Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, authorizes the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency when specified conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist, and authorizes the Governor to exercise certain powers in response to that emergency, including, but not limited to, suspending specified statutes, ordinances, orders, regulations, or rules.

This bill would impose specific duties on the Department of Housing and Community Development if the Office of Emergency Services makes a written determination, within 10 days after the date that the Governor declared a state of emergency relating to a wildfire, that the wildfire caused substantial structural damage requiring significant rebuilding efforts, as defined. The bill would require the department, under this condition, to consult with other specified state entities and local governments to identify state permitting requirements, provisions in the California Building Standards Code, and local procedures that could be suspended or revised to support recovery and rebuilding efforts as a result of the wildfire, as specified. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit initial and periodic reports to the Governor and Legislature with the information and recommendations.

This bill, except as provided, would require, upon the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency relating to a wildfire, every state agency or political subdivision, as defined, involved in postdisaster response, debris removal, reconstruction, housing, or land-use permitting to accept electronic submission of any application, form, plan set, appeal, or request for state agency or political subdivision action related to recovery efforts for that state of emergency, as provided. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.