CA AB2681

Requires building departments in cities and counties with significant seismic risk (peak ground acceleration of 0.3g or greater) to create an inventory of potentially vulnerable buildings by January 1, 2021, based on age and publicly available information.

Defines potentially vulnerable buildings as structures built before 1976 or pursuant to 1995 or earlier California Building Code editions with specific structural vulnerabilities such as unreinforced masonry, nonductile concrete, or soft ground floors, excluding residential properties of 1-4 units and state/federally-owned buildings.

Requires building owners notified of vulnerable building status to submit a letter from a licensed professional engineer by June 1, 2022, confirming whether their building meets the vulnerability definition; failure to submit results in the building remaining on the inventory.

Mandates the Office of Emergency Services maintain a statewide inventory of potentially vulnerable buildings, identify funding mechanisms to offset compliance costs by January 1, 2020, and report to the Legislature by June 1, 2023, on the number of vulnerable buildings and building department compliance.

Provides liability immunity to cities, counties, and their employees for damages related to actions taken or inventories created under this chapter, and becomes operative only after the Office of Emergency Services identifies funding and notifies the Secretary of State.