DISASTER, EMERGENCY -- RELATED PUBLICATIONS
PRIVACY VS SECURITY: THE INCREASE TENSION BETWEEN PRIVACY & SECURITY ISSUES AS
A RESULT OF THE 9/11/01 TERRORIST ATTACK - Informational hearing held by Senator
Steve Peace and the Senate Privacy Committee. Presentations by Dr. Joseph
Atick, Chief Executive Officer of Visionics Corporation. Greg Spadorcio,
Director of Business Planning, NEC Technologies. And Jim Miller, President of
ImageWare Systems. They speak about the application of facial recognition for
security purposes. In general, enhancing public safety without impacting civil
liberties. (Stock #1173-S; $4.85 - includes tax s/h) (12/01)
CALIFORNIA'S RESPONSE TO THE EMERGING THREAT OF TERRORISM - The senseless
tragedy six months ago claimed thousands of innocent victims, and permanently
scarred the families they left behind. One of our greatest triumphs as a
society has come in our collective response to the tragedy. Our government took
immediate steps in the wake of the terrorists attacks to ensure the safety of
this state. Our immediate response has been strong and sustained, but it is
only a start, and we must now begin to assess what we can do to make California
a national model for terrorism preparedness. This year, the legislature will be
taking action on hundreds of bills that have been introduced in the wake of last
September's tragedies. We must provide our "first responders" with the training
and equipment they need to respond to a terrorist act; we must decide how to
give state and local officials the tools they need to prosecute and deter those
acts, while also respecting our individual liberties; and we must coordinate our
resources and communication systems with federal authorities to provide a
seamless network of support and mutual aid. (Stock #1142-S; $6.73 - includes
tax s/h) (3/02)
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT SPECIAL DISTRICTS? A CITIZEN'S GUIDE, THIRD EDITION -
This contains fresh material on the number of districts, recent controversies,
and the debilitation effects of the ERAF property tax shifts. This guide by the
Senate Local Government Committee introduces and explains the special district
form of government. It's a helpful primer for voters, reporters, and public
officials. (Stock #583-S; $3.23 - includes tax s/h) (2/02)
IS THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY ENOUGH? – On November 2, 2000, the Senate
Insurance Committee held an interim hearing on the subject of the CEA ,
earthquake insurance in general, and related issues. The hearing was held in
Napa because a moderate earthquake struck Napa in September, 2000. The
committee wanted to assess how the CEA had performed after this moderate quake
and the reasons why homeowners did or did not have earthquake insurance at the
time of the quake. (Stock #1084-S; $4.31 – includes tax s/h) (11/00)
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE: IN RUBBLE AFTER NORTHRIDGE ~ RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
REBUILDING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE – The lack of written rules began with a lack of
clarity in some statutes, and has heavily impacted the recommendations of this
report. While this report makes many recommendations, and while it outlines the
facts surrounding many DOI activities, it is not exhaustive. Most disturbing is
the manner in which former Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush contorted
current law to objectives that were never contemplated by the Legislature. As
the evidence unfolds, the Legislature must seriously re-examine those statutes
that provided opportunities for abuse. But while policy reforms are debated,
there should be no argument over the immediate goal of helping policyholders who
remain victimized by the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the costliest natural
disaster in our nation’s history. (Stock #1050-S; $3.77 – includes s/h) (8/00)
CALIFORNIA’S AILING SYSTEM OF CARING FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS
– In June of 1998 the Senate Office of Research was asked by the Senate Health &
Human Services Committee to study the California Children’s Services program to
determine the extent to which the program is providing timely access to services
for children eligible for the program. CCS is a successful and multi-faceted
program serving children with complicated health care needs. Although the
purpose and basic structure of the program are sound, numerous growing problems
prevent timely access to services for many CCS-eligible children, including
fragmentation of services, outdated standards, limited state oversight of the
program, and erosion of the provider infrastructure serving the program. (Stock
#1041-S; $3.23 – includes tax s/h) (5/00)
THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM CLOSURES – This is an
informational hearing by the Senate Health and Human Services. According to
many observers and experts, the United States is facing a growing shortage of
emergency medical care, arguably leading to an unprecedented crisis. This past
winter’s flu season resulted in long delays for people in emergency rooms
throughout the state, bringing this issue to the fore and creating concern about
the capacity of California’s emergency care system to respond to future crises,
such as natural disasters. (Stock #1040-S; $11.31 – includes tax s/h) (3/00)
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOSPITAL SEISMIC SAFETY STANDARDS – The Senate and
Assembly Health and Human Services Committees held this hearing to review what
the hospital association believes is the most serious challenge facing their
medical community today. (Stock #1038-S; $4.58 – includes tax s/h) (1/00)
MOBILEHOME PARK FIRE HYDRANT SAFETY – The purpose of the February 4, 2000
hearing is to seek information on the effect of state laws and regulations
governing fire protection for mobilehome parks, particularly those relating to
fire hydrants, in order to determine whether those regulations or laws need to
be streamlined or updated. (Stock #1032-S; $4.58 – includes tax, s/h) (2/00)
CONSUMERS ON SHAKY GROUND: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY
– This report represents the results of an interim hearing by the Senate
Insurance Committee as well as subsequent research by committee staff. Many of
the recommendations for change to the California Earthquake Authority set forth
in the report will require legislation. The CEA is the product of a threatened
boycott of California homeowners by insurance companies, in the aftermath of the
Northridge earthquake. Its intent is to provide homeowners with financial
protection against losses due to an earthquake. This report details how the CEA
is in jeopardy of failing in its mission, and what should be done to improve the
CEA policy as a product. (Stock #1027-S; $5.66 – includes tax s/h) (3/00)
CODE RED INK: HOSPITALS STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY WITH SEISMIC SAFETY MANDATES –
Some California Health Care members warn that health insurance premiums could
rise as much as ten percent as hospitals struggle with the colossal cost of
either retrofitting old buildings or constructing new ones. The spectra of
increased insurance premiums and hospital closures loom on the California
horizon. The State Legislature should consider a corrective action plan to
promote seismic safety without jeopardizing patient care. These issues were
discussed at the Senate Insurance Committee hearing held on October 13, 1999.
(Stock #1018-S; $3.77 – includes tax, s/h) (01/00)
ARE INSURER DENIALS OF EARTHQUAKE CLAIMS FOR HIDDEN DAMAGE UNDERMINNING
HOMEOWNER SECURITY? -- The purpose of this hearing by the Senate Committee on
Insurance is to assist the Legislature as it considers proposed legislation
aimed at ensuring homeowners are properly compensated for earthquake damage to
their homes. The hearing examined the issue of claims arising from damage
discovered more than one year after the earthquake. The hearing will consider
perspectives from consumers, insurers and the Department of Insurance. (Stock
#932-S; $5.12 -- includes tax, s/h) (10/97)
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION: PLANNING & REGULATING FOR SEISMIC HAZARDS -- A major
earthquake is inevitable in the San Francisco Bay Area. New studies show that
tens of thousands of residences will be uninhabitable, hundreds of thousands of
residents will be suddenly homeless, and thousands will seek public shelter.
On 10/16/96 the Housing & Land Use Committee held a special hearing to review
public and private efforts to regulate and plan for seismic hazards.
Legislators learned from safety experts, planners, building officials, and
government researchers. The summary report describes the results of that
hearing. (Stock #882-S; $5.93 -- includes tax, s/h) (10/96)
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FORUM FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES -- A final
report prepared by the former Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Rights of the
Disabled that discusses problems in disaster situations for seniors and people
with disabilities over and above those experienced by the general population.
Areas of discussion include: Particular needs of people who are vulnerable in a
disaster such as a major earthquake because of age, disability, language or
cultural barriers; gaps in service or the disaster response system which need to
be filled to meet those needs; the role of community-based organizations in
disaster preparedness; recommended solutions to address these issues. (Stock
#875-S; $2.69 -- includes tax, s/h) (9/96)
NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY MONEY -- A report prepared by the Senate Select
Committee on the Northridge Earthquake which provides a general resource
illustrating the totality of taxpayer dollars directed into the recovery.
(stock #864-S; $6.47 -- includes tax, s/h) (4/96)
HEARING: UPDATE ON RESPONSE TO NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE -- A transcript of the
April 28, 1995 hearing of the Senate Select Committee on the Northridge
Earthquake. The purpose of the hearing was to create a public record
identifying the total dollar amount directed to the recovery, and where and how
the money has been spent to date. Witnesses include federal, state and local
agencies, and many of the organizations who have directed and/or received public
dollars identified for earthquake recovery. (stock #863-S; $6.47 -- includes
tax, s/h) (4/95)
EARTHQUAKE SAFETY AND BUILDING CODES -- The summary report from the interim
hearing by the Senate Housing and Land Use Committee on the issue of
earthquake safety and building codes. Testimony includes engineers, architects,
building officials and property owners. This report contains the committee
staff's explanation of what happened at the hearing, reprints the briefing paper
that the staff wrote for the committee and reproduces the witnesses' written
materials and the letters that the committee received after the hearing. (stock
#829-S; $7.81 -- includes tax, s/h) (11/95)
EARTHQUAKE INSURANCE ISSUES -- Provides transcript of the Joint Hearing of the
Senate Judiciary and the Senate Insurance Committees on Earthquake Insurance
Issues regarding two earthquake insurance bills enacted into law in October
1995, AB 13 (McDonald) and AB 1366 (Knowles). This hearing began the process of
discussing the issues raised by these bills and it continues the discussion on
how California public policy should be developed to address residential
earthquake insurance problems. (stock #833-S; $8.35 -- includes tax, s/h)
(10/95)
REPRINT OF SB 5: INSURANCE COMMISSIONER QUACKENBUSH'S PROPOSED CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY -- A transcript of the Joint Hearing of the Senate
Insurance and Judiciary Committees and the Assembly Insurance Committee on the
subject of eathquake insurance, specifically the proposal of Insurance
Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush to create a California Earthquake Authority, as
the solution to the residential property insurance problems facing California.
(stock #832-S; $11.31 -- includes tax, s/h) (8/95)
THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE -- WHERE IS THE DEPARTMENT HEADED: LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA, REGULATORY INITIATIVES, DEPARTMENT BUDGET, OTHER MAJOR ISSUES --
Provides a transcript of the Senate Insurance Committee's hearing to explore the
Department of Insurance's (DOI) plan to implement and enforce California's
insurance laws. This hearing provided Insurance Commissioner Quackenbush an
opportunity to present his program for DOI and to educate the committee on how
he plans to deal with a range of difficult issues facing DOI and California.
This hearing also provided other interested parties the opportunity to present
their views on issues facing DOI and the insurance market throughout the state.
(stock #821-S; $7.54 -- includes tax, s/h) (3/95)