of being utilized across the broadest variety of communication technologies, at state and local levels. (3) Protocols and guidelines to prioritize assurance of the greatest level of interoperability for first responders and families of first responders. (4) Procedures for verifying, initiating, modifying, and canceling alerts transmitted via an alert system. (5) Guidelines for the technical capabilities of an alert system. (6) Guidelines for technical capability that provides for the priority transmission of alerts. (7) Guidelines for other capabilities of an alert system. (8) Standards for equipment and technologies used by an alert system. (9) Cost estimates. (10) Standards and protocols in accordance with, or in anticipation of, Federal Communications Commission requirements and federal statutes or regulations. (11) Liability issues. (d) The director may accept private monetary or in-kind donations for the purposes of this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.7. Section 8593.7.

(a) On or before July 1, 2022, the Office of Emergency Services, in consultation with, at minimum, telecommunications carriers, the California cable and broadband industry, radio and television broadcasters, the California State Association of Counties, the League of California Cities, the access and functional needs community, including people with disabilities, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 8588.15, appropriate federal agencies, and the Standardized Emergency Management System Alert and Warning Specialist Committee, shall develop guidelines for alerting and warning the public of an emergency. Those guidelines shall include, at minimum, the following: (1) Timelines for sending alerts during an emergency. (2) Practices for sending advance warnings of an impending threat. (3) Practices for testing, training on, and exercising a city’s, county’s, or city and county’s alert and warning system. (4) Consideration for coordinating alerts with neighboring jurisdictions. (5) Guidelines and protocols for redundancy and utilizing multiple forms of alerts. (6) Guidelines and protocols for chain of command communications and accounting for staffing patterns to ensure a trained operator is always on call. (7) Practices for effective notifications to the access and functional needs population as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 8593.3. (8) Message templates. (9) Common terminology. (b) (1) The Office of Emergency Services shall provide each city, county, and city and county with a copy of the guidelines developed according to subdivision (a). (2) Six months after the Office of Emergency Services provides the guidelines to each city, county, and city and county, the office may impose conditions upon a city’s, county’s, or city and county’s application for any voluntary grant funds that have a nexus to emergency management performance that the office administers, requiring that city, county, or city and county to operate its alert and warning activities in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (a). (c) (1) Within six months of making the guidelines available pursuant to subdivision (b) and at least annually, the Office of Emergency Services, through its California Specialized Training Institute and with involvement of representatives from the access and functional needs community, including people with disabilities, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 8588.15, shall develop an alert and warning training. (2) The training developed pursuant to this subdivision shall include, at minimum, information regarding the following: (A) The evaluation, purchase, and operation of Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment and software, including capabilities that address communications for the access and functional needs community. (B) The technical capabilities of the WEA and EAS function within an alert system, pursuant to current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission regulations, as amended from time to time. (C) The alert and warning guidelines developed in subdivision (a). (d) The safety of local communities requires designated alerting authorities to ensure that they have multiple operators, adequate testing and training, and functional equipment and software. To the extent designated alerting authorities have difficulty acquiring or maintaining adequate alert and warning resources, they may consult with the Office of Emergency Services on best practices to achieve those goals. (e) “Operator” means those personnel required by the designated alerting authority to transmit alert and warning messages. (f) The Office of Emergency Services (OES) may adopt emergency regulations to implement this section. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this section is deemed to address an emergency, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6, and OES is hereby exempted for this purpose from the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 11346.1.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.8. Section 8593.8.

(a) (1) A county, including a city and county, may enter into an agreement with an adjacent county, upon the request of the adjacent county, for purposes of permitting the adjacent county to borrow, for compensation, the county’s emergency management and transportation services in the event of an emergency that requires the evacuation and relocation of the access and functional needs population in the adjacent county. The services to be provided under an agreement entered into pursuant to this section shall be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. (2) For purposes of this section, “adjacent county” means a county within the same or a contiguous mutual aid region or regions, as defined in Section 8559. (b) A county, including a city and county, that chooses to enter into an agreement pursuant to subdivision (a) shall integrate that agreement into its emergency plan within 90 days of entering into the agreement.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.9. Section 8593.9.

(a) The Office of Emergency Services shall, by January 1, 2022, develop best practices for counties developing and updating a county emergency plan. (b) The Office of Emergency Services shall, by January 1, 2022, establish a process for a county to request the office to review the county’s emergency plan. Upon the conclusion of the review process, the office shall provide technical assistance and feedback regarding the sufficiency of the county’s emergency plan with the following elements: (1) Whether the plan is consistent with the office’s proposed best practices. (2) Whether the plan protects and accommodates vulnerable populations during natural disasters. (3) Whether the plan has established procedures for alerting, evacuating, and sheltering individuals during an emergency. (4) Any other necessary and appropriate element, as determined by the office.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.10. Section 8593.10.

(a) For the purposes of this section, all of the following definitions apply: (1) “Cooling center” means a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat. (2) “Emergency shelter” means a temporary or provisional safe space that provides a basic shelter for people affected by disaster. (3) “Pet” means a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes. (4) “Warming center” means a facility established to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme cold. (b) (1) Upon the next update of a city or county’s emergency plan: (A) A county shall update its emergency plan to designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets. (B) A city that has previously adopted an emergency plan designating emergency shelters shall update its emergency plan to designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets. (C) Whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency shelters, it shall designate at least one emergency shelter that can accommodate persons with pets. (D) Whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency cooling centers, it shall, to the extent practicable, designate at least one cooling center that can accommodate persons with pets. (E) Whenever a city or county designates any number of emergency warming centers, it shall, to the extent practicable, designate at least one warming center that can accommodate persons with pets. (2) An emergency shelter designated as able to accommodate persons with pets shall be in compliance with both of the following: (A) Safety procedures regarding the sheltering of pets referenced or established in the component of the state and local emergency plan. (B) Applicable disaster assistance policies and procedures of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (c) Whenever a city or county provides public information regarding the availability of a cooling center or warming center, that information shall include whether the cooling or warming center can accommodate pets. (d) A city or county shall make available to the public by posting on its internet website information for pet emergency preparedness, including, but not limited to: (1) Information for creating an evacuation plan and emergency checklist for pets consistent with recommendations publicly published by the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2) Local organizations that may provide emergency pet assistance. (3) Local emergency shelters, cooling centers, or warming centers, when active, that can accommodate persons with pets.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.11. Section 8593.11.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Evacuation order” means an order from the Governor, or a county emergency management official, county sheriff, chief of police, or fire marshal, under which persons subject to the order are required to relocate outside of the geographic area covered by the order due to an imminent danger resulting from a state or local emergency. (2) “Pet” means an animal, including a dog, cat, rabbit, rodent, reptile, amphibian, fish, bird, or other species of animal, kept for the purpose of being a household pet. (b) Upon the next update of a city’s or county’s emergency plan: (1) (A) (i) A city or county shall update its emergency plan to designate procedures for the rescue of a pet from an area subject to an evacuation order, subject to approval by the incident commander in coordination with the emergency management authority, that at the time of the evacuation the pet’s owner believed to be alive. (ii) The procedures shall establish timelines or conditions in which rescues can occur as safely as possible. (B) A city or county may require a person with a residence in an area subject to an evacuation order or their designated representative to sign a liability waiver releasing the city or county from any liabilities or claims related to the person’s return to the residence in accordance with the procedures required by subparagraph (A). (C) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to grant any person the absolute right to reenter an evacuation zone. All reentry shall be subject to incident conditions and approval by the designated incident commander in coordination with the emergency management authority. (2) A city or county shall update its emergency plan to designate a person or entity for a person with a residence in an area subject to an evacuation order or their designated representative to call if the person is in need of information regarding evacuating pets during an evacuation. (c) A city or county shall make available to the public by posting on its internet website information, including, but not limited to: (1) Contact information for the person or entity designated to provide information regarding evacuating pets during an evacuation in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). (2) Resources for persons who need assistance reuniting with pets rescued from areas subject to evacuation orders, including a list of animals rescued from the evacuated areas that is linked on the home page of the city’s or county’s internet website. (3) Multimodal methods of providing information regarding pet rescues and resources specified in paragraph (2).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8593.25. Section 8593.25.

(a) (1) A county, including a city and county, shall, in advance of the next update to its emergency plan, use the plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 107250 of the Health and Safety Code and develop a county-specific plan that addresses all of the recommendations and guidelines of the plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 107250 of the Health and Safety Code. (2) A county, including a city and county, shall also assign a role, department, or agency to serve as a lead with regard to each recommendation and guideline in the event of significantly poor air quality caused by wildfires or other sources. If a county, including a city and county, has an existing hierarchy to assign responsibilities in the event of significantly poor air quality caused by wildfires or other sources, the county may incorporate its existing process into its county-specific plan to fulfill this requirement. (b) A county, including a city and county, shall, in advance of the next update to its emergency plan, establish criteria, locations, and measurements of effectiveness for public respite facilities during poor air quality and other weather-related events. (c) A county-specific plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall incorporate a plan to identify personnel to rapidly deploy aid and expertise to disaster areas, and a plan for public outreach to promptly and effectively inform the public about the health threat and what the public should do in response. (d) A county-specific plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall incorporate a process to provide emergency provisions of respiratory protection, air purifiers, medications, and oxygen for people with respiratory and pulmonary diseases, and people suffering symptoms of respiratory and pulmonary diseases. If a county, including a city and county, has an existing process to acquire and distribute emergency provisions, the county may incorporate its existing process into its county-specific plan to fulfill this requirement. (e) A county-specific plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall incorporate a process to conduct outreach and communicate to the public and with key stakeholders about the plan, what it includes, how it will be implemented, and steps stakeholders and other members of the public need to take to be prepared in the event of an air quality event caused by wildfires or other sources. (f) Two or more counties may establish a multicounty agreement to develop and implement a regional multicounty plan in lieu of each individual county implementing its own plan. A multicounty plan shall be approved by each of the counties’ boards of supervisors. (g) After a county-specific plan or a regional multicounty plan is approved by the county’s board of supervisors, a copy of the plan shall be distributed to all of the following: (1) The chief executive, who may be a city manager or a mayor of each city within the county, and to the county executive of the respective county, including a city and county. (2) The director of the county’s department of public health, and the director of the department of public health for any city in their county that has its own public health department. (3) The State Public Health Officer. (4) The Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594. Section 8594.

(a) If a law enforcement agency receives a report that an abduction has occurred or that a child has been taken by anyone, including, but not limited to, a custodial parent or guardian, and the agency determines that a child 17 years of age or younger, or an individual with a proven mental or physical disability, has been abducted or taken and the victim is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, and there is information available that, if disseminated to the general public, could assist in the safe recovery of the victim, the agency, through a person authorized to activate the Emergency Alert System, shall, absent extenuating investigative needs, request activation of the Emergency Alert System within the appropriate local area. A law enforcement agency shall only request activation of the Emergency Alert System pursuant to this subdivision if these requirements are met. The Emergency Alert System is not intended to be used for abductions resulting from custody disputes that are not reasonably believed to endanger the life or physical health of a child. The California Highway Patrol, if requested by a law enforcement agency, shall activate the system. (b) The California Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Justice, as well as a representative from the California State Sheriffs’ Association, the California Police Chiefs’ Association, and the California Peace Officers’ Association, shall develop policies and procedures providing instruction specifying how a law enforcement agency, broadcaster participating in the Emergency Alert System, and any other intermediate emergency agency that may institute activation of the Emergency Alert System, and, where appropriate, other supplemental warning systems, shall proceed after a qualifying event described in subdivision (a) has been reported to a law enforcement agency. Those policies and procedures shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Procedures for transfer of information regarding the victim and the qualifying event from the law enforcement agency to the broadcasters. (2) Specification of the event code or codes that should be used if the Emergency Alert System is activated to report a qualifying event. (3) Recommended language for an emergency alert issued pursuant to this section. (4) Specification of information that shall be included by the reporting law enforcement agency, including which agency a person with information relating to the qualifying event should contact and how the person should contact the agency. (5) Recommendations on the extent of the geographical area to which an emergency alert issued pursuant to this section should be broadcast. (c) The California Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Justice, shall review the Amber Plan as adopted by other states and Orange County’s Child Abduction Regional Emergency Alert Program for guidance in developing appropriate policies and procedures for use of the Emergency Alert System and, where appropriate, other supplemental warning systems to report qualifying events. (d) The California Highway Patrol, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall develop a comprehensive child abduction education plan to educate children in the state on the appropriate behavior to deter abduction. The California Highway Patrol shall convene a group consisting of a representative from the California State Sheriffs’ Association, the California Police Chiefs’ Association, and the California Peace Officers’ Association, representatives of advocacy groups, and the Department of Education to assist in the development of a plan.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.5. Section 8594.5.

(a) For purposes of this section, “blue alert” means a quick response system designed to issue and coordinate alerts following an attack upon a law enforcement officer as described in subdivision (b). (b) In addition to the circumstances described in Section 8594, upon the request of an authorized person at a law enforcement agency that is investigating an offense described in paragraph (1), the California Highway Patrol shall activate the Emergency Alert System and issue a blue alert if all of the following conditions are met: (1) A law enforcement officer has been killed, suffers serious bodily injury, or is assaulted with a deadly weapon, and the suspect has fled the scene of the offense. (2) A law enforcement agency investigating the offense has determined that the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public or other law enforcement personnel. (3) A detailed description of the suspect’s vehicle or license plate is available for broadcast. (4) Public dissemination of available information may help avert further harm or accelerate apprehension of the suspect. (5) The California Highway Patrol has been designated to use the federally authorized Emergency Alert System for the issuance of blue alerts. (c) The blue alert system incorporates a variety of notification resources and developing technologies that may be tailored to the circumstances and geography of the underlying attack. The blue alert system shall utilize the state-controlled Emergency Digital Information System, local digital signs, focused text, or other technologies, as appropriate, in addition to the federal Emergency Alert System, if authorized and under conditions permitted by the federal government. (d) On or before December 31, 2011, the California Highway Patrol shall augment the department’s public Internet Web site to include a blue alert link that describes the “blue alert” process, objectives, and available quick responses. The Internet Web site shall explain that the term blue alert will communicate that a law enforcement officer has been attacked or killed and that the scope of an alert will be tailored to the circumstances of the offense and available technologies.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.10. Section 8594.10.

(a) For purposes of this section, “Silver Alert” means a notification system, activated pursuant to subdivision (b), designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to a person who is 65 years of age or older, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired, and who is reported missing. (b) (1) If a person is reported missing to a law enforcement agency and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, the agency may request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Silver Alert. If the Department of the California Highway Patrol concurs that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, it shall activate a Silver Alert within the geographical area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency. (2) Radio, television, and cable and satellite systems are encouraged to, but not required to, cooperate with disseminating the information contained in a Silver Alert. (3) Upon activation of a Silver Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall assist the investigating law enforcement agency by issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert, an Emergency Digital Information Service message, an electronic flyer, or a changeable message sign in compliance with paragraph (4). (4) Upon activation of a Silver Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may use a changeable message sign if both of the following conditions are met: (A) A law enforcement agency determines that a vehicle may be involved in the missing person incident. (B) Specific vehicle identification is available for public dissemination. (c) A law enforcement agency may request a Silver Alert be activated if that agency determines that all of the following conditions are met in regard to the investigation of the missing person: (1) The missing person is 65 years of age or older, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired. (2) The investigating law enforcement agency has utilized all available local resources. (3) The law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances. (4) The law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, or environment or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril. (5) There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person. (d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions have the following meanings: (1) “Developmentally disabled” means affected by a developmental disability, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (2) “Cognitively impaired” means affected by a cognitive impairment, as defined in Section 14522.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.11. Section 8594.11.

(a) For purposes of this section, “Endangered Missing Advisory” means a notification system, activated pursuant to subdivision (b), designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to a person who is at risk, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired, or who has been abducted. (b) (1) If a person is reported missing to a law enforcement agency and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, the agency may request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate an Endangered Missing Advisory. If the Department of the California Highway Patrol concurs that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may activate an Endangered Missing Advisory within the appropriate geographical area. (2) Radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems are encouraged to, but not required to, cooperate with disseminating the information contained in an Endangered Missing Advisory. (3) Upon activation of an Endangered Missing Advisory, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may assist the investigating law enforcement agency by disseminating an electronic flyer or activating changeable message signs in compliance with paragraph (4). (4) Upon activation of an Endangered Missing Advisory, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may use a changeable message sign if both of the following conditions are met: (A) A law enforcement agency determines that a vehicle may be involved in the missing person incident. (B) Specific identifying information about the vehicle is available for public dissemination. (c) A law enforcement agency may request an Endangered Missing Advisory be activated if that agency determines that all of the following conditions are met regarding the investigation of the missing person: (1) The missing person is developmentally disabled, cognitively impaired, has been abducted, or is unable to otherwise care for themselves, placing their physical safety at risk. (2) The investigating law enforcement agency has utilized all available local resources. (3) The law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplainable or suspicious circumstances. (4) The law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, or environment or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril. (5) There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person. (d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Cognitively impaired” means affected by a cognitive impairment, as defined in Section 14522.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (2) “Developmentally disabled” means affected by a developmental disability, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.13. Section 8594.13.

(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms apply: (1) “Feather Alert” means a notification system, activated pursuant to subdivision (d), designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to endangered indigenous people, specifically indigenous women or indigenous people, who are reported missing. (2) “Law enforcement agency” means a state, local, or tribal law enforcement agency or police department. (3) “Tribe” or “Tribe of California” means a Native American tribe located in California that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purposes of Chapter 905 of the Statutes of 2004 and Chapter 532 of the Statutes of 2014. (b) The Department of the California Highway Patrol, in consultation with tribal nations, the Department of Justice, as well as a representative from the California State Sheriffs’ Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, and the California Peace Officers’ Association, shall develop policies and procedures providing instruction specifying how a law enforcement agency, a broadcaster participating in the Emergency Alert System, and any other intermediate emergency agency that may institute activation of the Feather Alert, and, where appropriate, other supplemental warning systems, shall proceed after a missing person has been reported to a law enforcement agency and the conditions described in subdivision (e) are met. Those policies and procedures shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Procedures for the transfer of information regarding the missing person and the circumstances surrounding the missing person’s disappearance from the law enforcement agency to the broadcasters. (2) Specification of the event code or codes that should be used if the Feather Alert is activated to report a missing person. (3) Recommended language for a Feather Alert issued pursuant to this section. (4) Specification of information that shall be included by the reporting law enforcement agency, including which agency a person with information relating to the missing person should contact and how the person should contact the agency. (5) Recommendations on the extent of the geographical area to which a Feather Alert issued pursuant to this section should be broadcast. (c) (1) A law enforcement agency or Tribe of California may directly request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Feather Alert consistent with the requirements of paragraph (2). (2) (A) If a person is reported missing to a law enforcement agency and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision (e) are met, the law enforcement agency or Tribe of California may request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Feather Alert. (B) (i) For purposes of this subdivision, a law enforcement agency shall make a determination that the requirements of subdivision (e) are met within 24 hours, following the initial report being made to the agency. (ii) If the law enforcement agency does not make a determination within 24 hours as required by clause (i), then the Tribe of California may directly request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Feather Alert. (d) If the Department of the California Highway Patrol concurs that the requirements of subdivision (e) have been met, it shall activate a Feather Alert within the appropriate geographical area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency. (1) (A) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall respond to a law enforcement agency’s or tribe’s request to activate a Feather Alert within 48 hours of receiving the request. (B) The department shall take reasonable steps to confirm that a report from a missing person’s family members is not an attempt to locate an indigenous woman or indigenous person who is intentionally avoiding or evading abuse in any of the following forms: (i) Sexual assault. (ii) Sexual harassment. (iii) Domestic violence. (iv) Intimate partner violence. (2) If the Department of the California Highway Patrol declines to activate a Feather Alert, it shall provide written notice to the requesting law enforcement agency or tribe of the reasons for declining the request within 48 hours of issuing its decision. (3) Radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems are encouraged to, but not required to, cooperate with disseminating the information contained in a Feather Alert. (4) Upon activation of a Feather Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall make all reasonable efforts to locate the missing person and to assist each investigating law enforcement agency and tribe in their efforts to locate the missing person by issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert, an electronic flyer, a social media post, or changeable message signs in compliance with paragraph (5). (5) Upon activation of a Feather Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may use a changeable message sign if both of the following conditions are met: (A) A law enforcement agency determines that a vehicle may be involved in the missing person incident. (B) Specific identifying information about the vehicle is available for public dissemination. (e) A law enforcement agency may request that a Feather Alert be activated if that agency determines a Feather Alert would be an effective tool in the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous persons, including young women or girls. The law enforcement agency shall consider the following factors to make that determination: (1) The missing person is an indigenous woman or an indigenous person. (2) The investigating law enforcement agency has utilized available local and tribal resources. (3) The law enforcement agency determines that the person is missing. (4) The law enforcement agency or tribe believes that the person is in danger and is missing under circumstances that indicate any of the following: (A) The missing person’s physical safety may be endangered. (B) The missing person may be subject to trafficking. (C) The missing person suffers from a mental or physical disability, or a substance use disorder. (5) There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person. (f) (1) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall work with law enforcement agencies and tribal nations to create and submit a report to the Governor’s office and the Legislature. The report shall include the following information: (A) The efficacy and advantages of the Feather Alert, including, but not limited to, statistical data on the number of cases closed and the number of cases that remain open. (B) The impact of the Feather Alert on other alert programs. (2) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall submit the report in paragraph (1) to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 no later than January 1, 2027. (3) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2031, pursuant to Section 10231.5.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.14. Section 8594.14.

(a) For purposes of this section, “Ebony Alert” means a notification system, activated pursuant to subdivision (b), designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to Black youth, including young Black women and girls, who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, at risk, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired, or who have been abducted. (b) (1) If a person is reported missing to a law enforcement agency and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, the law enforcement agency may request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate an Ebony Alert. If the Department of the California Highway Patrol concurs that the requirements of subdivision (c) have been met, it shall activate an Ebony Alert within the appropriate geographical area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency. (2) Radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems are encouraged to, but not required to, cooperate with disseminating the information contained in an Ebony Alert. (3) Upon activation of an Ebony Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall assist the investigating law enforcement agency by issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert, an electronic flyer, or changeable message signs in compliance with paragraph (4). (4) Upon activation of an Ebony Alert, the Department of the California Highway Patrol may use a changeable message sign if both of the following conditions are met: (A) A law enforcement agency determines that a vehicle may be involved in the missing person incident. (B) Specific identifying information about the vehicle is available for public dissemination. (c) A law enforcement agency may request that an Ebony Alert be activated if that agency determines that there is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person, and the following conditions are met regarding the investigation of the missing person: (1) The missing person is between 12 to 25 years of age, inclusive. (2) The investigating law enforcement agency has used all available local resources and at least one of the following conditions are met: (A) The law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, including circumstances that indicate any of the following: (i) The missing person’s physical safety may be endangered. (ii) The missing person may be subject to trafficking. (B) The law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, environmental or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril. (d) Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) shall be broadly construed in order to effectuate the legislative intent of this section. (e) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall create and submit a report to the Governor’s office and the Legislature that includes an evaluation of the Ebony Alert, including the efficacy, the advantages, and the impact to other alert programs. The department shall submit the report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 on or before July 1, 2027.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8594.16. Section 8594.16.

(a) Translating emergency notifications into the most commonly spoken language other than English is a critically important governmental activity. In order for residents impacted by an emergency to be made aware of the emergency, it is critical that emergency notifications to the public be translated either into the most commonly spoken language other than English in the impacted county or counties, or, at the option of a county, into one or more commonly spoken languages other than English in the county based on an individualized language assessment of that county. (b) The Office of Emergency Services shall create a library of translated emergency notifications that may be used by designated alerting authorities when issuing emergency notifications. The office shall consider the two most commonly spoken languages other than English in the state when creating the library. (c) The Office of Emergency Services shall create a translation style guide that includes a glossary of translated standard abbreviations used in emergency notifications. (d) Designated alerting authorities shall consider using the library and translation style guide developed pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) when issuing emergency notifications to the public. (e) Designated alerting authorities may use a hyperlink to the translated emergency notification in a message disseminated through a wireless emergency alert for purposes of issuing a translated alert. (f) Six months after the Office of Emergency Services launches the library and translation style guide pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c), the office may impose conditions upon a city’s, county’s, or city and county’s application for any voluntary grant funds that have a nexus to emergency management performance that the office administers by requiring the designated alerting authority within a city, county, or city and county to translate emergency notifications. (g) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Designated alerting authority” means a federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial jurisdiction that is authorized to alert the public of emergency situations through federal, state, and local laws. (2) “Emergency notification” means any message authored by a designated alerting authority intended to alert or warn the public of an imminent threat to life safety or property damage, and that is disseminated through designated alert and warning systems such as the Emergency Alert System or the federal Wireless Emergency Alerts system. (h) This section does not delay or prohibit a designated alerting authority from issuing an emergency notification in a timely manner.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026