Press Release

San Diego, CA – Governor Schwarzenegger signed Assemblymember Pedro Nava’s Assembly Bill 38, at a signing ceremony in San Diego, site of the devastating wildfires that struck the state last year.

Assemblymember Nava, Chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Services & Homeland Security joined Governor Schwarzenegger, local and statewide public safety officials at the signing ceremony in San Diego on Friday. (See Photo Below)

AB 38, The California Emergency Services Act (CALEMA), creates a new cabinet level California Emergency Management Agency by combining the Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. The bill will give CALEMA the responsibility of overseeing and coordinating emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and homeland security activities in the state.

“Emergency personnel, firefighters and law enforcement all over the state have been asking for this reform for many years. CALEMA will make the state more responsive when disaster strikes,” said Nava, Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security. “Everyone saw the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina and the poor response by the federal government.  We want to make sure that California’s emergency response and recovery system works effectively and efficiently and can respond to the needs of its residents.”