An act to add Section 8588.4 to the Government Code, relating to communications.
AB 1832, the 2-1-1 Infrastructure and Emergency Response Act, would formalize and expand the role of California’s 2-1-1 information and referral system in emergency planning and community resource coordination. The bill requires the Office of Emergency Services and the Public Utilities Commission to convene state emergency planning agencies and the 2-1-1 lead entity to establish communication channels, add 2-1-1 to emergency notification and coordination processes, and better integrate 2-1-1 with state emergency communications. It also directs state support for 2-1-1 providers to improve staffing, training, quality assurance, multilingual and multichannel access, data collection, and public awareness.
The bill further requires statewide efforts to close coverage gaps, publish a 2-1-1 community needs dashboard for state agencies, strengthen resource databases and data sharing, and align 2-1-1 protocols with 9-1-1 and 9-8-8 so callers can be routed to the appropriate service. It also directs the 2-1-1 lead entity to conduct statewide system activities, distribute funds if available to local providers, and submit annual reports on system status and funding needs. In addition, the bill requires the PUC to convene stakeholders to evaluate awareness and referral outcomes for utility financial assistance, savings, and discount programs, and to improve how eligible households are connected to those programs through 2-1-1.
AB 1832 would add Section 8588.4 to the Government Code and Section 280.3 to the Public Utilities Code, creating a statutory framework for state coordination with the 2-1-1 system. It would establish the 2-1-1 Fund in the State Treasury, subject to legislative appropriation, and require annual communication of funding needs to the Department of Finance and the Governor’s office for budget planning. The bill also would require the PUC and Cal OES to work with state agencies, utilities, advocates, and 2-1-1 providers on emergency response integration and utility-assistance referrals, while stating that no state reimbursement to local agencies is required.
The available vote history suggests broad support at the committee level, with the bill passing the Assembly committee vote 9-0 on a do-pass-as-amended motion before being re-referred to Appropriations. The bill’s findings frame 2-1-1 as an important public-facing communications and disaster-response tool, and the overall tone of the measure is supportive of strengthening infrastructure, access, and coordination. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate organized opposition in the materials supplied.
The main policy issue apparent from the text is funding: the bill acknowledges that 2-1-1 lacks a dedicated funding source and creates a new fund to pool resources, but it does not itself appropriate money. That means the practical effect depends on future budget decisions and available funding. Another possible point of concern is the bill’s broad coordination and reporting mandates for Cal OES, the PUC, the 2-1-1 lead entity, and multiple state agencies, which could raise implementation and administrative questions. The bill also includes a stakeholder review of utility assistance referral practices, which may be of interest to utilities, consumer advocates, and program administrators, though no specific opposition is documented in the provided materials.