GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS ASSEMBLY
MEMBER FREDDY RODRIGUEZ AND OUR
FIRST MEETING OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. WELCOME TODAY'S
HEARING. LET'S TURN THIS AGENDA
OVER AND REMIND EVERYONE OF
TODAY'S GROUND RULES. AT TODAY'S
HEARING, WE'LL MAKE TAKE PUBLIC
COMMENTS FROM THOSE IN THE ROOM.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ALSO
SUBMIT TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE AT M DOT ASSEMBLY
CA.GOV. BUT FIRST, LET'S
ESTABLISH A QUORUM COMMITTEE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLE.
RODRIGUEZ. ALL RIGHT. RODRIGUEZ.
HERE. RODRIGUEZ HERE. DAVIES.
DAVIES. HERE. ARAMBULA HERE.
ARAMBULA. HERE. BENNETT WARNER.
HERE. BERNER HERE. CALDERON.
HERE. CALDERON. HERE CARILLO.
WALDRON. AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM
. SO WITH THAT, LET'S NEXT ORDER
OF BUSINESS IS A CONSENT
CALENDAR. THE FOLLOWING BILLS
ARE ON CONSENT. A B 1792.
RODRIGUEZ. THE MOTION TO Dð PASS
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS A B 1863. RAMOS.
THE MOTION IS DUE PASSED. THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY A B
2101. RODRIGUEZ. THE MOTION DO
PASS THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH A B
2348. RODRIGUEZ THE MOTION DO
PASS THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH A B
2469. THE MOTION IS DO PASS. THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS IS A
B 2594. THE MOTION DO PASS. THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS A B
2776. RODRIGUEZ. THE MOTION IS
DO PASS. COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES AND A B 2983.
RODRIGUEZ THE MOTION DO PASS THE
COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE. DO I
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SECOND, I
HAVE A MOTION. A SECOND
SECRETARY CALDERON ÁP ON ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR A B 1792.
RODRIGUEZ A RODRIGUEZ. AYE AB
80. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. OKAY.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. DAVIES. DAVIES
I ARAMBULA A ARAMBULA I BENNETT.
WARNER I BORNER I CALDERON I
CALDERON I CARILLO WALDRON. AB
1863. THE MOTION IS Dð PASS TO
THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
AB 2101 MOTION IS DUE. PASS THE
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AB 2348.
MOTION IS TO PASS TWO COMMITTEE
ON HEALTH. AB 2469 A THE MOTION
IS TO PASS TO COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. AB 2594. THE
MOTION IS TO PASS TO COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS ON AB 2776.
RODRIGUEZ. THE MOTION IS TO PASS
TO COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES AND AB 2983.
RODRIGUEZ. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASS TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE,
ALL ON CONSENT. RODRIGUEZ A
RODRIGUEZ I DAVIES I DAVIES I
ARAMBULA A ARAMBULA I BENNETT
WARNER A WARNER I CALDERON A
CALDERON I CARILLO WALDRON.
CONSENT CALENDAR IS UP SO NOW WE
HAVE TWO TWO ITEMS REMAINING ON
OUR AGENDA, AB 2973. SEE MR.
HART HERE. ARE YOU READY? AND
YOU MAY BEGIN.
JUST QUICKLY, BEFORE WE BEGIN, I
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DO
ACCEPT THE PROPOSED COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS ON THE BILL. YES.
OKAY THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR MEMBERS. IS THERE. TRY IT
AGAIN. IS IT ON NOW? TRY IT NOW.
TESTING. THERE WE GO. FINALLY.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
RODRIGUEZ AND MEMBERS, I'M
PLEASED TO PRESENT ASSEMBLY BILL
2973. I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, FOR YOUR TEAM AND YOUR
TEAM FOR THE WORK ON THIS BILL.
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS WILL
STRENGTHEN THIS LEGISLATION, AND
I'M HAPPY TO ACCEPT THOSE
AMENDMENTS TODAY, AB 2973
CODIFIES RELEVANT CASE LAW,
CLARIFIES THE STATUTORY
RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNTIES.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
AGENCIES, ALSO KNOWN AS LEMS,
REGARDING EMS AND AMBULANCE
SERVICES. DESPITE THE ENACTMENT
OF THE EMS ACT IN RELEVANT CASE
LAW, CONFUSION PERSISTS
REGARDING THE ROLES,
RESPONSIBILITIES AND STATUTORY
AUTHORITIES OF RELEVANT
STAKEHOLDERS. THIS BILL
REAFFIRMS EXISTING LAW THAT A
COUNTY CAN ASSIGN ITS EMS
RESPONSIBILITY TO A NEW OR
EXISTING COUNTY DEPARTMENT,
CONTRACT WITH CITIES AND OR FIRE
DISTRICTS. CONTRACT WITH A
PRIVATE AMBULANCE PROVIDER, OR
EMPLOY A COMBINATION OF THESE
FOUR OPTIONS. AFTER A
COMPETITIVE PROCESS, IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE TO NOTE THAT
THE STATEWIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES AUTHORITY HAS THE FINAL
AUTHORITY TO APPROVE OR REJECT
AN EMS PLAN, CREATING ANOTHER
CHECK AND BALANCE IN THE PROCESS
. AB 2973 WILL ENHANCE THE
ACCESSIBILITY OF EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA
WHILE PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY,
TRANSPARENCY AND COORDINATION
AMONG ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED
IN PROVIDING EMS SERVICES.
RECENT AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL
REMOVE LANGUAGE THAT CLARIFIED
THE ROLE OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OVER THE CONDUCT OF
THE LIMBS AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH
THE OPPOSITION AND COMMIT TO
CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS. SHOULD
THIS BILL MOVE TO THE ASSEMBLY
HEALTH COMMITTEE. SPEAKING AS
SUPPORT OF THE BILL WITH ME
TODAY IS SANTA BARBARA FIRE
CHIEF MARK HARTWIG AND ANDREW
SCOUTEN, CHIEF COUNSEL FOR THE
COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. PROCEED. MR.
CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS
IS INTERESTED IN THIS FOR A LOT
OF REASONS, BUT I WANTED TO JUST
TELL YOU OUR EXPERIENCE. IF I
COULD, WE GOT TOGETHER A 15 YEAR
AGREEMENT WITH WAS, ABOUT TO
EXPIRE. WE GOT TOGETHER WITH
CITIES, FIRE DISTRICTS AND LABOR
GROUPS WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND
SAID, CAN WE CAN WE DESIGN A
SYSTEM THAT SERVES OUR NEEDS,
EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW? WE CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT WE COULD WE
SPENT ABOUT FIVE YEARS,
DESIGNING THIS SYSTEM, MAKING
SURE THAT WE COLLABORATED AND
COOPERATED CLOSELY WITH THE
COUNTY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
IT. AND WE BROUGHT FORTH A PLAN
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE PLAN, HAS
BEEN HELD UP FOR QUITE A WHILE
BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF
CONFUSION AS TO WHAT THE COUNTY
CAN DO NOW THAT THE SERVICE IS
AVAILABLE. WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS
AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY, SO
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE
DESIGNED A SYSTEM THAT WE
THOUGHT WE MIGHT GET A PRIVATE
PROVIDER TO EVEN BID ON, THAT
WOULD BE MEET ALL OF OUR NEEDS,
BETTER CITIES, FIRE DISTRICTS,
AND THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND, THE, THE CURRENT PROVIDER
DECIDED FOR BUSINESS REASONS,
PROBABLY NOT TO, AND SO WE'RE
HERE TODAY. WE WORK WITH
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HART TO, REALLY
WRITE A BILL THAT CODIFIES FOR
THE MOST PART. AND I'LL PASS IT
OVER TO THE ATTORNEY WHO HELPED
US, THE COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS, BUT
REALLY CODIFIES SOME VERY
COMPLEX CASE LAW, COMPLEX
GOVERNMENT CODE AND ALSO THE,
THE EMS ACT. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE
PROCEED. SIR HI. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR RODRIGUEZ. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF AB 2973,
MY NAME IS ANDREW SCOUTEN, AND I
AM, AN ATTORNEY IN THE FIRM OF
RIVAS RANGE INTERNATIONAL IN SAN
DIEGO. MY PRACTICE FOCUSES ON
ANTITRUST, UNFAIR COMPETITION,
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING, AND EMS
LAW, YOU MIGHT BE ASKING
YOURSELF WHY, AS AN ATTORNEY,
TALKING TO YOU ABOUT EMS. WELL,
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN THIS
SPACE FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND I
REPRESENT ABOUT 45 DIFFERENT
COUNTY CITY, FIRE DISTRICT,
SPECIAL DISTRICT, PROVIDERS OF
AMBULANCE AND EMS, AS WELL AS
FIRE AGENCY ASSOCIATIONS. SO
I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THE EMS
ACT PRETTY WELL. ONE THING I CAN
TELL YOU IS IT'S A REMARKABLE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION. IT WAS
GROUNDBREAKING WHEN IT WAS WHEN
IT CAME IN, AND IT IS BROAD AND
IT COVERS A NUMBER OF ASPECTS OF
EMS, BUT NOT EVERYTHING, THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF STATUTES OUTSIDE
OF THE EMS ACT THAT ACTUALLY
PROVIDE AUTHORITY TO THE
COUNTIES TO REGULATE SERVICES.
AND THERE'S BEEN JUDICIAL
DECISIONS BASED ON THOSE. BUT
BECAUSE THE EMS ACT IS BROAD, IT
CREATES THIS SILO EFFECT WHERE
PEOPLE DON'T LOOK PAST IT, EVEN
THOUGH THERE'S GOOD LAW AND GOOD
STATUTES OUTSIDE OF IT. AND SO
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR
THIS BILL IS TO PUT INTO THE EMS
ACT A NUMBER OF THESE
AUTHORITIES AND CODIFY, JUDICIAL
DECISIONS. ÓRDENES INTERPRETING
THOSE STATUTES IN THE GOVERNMENT
CODE, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
CODE, THE VEHICLE CODE AND THE
WELFARE INSTITUTIONS CODE, AND
BRING THEM INTO THE EMS ACT,
BECAUSE WE KNOW IT HAS A SILOING
EFFECT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL PAY
ATTENTION TO IT. AND THERE'S A
COUPLE OF REALLY GOOD REASONS
FOR THIS. THE FIRST IS THIS
THESE FOUR OPTIONS THAT ARE
DISCUSSED IN THE BILL IN TERMS
OF WHAT, THE COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OR THE BOARD OF A
JPA CAN DO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
SPECIFY THAT THESE ARE POLICY
DECISIONS TO BE MADE BY POLICY
MAKERS. THEY ARE NOT MEDICAL
DECISIONS BY MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS. ANOTHER IMPORTANT
THING IS A LOT OF THESE POWERS
THAT EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE EMS
ACT CAN BE USED TO FURTHER AND
SUPPLEMENT THE POWERS AND
FUNCTIONS OF BOTH THE COUNTIES
AND THE MSAS UNDER THE EMS ACT,
FOR EXAMPLE, PERMITTING AND
LICENSING ORDINANCES. THE EMS
ACT IS SILENT ON PERMITS AND
LICENSES, BUT PERMITS AND
LICENSES ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO HOW,
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REGULATE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON
HIGHWAYS. AND SO BY CALLING OUT
THAT THESE OTHER POWERS CAN BE
USED TO SUPPORT PORT, THE COUNTY
FUNCTIONS AND THE LEMSA
FUNCTIONS, IT CLEARS UP A LOT OF
AMBIGUITY BECAUSE THAT STUFF
JUST ISN'T SPECIFIED IN THE EMS
ACT. FINALLY, I WANTED TO NOTE
THAT WE WERE VERY CAREFUL IN
DRAFTING THIS BILL AND WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESERVED THE
EXISTING AUTHORITY UNDER THE EMS
ACT OF THE STADIUM AUTHORITY,
THE MEDICAL CONTROL AUTHORITY OF
THE LENSES, AND THE RIGHTS OF
OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH MY
PANEL MEMBERS. OKAY. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE
IN THE ROOM IN SUPPORT OF, AB
2973?
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR RODRIGUEZ.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS CHRIS MALES. I AM THE
FIRE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF SANTA
BARBARA FIRE DEPARTMENT. I'M
ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS
ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS
THE COMMUNITIES OF GUADALUPE,
SANTA MARIA, LOMPOC, SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY, MONTECITO FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT, AND
CARPINTERIA SUMMERLAND FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT.
COLLECTIVELY ALL OF OUR
DEPARTMENTS AND THE COMMUNITIES
WE SERVE ARE STRONGLY IN FAVOR
OF THIS. THANK YOU. KELLY
BROOKS, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS OF SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY, IN SUPPORT. JULIAN
NAVAS, ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE
OF CALIFORNIA CITIES IN SUPPORT.
ETHAN NAGLER ON BEHALF OF THE
CITIES OF MERCED AND SANTA ROSA
IN SUPPORT. SIERRA DUCKETT ON
BEHALF OF THE RURAL COUNTY
REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA.
WE'RE A BIT OF AN IN-BETWEENER.
WE RAISED A NUMBER OF CONCERNS,
BUT YOUR COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
TODAY ADDRESSED OUR CONCERNS. SO
WE'LL BE REEVALUATING OUR
POSITION AND HOPEFULLY
SUPPORTING. I JUST WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR AND THE AUTHOR FOR
WORKING WITH US. THANK YOU.
DAVID NIELSEN, FIRE CHIEF,
MONTECITO FIRE PROTECTION
DISTRICT IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT? SEEING
NONE. ANYONE OPPOSITION. WOULD
YOU LIKE ME TO GO FROM HERE OR
UP THERE? OKAY THERE'S ROOM.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. JARED
MOSS, ON BEHALF OF THE 911
AMBULANCE PROVIDERS IN
OPPOSITION, LET'S DO THE
TESTIMONY. THEN YOU CAN COME UP.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. OKAY. HI
EVERYONE. I'M DARBY KIERNAN. I
REPRESENT THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES ADMINISTRATORS
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA, WE
REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF ALL
THE 34, LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES AGENCIES COVERING ALL
58 COUNTIES, WE DO APPRECIATE
ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS AND THE
TIME ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND
MEMBERS TOOK THIS WEEK, LAST
WEEK TO MEET WITH US ON THIS
BILL. WE ARE STILL STRONGLY IN
OPPOSITION OF THIS BILL, EVEN
THOUGH THE AMENDMENTS DO CLEAN
UP A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT
WERE IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BILL
, THE BILL MOVES THE CURRENT 40
YEAR EMS SYSTEM AWAY FROM A
CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS,
RUN WITH A FOCUS ON THE EMS
SYSTEM AND USING PROFESSIONAL
MEDICAL JUDGMENT INTO NOW MOVING
IT TO A COMPLETELY POLITICAL
SITUATION. THE BILL REMOVES AND
MAKES ALL OF THE CONTRACTING
AUTHORITY BASED ON THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS DECISION. I USED TO
WORK FOR THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES FOR
SEVEN YEARS, REPRESENTING ALL 58
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I
THINK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. ARE
AMAZING AT THE WORK THEY DO IN
COUNTIES, BUT THEY'RE NOT
EXECUTING THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CONTRACTS. THEY ARE NOT
EXECUTING THE CONTRACTS FOR ALL
OF THE VARIOUS AGENCIES THAT
THEY ARE RUNNING. THEY ARE ARE
THE ADMINISTRATIVE BODY. THEY
ARE NOT MEDICAL EXPERTS AND
SHOULD NOT BE MAKING THESE
DECISIONS. A COUPLE OF THE KEY
THINGS I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IN
THIS IS, WHILE THE BILL IS BASED
ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY THAT WANT
THE CONTRACT WITH FIRE, THAT IS
KIND OF THE GOAL OF WHAT
HAPPENED. AND IT HAS BEEN
LITIGATED THAT NOW WITH THE
AMENDMENTS, THE PROCESS FOR
PUBLIC AGENCIES IS GOING TO BE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN FOR
PRIVATE AGENCIES. AND I THINK
WHEN YOU'RE MOVING IT SO PUBLIC
AGENCIES DO NOT HAVE TO GO
THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS OR A
COMPETITIVE PROCESS, BUT PRIVATE
ENTITIES DO. I THINK YOU HAVE
SOME REAL PROBLEMS WITH THAT,
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO POINT
OUT, I WORKED AT CSAC DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND DURING THE
PANDEMIC. WE HAD BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS GETTING RECALLED. WE
HAD A LOT OF POLITICAL UPRISING
BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH WAS MAKING
REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS, AND
ELECTED OFFICIALS DID NOT LIKE
THOSE DECISIONS. AND EVEN IN
SOME COUNTIES, LIKE SHASTA
COUNTY, WE SAW EVERY BOARD OF
SUPERVISOR RECALLED. AND IF
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR
EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM AND
THROW IT INTO A POLITICAL SYSTEM
FOR ALL 58 COUNTIES, NOW, NOT
JUST SANTA BARBARA, BECAUSE THEY
DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE SYSTEM
WORKS TODAY, THEN YOU ARE YOU
ARE PUTTING AT RISK THAT
DECISIONS FOR WHO IS GETTING A
RESPONSE TO 911 CALLS ARE ONLY
IN SPECIFIC DISTRICTS, OR WHERE
VOTERS ARE MORE ENCOMPASSED,
LIKE YOU ARE TAKING THIS
COMPETITIVE PROCESS THAT IS
