SB 809 Summary

• Establishes the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission as a separate unit within the Office of Emergency Services, reducing membership from 20 to 15 commissioners with 10 appointed by the Governor, 2 by the Legislature, and 3 representing specified state agencies.

• Expands the commission's coordination responsibilities to include regular updates from multiple state agencies on earthquake preparedness and seismic safety activities including the California Geological Survey, California Earthquake Authority, Department of Transportation, and University of California.

• Makes costs reasonably related to election administration during the COVID-19 pandemic eligible for reimbursement under the voting system replacement program funded by the Budget Acts of 2018 and 2019.

• Eliminates the matching fund requirement for counties seeking reimbursement for COVID-19 election-related eligible expenditures made between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021; maintains 3-to-1 reimbursement matching for other expenditures.

• Repeals outdated chapters of the Government Code related to the Seismic Safety Commission's previous organizational structure.