(a) (1) There is in state government, within the office of the Governor, the Office of Emergency Services. The Office of Emergency Services shall be under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Services, who shall have all rights and powers of a head of an office as provided by this code, and shall be referred to as the Director of Emergency Services.
(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, whenever the term “California Emergency Management Agency” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, or in any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Office of Emergency Services, and whenever the term “Secretary of Emergency Management” or the “Secretary of the Emergency Management Agency” appears in statute, regulation, or contract, or in any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Director of Emergency Services.
(3) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, whenever the term “Director of Homeland Security” or “Office of Homeland Security” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, or in any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Office of Emergency Services, and whenever the term “Director of Homeland Security” or “Director of the Office of Homeland Security” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, or in any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Director of Emergency Services.
(b) (1) The Office of Emergency Services and the Director of Emergency Services shall succeed to and are vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction vested in the California Emergency Management Agency and the Secretary of Emergency Management, respectively.
(2) The Office of Emergency Services and the Director of Emergency Services shall succeed to and are vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction vested in the Office of Homeland Security and the Director of Homeland Security, respectively.
(c) The Office of Emergency Services shall be considered a law enforcement organization as required for receipt of criminal intelligence information pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 7923.600) of Chapter 1 of Part 5 of Division 10 of Title 1 by persons employed within the office whose duties and responsibilities require the authority to access criminal intelligence information.
(d) Persons employed by the Office of Emergency Services whose duties and responsibilities require the authority to access criminal intelligence information shall be furnished state summary criminal history information as described in Section 11105 of the Penal Code, if needed in the course of their duties.
(e) The Office of Emergency Services shall be responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, including responsibility for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, nothing in this section shall authorize an employee of the Office of Emergency Services to access criminal intelligence information under subdivision (c) or (d) for the purpose of determining eligibility for, or providing access to, disaster-related assistance and services.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 152. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.)