BASED INDEPENDENT SCORING IS
DONE. PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY
ARE USED WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE
EMS SYSTEM. THAT IS THE
CONTRACTING PROCESS TODAY AND IF
YOU GET THE POINTS, YOU GET THE
CONTRACT. IF YOU DON'T GET THE
POINTS, YOU DON'T GET THE
CONTRACT, AND THEN YOU HAVE
RECOURSE THROUGH A PUBLIC
PROCESS TO APPEAL AND PROTEST
AND EVENTUALLY END UP IN
LITIGATION THAT IS GOING TO GET
THROWN OUT. AND NOW YOU ARE
HAVING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
MAKE THIS DECISION, AND WE ARE
NOT ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON
THIS BILL TODAY. WE'RE JUST
ASKING YOU NOT TO VOTE ON THIS
BILL TODAY BECAUSE IT IS
CHANGING OUR POLITICAL, OUR, EMS
SYSTEM INTO A POLITICAL
NIGHTMARE. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS, BOB GIRAUD, ON
BEHALF OF THE URBAN COUNTIES, WE
TOO SUBMITTED A LETTER OF
CONCERN. WE WE DON'T FEEL THAT
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HART'S, BILL, IS
A IS A SOLUTION TO, IS A GENERAL
SOLUTION. IT'S TOO BROAD. WE'RE,
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
THE AUTHOR. I'VE HAD GOOD
CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM. AND AS
THE BILL MOVES ALONG, WE'D LIKE
TO, ENSURE THAT IT'S NOT A ONE
SIZE FITS ALL PROCESS. THANK YOU
. OKAY. ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK
IN OPPOSITION? YES. OKAY. GOOD
HOLD OFF ON THAT. THANK YOU.
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS NICOLE
SMITH, AND I'M A LABOR
REPRESENTATIVE FOR UNITED EMS
WORKERS, AFSCME LOCAL 4911. WE
REPRESENT EMTS, PARAMEDICS,
CRITICAL CARE, TRANSPORT
PARAMEDICS AND CRITICAL CARE
NURSES AND ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF
IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY, EMS, WE
REGRETFULLY OPPOSE AB 2973,
WHICH UNRAVELS CENTRALIZED,
ESTABLISHED AND INTEGRATED
COUNTYWIDE AMBULANCE SYSTEM THAT
HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER FOUR
DECADES. UNFORTUNATELY AB 2973
WILL CREATE A SYSTEM THAT GIVES
SOLE AUTHORITY TO COUNTY
SUPERVISORS. INSTEAD OF ALLOWING
THE LEMSA TO ENSURE THAT
EQUITABLE, INTEGRAL AND
EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE
EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE BEING
PROVIDED ON A REGIONAL LEVEL,
OUR MEMBERS HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND
HOW POLITICIZED COUNTY RUN
PROCESS FOR BIDDING ON EMERGENCY
SERVICE CONTRACTS CAN NEGATIVELY
IMPACT THE WORKFORCE AND EMS
SERVICES DELIVERED TO THE
COMMUNITY, COUNTIES OR SINGLE
MUNICIPALITIES WILL BID FOR AN
EMERGENCY SERVICES CONTRACT AND
THEN SUBCONTRACT THAT LABOR BACK
TO THE WORKFORCE THAT IS
CURRENTLY IN PRACTICE IN CONTRA
COSTA COUNTY. TODAY THIS HAS
RESULTED IN A SYSTEM DELIVERY
MODEL THAT INCREASES CHARGES TO
PATIENTS AND SUPPRESSES THE
WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR PRIVATE
EMTS AND PARAMEDICS. AS PRIVATE
AMBULANCE SERVICES WOULD NEED TO
RENEGOTIATE OR EVEN TERMINATE
FRACTURED COUNTY CONTRACTS DUE
TO THE REDUCTION IN SERVICE
TERRITORY. THIS REDUCTION IN
SERVICE TERRITORY WOULD THEN
FRACTURE COORDINATED EMS
RESPONSE AND DEPRIVED RURAL AND
UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF A
DEDICATED AMBULANCE PROVIDER FOR
THE EMS ACT HELPED COORDINATE
COUNTY MEDICAL CONTROL AND
OVERSIGHT TO PROTECT PATIENTS
AND ENSURE ALL CALIFORNIANS HAVE
ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR CITY OF
RESIDENCE OR SOCIOECONOMIC
STATUS. AB 2973 WOULD ERODE
EQUITABLE ACCESS OR EQUAL ACCESS
TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE, AND
NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE WAGES AND
BENEFITS OF ALL EMTS,
PARAMEDICS, AND RNS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE
ROOM? OPPOSITION. PLEASE COME
FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND
POSITION. THANK YOU. CHAIR
MEMBERS JANICE O'MALLEY WITH THE
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE,
COUNTY, MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND
REGRETTABLE OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU TO THE AUTHOR FOR WORKING
WITH US DILIGENTLY AND,
APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.
HI, CHAIR AND MEMBERS. JARED.
JARED MOSS, ON BEHALF OF THE 911
AMBULANCE PROVIDERS, MEDICAL AND
ALLIED SCIENCE IN OPPOSITION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MEMBERS. KAREN LANG ON BEHALF OF
THE KERN COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS, IN OPPOSITION, WE
ANTICIPATE THEIR LETTER WAS SENT
ON FRIDAY. I APOLOGIZE, AND
SOLANO COUNTY IS EXPRESSING
CONCERN. THEY ARE THE ONLY
COUNTY WITH A SINGLE COUNTY. JPA
AND I DO BELIEVE THE VERSION
THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED MAY NOT
ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS. I
ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE IN OPPOSITION FOR
THEM AS WELL. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. SEAN HENSCHEL, ON
BEHALF OF AMERICAN MEDICAL
RESPONSE, STANDING WITH OUR
AFSCME WORKFORCE IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS DAVID MANGINO AND I'M A
PRIVATE, LICENSED PARAMEDIC HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND
I BELIEVE THAT, YOU NEED TO LET
THE REGULATORY PROCESS THAT IS
CURRENTLY UNDERWAY RUN ITS
COURSE. AND SO I'M OPPOSED TO
THIS BILL. THANK YOU. ANYONE
ELSE IN OPPOSITION SEEING NONE.
