Assembly BillFailedGovernment
AB 294: Recovery from disaster or emergency: funding priority.
What AB 294 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill aims to improve California's disaster and emergency response services. The Office of Emergency Services (OES) will prioritize funding and technical assistance for communities affected by major disasters, including infrastructure and housing recovery projects. These communities must have unmet recovery needs as a result of the disaster. The OES will coordinate with state agencies to provide support during emergencies, and its director will oversee the emergency response efforts.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions9 total · showing 5
| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 30, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. |
| Apr. 23, 2025 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, January 23, 2025 · 334 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 294
| Introduced by Assembly Member Gallagher |
January 23, 2025 |
An act to add Section 8587.1 to the Government Code, relating to state government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 294, as introduced, Gallagher. Recovery from disaster or emergency: funding priority.
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, among other things, creates the Office of Emergency Services (OES), which is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services, as specified. The OES is under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Services. During a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency, existing law requires the director to coordinate the emergency activities of all state agencies in connection with that emergency.
This bill would authorize the OES to prioritize funding and technical assistance under specified programs, including, but not limited to, for infrastructure and housing recovery projects, in communities that suffered a loss in population and businesses due to a major federal disaster, state of emergency, or local emergency and have unmet recovery needs as a result of a major federal disaster, state of emergency, or local emergency.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 8587.1 is added to the Government Code, to read:8587.1.
(a) The Office of Emergency Services may prioritize funding and technical assistance under any of the programs listed in subdivision (b), including, but not limited to, for infrastructure and housing recovery projects, in communities that meet both of the following requirements:(1) Suffered a loss in population and businesses due to a major federal disaster, state of emergency, or local emergency.
(2) Have unmet recovery needs as a result of a major federal disaster, state of emergency, or local emergency.
(b) (1) The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (42 U.S.C. Sec. 5170c).
(2) The federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program (42 U.S.C. Sec. 5133).
(3) The California Disaster Assistance Act (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 8680)).
Text of AB 294 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions