This year’s legislative session has been filled with building health and safety issues that directly affect our membership. CALBO has been closely tracking several bills, and advocating our strong position at the State Capitol. The Legislature is currently on “summer recess” and will reconvene in August to finish the last few weeks of session. During this time, it would be helpful to get CALBO’s local jurisdictions involved in these advocacy efforts and express their individual concerns with bills that are moving through the process.

CALBO has been working on the Seismic Resiliency Initiative (SRI) for many months, and has taken a position on the SRI bills that are moving through the Legislature. Assembly Member Nazarian (D – North Hollywood) has introduced a measure, AB 2681, which would establish a statewide mandate for a “potentially vulnerable buildings” inventory. CALBO recognizes the need for seismic resiliency efforts, but does not support a statewide mandate that does not take into consideration local needs and regional diversity. Additionally, the bill in its current form does not provide any secured funding for local governments. This further concerns CALBO as building departments would be tasked with this large undertaking with no financial support for departmental time or administrative costs.

This bill specifically mentions areas of the state that are seismically vulnerable, and therefore responsible for providing a local inventory to the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). As written, AB 2681 specifically targets ¾ of the counties in California. The other ¼ of the state is less likely to be effected by seismic activity, but could still be required to conduct the inventory based on their proximity to seismically vulnerable areas.

If your agency is interested in joining CALBO in “Opposing” this measure, please send the attached letter template, with the required fields updated to match your local jurisdiction’s information. AB 2681 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 6, 2018. To find your legislator on the Committee, use this online tool. If your local Senator does not sit on the Appropriations Committee, feel free to submit a letter to their office expressing your jurisdiction’s concerns.

Step 1: Look up your local Senator

Step 2: Edit letter template with your jurisdiction’s information

Step 3: Send to your local representative or Appropriations Committee Member and Assembly Member Nazarian’s office. 

If you have any questions, please contact Katie Almand, Government Affairs Manager. 

Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian
D – North Hollywood
District 46
State Capitol, Room 4146
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2046
Fax: (916) 319-2146

Senate Appropriations Committee Members

Senator Anthony J. Portantino (Chair)
D – La Canada
District 25 
State Capitol, Room 3086
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4025
Fax: (916) 651-4925

Senator Patricia Bates (Vice Chair)
R – Laguna Niguel
District 36
State Capitol, Room 305
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4036
​Fax: (916) 651-4936

Senator Jim Beall
D – San Jose
District 15 
State Capitol, Room 2082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4015
​Fax: (916) 651-4915

Senator Steven Bradford
D – Gardena
District 35
State Capitol, Room 2062
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4035
​Fax: (916) 651-4935

Senator Jerry Hill
D – San Mateo
District 13 
State Capitol, Room 5035
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4013
​Fax: (916) 651-4913

Senator Jim Nielsen
R – Red Bluff
District 04
State Capitol, Room 2068
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4004
​Fax: (916) 651-4904

Senator Scott Wiener
D – San Francisco
District 11
State Capitol, Room 4066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4011
​Fax: (916) 651-4911

Committee Consultant: Mark McKenzie, Senate Appropriations Staff Director mark.mckenzie@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4101