Emergency services: catastrophic plans: recovery frameworks.

The California Assembly Committee on Emergency Management has put forward legislation requiring state and local agencies to develop comprehensive recovery frameworks for catastrophic disasters, establishing formal protocols for rebuilding communities after major emergencies. The measure directs the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to create statewide recovery plans while requiring local governing bodies to develop complementary regional frameworks, with both efforts incorporating lessons from recent disasters.

Under the proposal, these recovery frameworks must align with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidance and address six core support functions: economic recovery, health and social services, infrastructure systems, housing, community planning, and protection of natural and cultural resources. The frameworks will apply to California's existing catastrophic response plans, which cover scenarios including major earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and wildfires in urban-wildland interface areas. OES must provide technical assistance to local agencies in developing their regional frameworks, with all plans required for completion by January 2027.

The measure directs OES to maximize the use of federal preparedness grants to offset state and local costs for framework development. While the bill creates new requirements for local agencies, it includes provisions for state reimbursement of mandated local costs pending review by the Commission on State Mandates. The legislation is designated as an urgency statute, allowing it to take effect immediately upon passage with a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.