SECTIONS 8575-8582 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 8575-8582

8575. (a) There is hereby created a California Emergency Council,
to consist of all of the following members:
(1) The Governor, or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(2) The Lieutenant Governor, or an alternate appointed by him or
her.
(3) The Attorney General, or an alternate appointed by him or her.
(4) One representative of the city governments of the state and
one representative of the county governments of the state, to be
appointed by the Governor and to serve at his or her pleasure, except
that these members shall be from different counties.
(5) One representative of the American National Red Cross, to be
appointed by the Governor.
(6) One representative of the city or county fire services of the
state and one representative of the city or county law enforcement
services of the state, to be appointed by the Governor and to serve
at his or her pleasure, except that these members shall be from
different counties.
(7) One representative of a local public health agency, to be
appointed by the Governor and to serve at his or her pleasure.
(b) The President pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
Assembly shall meet with and participate in the work of the
Emergency Council to the same extent as members of the council
appointed by the Governor, except when that participation is
constitutionally incompatible with their respective positions as
Members of the Legislature.
(c) If the President pro Tempore of the Senate does not desire to
serve on the Emergency Council, the Senate Rules Committee may
appoint a Member of the Senate to serve in his or her stead. If the
Speaker of the Assembly does not desire to serve on the Emergency
Council, he or she may appoint a Member of the Assembly to serve in
his or her stead.

8576. (a) The Governor shall be ex officio Chairperson of the
Emergency Council.
(b) The California Emergency Management Agency shall provide staff
support to the Emergency Council as necessary.

8577. Neither the members of the Emergency Council nor the Members
of the Legislature shall receive compensation for their services
under this chapter, but they shall be reimbursed for their actual and
necessary expenses incurred in connection with their duties
hereunder.

8578. The Emergency Council shall meet upon call of the Governor,
not less frequently than annually. Except during a state of war
emergency or a state of emergency, notice of such meeting shall be
given to each member not less than 15 days prior to the day selected
by the Governor for the meeting of the Emergency Council.

8579. (a) It shall be the duty of the Emergency Council, and it is
hereby empowered, to act as an advisory body to the Governor in times
of emergency and with reference thereto in order to minimize the
effects of those occurrences by recommending ameliorative action.
(b) The powers and duties of the Emergency Council shall include
all of the following:
(1) To consider, recommend, and approve orders and regulations
that are within the province of the Governor to promulgate.
(2) To consider and recommend to the Governor for approval the
boundaries of any mutual aid regions of the state as may be
designated.
(3) To recommend to the Governor the assignment of any
responsibility, service, or activity relative to emergencies or
emergency planning to a state agency having duties related to that
responsibility, service, or activity.
(4) To consider and recommend the creation by the Governor of
advisory committees in order to make civilian participation and
cooperation in emergency planning and activities available to the
state.
(5) To consider and recommend the expenditures of moneys
appropriated for any of the objectives or purposes of this chapter.
(6) To consider and recommend to the Governor for approval a State
Emergency Plan built around mutual aid and the integration into that
plan of the several state agencies whose resources are necessary in
coping with emergencies.
(7) To encourage the development and maintenance of emergency
plans based on mutual aid, whereunder political subdivisions may most
effectively protect life and property and mitigate other effects of
emergencies.
(8) To evaluate and report to the Governor on state communications
systems with particular regard to their adequacy in case of
emergency.
(9) To encourage the individual and integrated emergency
preparedness efforts of communities, businesses, and schools.
(c) (1) The Emergency Council shall, at a minimum, have the
following two standing advisory committees, with members selected by
the Governor:
(A) An advisory committee composed of representatives of volunteer
organizations that aid or prepare their communities for potential
disasters.
(B) An advisory committee composed of the business leaders
representing businesses in the state that will work in partnership
with government to prepare businesses and communities for potential
disasters.
(2) The duties of the advisory committees shall include, but not
be limited to, all of the following:
(A) Developing and promoting statewide initiatives and programs to
better prepare communities, businesses, and schools to survive
disasters.
(B) Advising the Emergency Council on how public, private, and
nonprofit entities can provide resources, assets, personnel,
volunteers, and any other relevant services to fully integrate the
private sector into the state's emergency preparedness, mitigation,
response, and recovery plans.
(C) Advising the Emergency Council on appropriate agreements to
provide for quick access to emergency supplies and services in order
to minimize the need to stockpile those supplies.
(3) The members of the advisory committees shall receive no
compensation for their service.
(d) When the Emergency Council is not meeting, the California
Emergency Management Agency shall provide notice to the members of
the council of any state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor
pursuant to Section 8558, as soon as practical after the issuance of
the proclamation. The notification shall include the status of
emergency activities.

8582. Nothing herein shall operate to prevent the Governor from
establishing a committee or board composed of heads of state
agencies, should he deem it necessary to aid him or the Emergency
Council or both in obtaining information or advice, assisting in
developing or carrying out plans, or otherwise acting in
accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter.