CaliforniaSeismic safety commission adds agencies and raises its quorum
The law changes the commission’s membership and quorum and adds agency coordination and earthquake-risk policy recommendations through January 1, 2030.
What it does
The commission now has 17 members, with fewer Governor-appointed seats and added representatives from three state agencies.
The commission needs at least nine members to conduct business when all seats are filled; vacancies use a majority-of-appointed-members rule.
The commission must coordinate with three added agencies and may recommend earthquake-risk policies to lawmakers through January 1, 2030.
Argument forBroader agency participation could help the commission combine building, insurance, fire-safety, and growth-planning information when making seismic-safety recommendations.
Argument againstRaising the full-membership quorum from eight to nine could make it harder to conduct business when members are absent.
More detail
The commission has 17 members, including nine appointed by the Governor and representatives from six state agencies. The agency representatives come from the Office of Emergency Services, Division of the State Architect, State Fire Marshal, Department of Insurance, Strategic Growth Council, and California Building Standards Commission. Nine other members must represent fields such as engineering, planning, fire protection, utilities, insurance, social services, emergency services, and local government. Governor-appointed members remain subject to Senate confirmation.
At least nine members must attend for the commission to conduct business when there are no vacancies. If vacancies exist, a majority of the appointed members forms the quorum instead. A quorum is the minimum number of members needed to conduct official business.
The commission must work with the State Fire Marshal, Department of Insurance, and Strategic Growth Council on seismic-safety activities, and may recommend ways to reduce earthquake-related risks. The recommendations may address fires after major urban earthquakes and disruptions to fuel, gas, electricity, water, transportation, communications, and other lifeline systems. The commission may coordinate with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Office of Emergency Services. It must report its actions, conclusions, and recommendations annually to the legislative emergency-management committees. This coordination and recommendation authority remains in effect until January 1, 2030, and the related section is repealed on that date.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 212, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6719.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2471 E.M. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By RANSOM. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 27In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2471 E.M. (Ransom) By Stern. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 20Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Jul 2Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jul 2From Consent Calendar.
- Jun 30Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Jun 29From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 16
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 5465.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2471 Emergency Management Assembly Third Reading By RANSOM. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on INS. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on INS.Minor
- Mar 23
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Insurance] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Referred to Coms. on E.M and INS.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
Emergency ManagementPublic SafetyGovernment & Ethics