WE'LL BRING IT TO THE MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS COMMENTS. ANYBODY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HART I MEAN
ABANDONED I'M SORRY MY NEIGHBOR
THAT'S OKAY. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GABRIEL. I THOUGHT I'D BRING IT
UP. I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE AFTER
CARRYING A BILL LIKE THIS THAT'S
NOW IN THE SENATE. MOVED THROUGH
THE ASSEMBLY, WITH A BILL
DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. IT'S A
COMPLICATED ISSUE. AND BECAUSE
IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, MANY
THINGS NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US.
WE HAVE THE CHAIR, WITH AN I
RECOMMENDATION ON THIS, AND I
THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IN
TIME, A NO VOTE SAYS WE
SHOULDN'T CONTINUE THESE
DISCUSSIONS. AND I VOTE SAYS THE
DISCUSSION SHOULD CONTINUE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES WHERE
THIS BILL CAN BE STOPPED. IF IT
CAN'T GET WORKED OUT PROPERLY.
AS I CAN TELL YOU FROM, I'M IN A
TWO YEAR PROCESS WITH WITH THE
OTHER BILL, SO I WOULD JUST
ENCOURAGE THE MEMBERS UNLESS YOU
HAVE A COMPELLING REASON TO STOP
IT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE A
MEMBER WHO IS CERTAINLY
COMMITTED AS THE TESTIMONY, EVEN
FROM THE OPPOSITION SAID,
COMMITTED TO TALKING WITH THEM,
TRYING TO WORK THESE ISSUES OUT.
SO THAT WOULD I WOULD CERTAINLY
ENCOURAGE US TO, MOVE THIS BILL
OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE. THANK YOU
. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYBODY,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CALDERON
QUESTION. YES, THANK YOU. CHAIR
WELL. I GREATLY APPRECIATE FIRST
OF ALL, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT
FOR YOU. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS MY COLLEAGUE, AND I
APPRECIATE THE INTENT IN WHAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS
BILL, BUT I DO HAVE SOME GRAVE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE TYPE OF
PRECEDENT THIS LEGISLATION
COULD, YOU KNOW, COULD SET. AND
I WOULD HAVE REALLY LIKE TO SEE
THE BILL JUST NARROW DOWN, A
LITTLE BIT. AND SO, I'M
RESPECTFULLY NOT GOING TO BE
SUPPORTING IT TODAY. HOWEVER AS
IT CONTINUES TO GO THROUGH THE
PROCESS AND YOU WORK TO REFINE
IT, I WILL DEFINITELY REVISIT
THAT. MY VOTE, WHEN IT COMES TO
THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. OKAY.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMAN BONNER,
YOU HAD A QUESTION BURNER
BURNER? I'M SORRY, FINE, THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, I
KNOW IT'S, IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
WE HAVE A VERY COMPLEX NETWORK
OF HOW EMS SERVICES ARE
PROVIDED. IT'S DIFFERENT IN
EVERY CITY. IT'S DIFFERENT
UNINCORPORATED COUNTIES. COULD
YOU MAYBE RESPOND TO SOME OF THE
OPPOSITION'S CONCERNS AND HOW
YOU INTEND TO ADDRESS IT?
BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S A
CONCERN IF THE PROCESS IS I
MEAN, I THINK I DISAGREE. I WAS
ON THE ENCINITAS PLANNING
COMMISSION, I DON'T HAVE A
BACKGROUND IN PLANNING, AND I
LEARNED PLANNING IN THREE
MONTHS. I THINK WHEN WE'RE
ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE LEARN THE
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR JOB IN
EVERY WAY, AT LEAST GOOD PUBLIC
OFFICIALS DO, WHICH I THINK ARE
MOST. SO I DO THINK EVEN IF
YOU'RE NOT AN EXPERT IN THE
HEALTH CARE AREA AND EMS
SERVICES, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT
ROLE, YOU BECOME ONE AND YOU
RELY ON YOUR STAFF TO
UNDERSTAND, HOW TO DO THAT. BUT
I DO THINK YOU WANT A FAIR AND
OBJECTIVE PROCESS, AND IT SHOULD
INCLUDE GOOD, PUBLIC ENTITIES AS
WELL AS PRIVATE. SO CAN YOU
MAYBE RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE
CONCERNS THAT THE OPPOSITION
HAD? AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE
QUESTION. YEAH. I THINK I WOULD
JUST SIMPLY SAY THAT, THIS IS A
WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I AM
COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THE OPPOSITION. AND I
APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, FROM
SOME OF THOSE FOLKS ABOUT OUR
WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT. I
APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENTS THAT,
CHAIR RODRIGUEZ OFFERED TO THE
BILL. I THINK THAT CLARIFIES
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THE
OPPOSITION, RAISED. AND THIS IS
A DYNAMIC PROCESS. YOU KNOW,
FOLKS ARE COMING PREPARED, YOU
KNOW, TO SAY ONE THING. AND WE
HAVE THESE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN REAL TIME. SO I
THINK MANY OF THE THOSE CONCERNS
ARE BEING ADDRESSED BY THESE
AMENDMENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, I
THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A
FUNDAMENTAL, PHILOSOPHICAL
DIFFERENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT
SOMEBODY CALLS A POLITICAL
PROCESS ANOTHER PERSON WOULD
CALL DEMOCRACY AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS EXERCISING THEIR
APPROPRIATE ROLE AND, YOU KNOW,
IT DOESN'T FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE
THAT ROLE. THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS HAVE THAT AUTHORITY
TODAY. WHAT'S CONFUSING IS THE,
THE COURT CASES THAT ARE
INFORMING THE CODE SECTIONS OF
THE LAW, THE EMS ACT AND THE
IDEA HERE IS TO COMBINE THOSE SO
THAT IT IS IN ONE PLACE AND IT
TAKES SOME OF THE AMBIGUITY OF
THE PROCESS OUT SO THAT IT'S
CLEAR WHAT BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS
CAN AND CAN'T DO. THAT'S THE
INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION, IS TO
CLEAN THIS UP AND TO MAKE THIS A
BETTER FUNCTIONING PROCESS.
OKAY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I DO
THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WHEN WE
WOULD GO LOOK AT THINGS WHEN I
WAS ON THE COUNCIL OR WHAT I
LOOK WHAT MY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS DO, THEY DO HAVE A
COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS THAT
CAN INCLUDE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
AND THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF
THE INTENT OF YOUR LEGISLATION
IS NOT JUST TO GIVE FAVOR TO
MAYBE THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, BUT
ALSO HAVE AN EQUAL FOOTING FOR
PUBLIC. AND AS LONG AS THAT
PROCESS ITSELF IS THE SAME FOR
BOTH, YOU DON'T WANT A
DIFFERENTIAL PROCESS FOR A
PRIVATE INDUSTRY VERSUS A PUBLIC
ENTITY. THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
I THINK, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
GOING FORWARD. AND THE SECOND
THING IS, COULD YOU CLARIFY, HOW
THIS WORKS? IF IT'S A JOINT
POWER AUTHORITY, IF ONE COUNTY
IS PART OF THE JPA, WOULD TO BE
AWARDED AN EMS CONTRACT AS PART
OF SOMETHING ELSE. SO IF YOU
HAVE A MULTI COUNTY JPA, WE
DON'T HAVE THAT IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. SO THAT WAS NEW WHEN I
READ THE BILL ANALYSIS AND SOME
OF THE OPPOSITION LETTERS, COULD
YOU CLARIFY HOW THAT WOULD WORK?
YEAH. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE
AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE TAKING
TODAY, DON'T CHANGE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS. SO IF YOU'RE IN A
JPA, YOU'LL STAY IN THAT
SITUATION. AND, AND THIS IS
NEUTRAL AS TO HOW THE STRUCTURE
IS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE
CREATED TO MANAGE THEIR EMS
SERVICES. SO WITH THAT, I THINK
I SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. I KNOW
YOU'RE A HARD WORKER. YOU'RE A
VERY FAIR, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, AND
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP
WORKING ON THIS UP. SO YOU HAVE
MY VOTE TODAY. AND WITH THAT,
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
THANK YOU. THERE'S A MOTION. AND
SECOND, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE
COMMENTS I WANTED TO MAKE AS
I'LL BE SUPPORTING YOUR BILL AS
WELL. BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A
VERY COMPLEX ISSUE AS WE CAN ALL
ATTEST TO IT. WE'VE HEARD THE
BOTH SIDES OF THE OF THE
SUPPORTERS AND OPPOSITION ON
THIS. OBVIOUSLY, WE TALK ABOUT
WHAT'S BEEN IN STATUTE 40 YEARS
AGO. THAT'S 40 YEARS AGO.
UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS HAVE
CHANGED, RIGHT? I THINK WE NEED
TO EVALUATE SOME OF THESE
POLICIES. MOVING FORWARD AS TO
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET
THE APPROPRIATE COVERAGE, THE
RESPONSE IN OUR COUNTIES AND OUR
CITIES WHERE WE'RE WORKING AT
RIGHT NOW? OBVIOUSLY, ONE THING
I FIND A LITTLE DIFFICULT WAS
WHEN I MET WITH THE OPPOSITION,
I THINK ON THURSDAY LAST WEEK,
AND THEY DIDN'T OFFER ME
ANYTHING, ANYTHING. I WAS MORE
THAN WILLING TO EXTEND THE OLIVE
BRANCH TO TELL ME, HOW CAN WE
GET THIS BILL IN A BETTER PLACE?
AND WHEN YOU TELL ME, NO,
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
THAT'S A LITTLE, CONCERNING TO
ME, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN
A PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER. WE NEED TO
COLLABORATE. WE GOT TO KIND OF
GIVE AND TAKE ON BOTH SIDES. BUT
WHAT? THEY DIDN'T OFFER
ANYTHING. THAT'S KIND OF A
CHALLENGE. PUTS ME IN A VERY
AWKWARD SPOT TO SEE THAT THIS IS
A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, THAT WE
NEED TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE ONCE
AGAIN, THAT, OUR RESOURCES ARE
USED THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE. AND
WITH THAT, I DO HAVE THE MOTION.
I DO HAVE ERECO. AND I KNOW
THERE'S A MOTION IN A SECOND.
AND I TRUST YOU CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH OPPOSITION. HOPEFULLY THEY
CAN COME UP WITH SOME OTHER
IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS MOVING
THIS BILL FORWARD. IF IT GETS
OUT AND GETS OBVIOUSLY THERE'S
ANOTHER COMMITTEE IS GOING TO GO
TO I BELIEVE IT'S HEALTH THAT'S
GOING TO GO TO. SO THERE'S
ANOTHER, A TAKEOUT. WE CAN LOOK
AT IT AND HOPEFULLY THERE ARE
SOME OTHER THINGS WORKING WITH
THE OPPOSITION MOVING FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT, I DO HAVE I RECORD
THERE'S A MOTION FIRST AND A
SECOND AND SECRETARY CALL THE
ROLL. AND THIS WOULD BE Dð PASS,
AS AMENDED TO COMMITTEE ON
HEALTH. SO, SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. AB 2973, THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO
A COMMITTEE ON HEALTH. RODRIGUEZ
A RODRIGUEZ I DAVIES. DAVID'S
NOT VOTING ARAMBULA. HI ARAMBULA
I BENNETT I BENNETT I BERNER I
BENNETT BERNER I CALDERON
CALDERON NOT VOTING. CORREA HI
CARILLO I WALDRON. WALDRON I.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS THAT WE
HAVE SIX AYES. WE'LL KEEP THE
ROLL OPEN FOR MISSING MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
SO, ARE THEY HERE? YEAH. OKAY.
NO, BUT NOT BY ITSELF.
I AM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR. ARE
THEY READY YET
?
VICE CHAIR WALDRON, WOULD YOU
WANT TO. OH. I'M SORRY. WHAT'S
WRONG WITH ME TODAY? THEY WANT
TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER. ALL
RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR.
RODRIGUEZ. YOU MAY PROCEED WITH
AB 1786.
MAY PROCEED WITH AB 1786. THANK.
YOU. MEMBERS, THIS BILL WOULD
ESTABLISH THE CALIFORNIA
INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE ACT,
ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE
CALIFORNIA LOCAL ASSISTANCE ACT,
ADMINISTERED BY THE STRATEGIC
GROWTH COUNCIL. THE PURPOSE OF
THIS BILL IS TO PROVIDE TIMELY
AND DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE SUFFERED HARM DUE TO
DISASTER RELATED CLIMATE CHANGE,
BUT MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR OR
WARRANT FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE. THIS BILL
PROVIDES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
AND INDIVIDUALS WITH ASSISTANCE
THEY NEED TO QUICKLY RECOVER
FROM A DISASTER. ALL TOO OFTEN,
FEMA AND CAL OES HAVE BEEN
UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO
THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
WHERE DISASTER SURVIVORS HAVE
VERY FEW PATHS TO RECOVERY. THIS
IS BECAUSE CRITICAL AID FROM
FEMA REMAINS OUT OF REACH FOR
FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE SUFFERED A DISASTER. IF THE
LOCAL DISASTER DOES NOT MEET THE
CRITERIA FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
IN FACT, FEMA RECOMMENDS STATES
ESTABLISH THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DUE TO THE
LIMITATIONS ON FEDERAL DISASTER
ASSISTANCE. FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER
THE COMMUNITY OF PAJARO WAS
FLOODED, I VISITED THE
EVACUATION SHELTER IN
WATSONVILLE. THERE WERE TOO MANY
DISPLACED FAMILIES WITH UNMET
NEEDS, AND THIS HAS BEEN THE
CASE THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN
RECENT DISASTERS. WHETHER IT'S
THE EARTHQUAKE IN FERNDALE,
FLOODS IN TULARE AND SAN DIEGO,
OR SNOW NEAR BIG BEAR. STATE AND
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE WASN'T
AVAILABLE. WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
THIS BILL WOULD HELP. IT HAS
LEVERAGED 500 MILLION ANNUALLY
FROM ANNUALLY FROM THE
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND TO
HELP COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS
RECOVER FROM CLIMATE DRIVEN
DISASTERS. WITNESSES HERE
SUPPORT. WITH ME ARE DAVID
KNIGHT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
CAL KAPPA NÓ PALM, FIRMANDO,
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR THE
CALIFORNIA RURAL ASSISTANCE
LEAGUE FOUNDATION, AND WELCOME
FIRST. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS NÓI
PERDOMO. I'M WITH CALIFORNIA
RURAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE
FOUNDATION. THANK YOU TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR
PRESENTING AB 1786 AND TO THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL,
WHICH CREATES AND ESTABLISHES
TWO NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF
PROGRAMS TO HELP CALIFORNIA'S
RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED
BY NATURAL DISASTERS ARISING
FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. THE BILL
ESTABLISHES THE CALIFORNIA
INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE ACT
PROGRAM TO FUND NEEDED DIRECT
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPACTED
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE
INELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL OR STATE
ASSISTANCE DUE TO THEIR
IMMIGRATION STATUS. CLIMATE
CHANGE IMPACTS ALL REGARDLESS OF
IMMIGRATION STATUS, EVIDENCED BY
THE STORMS OF 2022 AND 2023 THAT
RESULTED IN FEDERAL AND STATE
DISASTER DECLARATIONS IN MORE
THAN 20 CALIFORNIA COUNTIES,
INCLUDING, AS WAS REFERENCED BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER RODRIGUEZ,
MONTEREY. PAJARO. THE COMMITTEE
WAS FLOODED. MERCED COUNTY, LA
NADA. THE COMMUNITY IS FLOODED.
I'M FROM TULARE COUNTY,
ORIGINALLY FROM THE SMALL TOWN
OF WOODLAKE, AND THE FLOODING
THERE CAME RIGHT UP TO MY
MOTHER'S AND MY HOME TOWN, HOME,
FORTUNATELY, THAT DID NOT
HAPPEN. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE
EVACUATED, BUT HER NEIGHBORS DID
. THIS RESULTED IN THESE
FAMILIES BEING DISPLACED, AS I
SAID, FROM THEIR HOMES AND
ENDURED JOB LOSS. SECONDLY, THE
BILL ESTABLISHES THE CALIFORNIA
LOCAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO HELP
THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES REBUILD
AND SUPPORT BADLY NEEDED
INFRASTRUCTURE AND LIFELINES FOR
PREVENTION AND RECOVERY FROM
DAMAGES. THE BILL ALSO
RECOGNIZES THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS NEED TO BE
RESPONSIVE AND IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
SPECIFICALLY, AB 1786 WILL
PARTNER WITH TRUSTED COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS PROVIDERS
WITH EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY TO
DELIVER CULTURALLY COMPETENT
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
IMMIGRANT AND FARMWORKER
COMMUNITIES. FOR AN EQUITABLE
RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION FROM
THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
SUCH AS STORMS, FLOODING, EXCESS
HEAT FREEZES, WILDFIRE SMOKE,
AND DROUGHT. CBOS HAVE
DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE STORM
ASSISTANCE FOR IMMIGRANT PROGRAM
ADMINISTERED ADMINISTERED BY THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES, SUCCESSFULLY HAVE
IMPLEMENTED THE SERVICE DELIVERY
MODELS CUSTOMIZED LOCALLY TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE
COMMUNITIES. AS A CBO PARTNER,
CRLA FOUNDATION HAS RECEIVED
POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN PROVIDING
DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE,
OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION AND
NAVIGATION SERVICES TO THESE
COMMUNITIES. HOWEVER, TO DATE,
COMMUNITY REYES STILL CONTINUE
TO CONTACT US AND OTHER CBOS IN
NEED OF SERVICES. MORE THAN
60,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN
HELPED BY THE STORM ASSISTANCE
FOR IMMIGRANT PROGRAM. MORE THAN
$80 MILLION HAVE BEEN PROVIDED
DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, BUT
IT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED MORE
ASSISTANCE FOR THIS. CRLA
FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE BILL. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT AND
YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
LEGISLATURE, THIS COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN RODRIGUEZ AND THE
ADMINISTRATION, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRMAN RODRIGUEZ, AND TO THE
ENTIRE COMMITTEE OF THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THANK YOU
FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK TODAY. MY
NAME IS DAVID KNIGHT. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY ACTION
PARTNERSHIP ASSOCIATION. I'M
HONORED TO BE HERE AS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 60
COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES WHO
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL 58
CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. WE ARE HERE
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF AB 1786, THE
CALIFORNIA INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE
ACT, CALIFORNIA LOCAL ASSISTANCE
ACT. CAL IS THANKFUL TO ASSEMBLY
MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS EFFORTS
TO THIS MUCH NEEDED SOLUTION
FORWARD AS CALIFORNIANS AND
LEADERS IN THE MITIGATION OF
POVERTY, WE UNDERSTAND GREATLY
AND FIRSTHAND HOW DEVASTATING A
NATURAL DISASTER CAN BE TO A
COMMUNITY. WE KNOW COMMUNITY
MEMBERS SEEKING SUPPORT AND
RESOURCES DURING DISASTERS RELY
HEAVILY ON PREVIOUSLY KNOWN
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
AND THAT MEANS ESPECIALLY
COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES AND
OUR PARTNERS, COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ROLE IN DISASTER
RESPONSE IS CRITICAL. FIRST,
CBOS ARE. TRUSTED MESSENGERS.
SECOND, THEY
. THIS IS EXTREMELY
CRITICAL IN THAT MOST OF THE
VICTIMS HAVE YET TO RETURN TO
FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT IN OVER A
YEAR. CAL APPLAUDS THIS BILL'S
RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
LEVERAGE, LEVERAGING THE
CAPABILITIES OF COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO DELIVER
CULTURALLY COMPETENT EMERGENCY
RESPONSE AND RECOVERY SERVICES
TO DISPLACED RESIDENTS, AS
EVIDENCED BY THE SERVICES
PROVIDED AFTER THE FLOODS LAST
YEAR. LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ARE CAPABLE OF
ASSEMBLING AND QUICKLY
RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS
DURING THE RECOVERY PERIOD.
LOCAL EMERGENCIES SHOULD HAVE A
LOCAL SOLUTIONS, AND THE
CALIFORNIA INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE
ACT PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO LOCALLY
BASED SOLUTIONS. WE CALLED UPON
AT THE NEXT DISASTER. THANK YOU
AGAIN TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER
RODRIGUEZ AND TO THE COMMITTEE
ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY AND FOR YOUR SERVICES
TO THE GREAT PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU.
GENTLEMEN, DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN
SUPPORT IN THE ROOM? ALL RIGHT,
IN CONFIRMING WE DON'T HAVE ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION, DO WE
HAVE ANYONE IN THE ROOM OPPOSING
? WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE. ALL RIGHT, MR.
RODRIGUEZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A
MOTION AND A SECOND FOR AB 1786.
AB 1786. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN
SERVICES. RODRIGUEZ Ã
RODRIGUEZ. AYE. DAVIES. NOT
VOTING. DAVIES. NOT VOTING.
ARAMBULA. ARAMBULA AYE. BENNET
BERNER. BERNER. AYE. CALDERON
CALDERON. AYE. CARILLO. CARILLO
AYE. WALDRON. WALDRON. AYE. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
GOOD JOB. GREAT. THAT'S SIX
VOTES AND IT PASSES. THANKS GOOD
JOB. THANK YOU. JUST ROLL OPEN
FOR, I THINK, A MISSING MEMBER
TOO. SO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT,
FIVE MINUTES WE'LL LEAVE THE
ROLL OPEN. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY
AND YES. SO WHICH WHICH ONE WAS
IT? THE CONSENT. THANK YOU. SO
I'M ON I NEED FOR YOU TO ROLL
CALL. WE'LL OPEN THE ROLL FOR
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. TO DO THE
ROLL CALL. WALDRON WALDRON HERE.
CALDERON SHE WAS HERE. YEAH. WE
GOT YOU. CARILLO. CARILLO HERE.
AND THEN FOR THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. ÁP 1792. AB 1863, AB
2101. AB 2348. AB 2469. AB 2594.
AB 2776 AND AB 2983 CARILLO HI
MORRELL I. WALDRON. WALDRON I.
CREAL'S ON. EVERYTHING OKAY?
JUST TO LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN FOR
A FEW MORE MINUTES. OKAY COME
BACK NOW
.
THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE. AND
THEY, SO
.
CALLED. OKAY. WAIT A FEW MINUTES
. YEAH OKAY
.
NEXT YEAH. NEXT. CHAIR. TURN IT
ON. YEAH THANK YOU.
YES COME ON. THE YELLOW HALL
.
SO WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR PARTICIPATING, EVERYONE.
THANKS.