Governor Newsom Signs Another Emergency Services Executive Order

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed another hurricane recovery and state of emergency executive order Monday, continuing to add state support as hurricanes continue to hit California across the state.

Since late December, the state has been hit by record-breaking rain and snowfall, resulting in at least 19 deaths, destruction across California and the evacuation of entire communities. As a result, in addition to local responses, both the state and federal governments continued to provide support for several weeks, helping with rescue efforts and recovery.

At the state level, Governor Newsom declared a hurricane emergency earlier this month, mobilizing California agencies, including the California National Guard and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Management (Cal OES).

At the federal level, President Joe Biden also released several statements. The first of these, released on Jan. 9, was the President’s State of Emergency Spurred by Gov. Newsom’s Letter of Request for Assistance, which provided more federal resources for disaster relief and emergency services in preparation for more damage and rescue needs. with FEMA. to do this. That was boosted over the weekend when President Biden signed a Major Disaster Presidential Declaration that directed “increased federal assistance to complement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in areas hit by severe winter storms, floods, landslides, and mudslides.” “. Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz counties were specifically named for some of the effort, as they have been the hardest hit by hurricanes to date.

“The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz Counties,” the executive order reads. “Aid may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of a natural disaster. Federal funding is also provided to state, tribal, and eligible local governments, as well as to certain private nonprofits, on a cost-sharing basis for emergency response in Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz