California Code
ARTICLE 6.5 - Accessibility to Emergency Information and Services
Section 8593.3.2.

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).

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 744, Sec. 2. (AB 580) Effective January 1, 2022.)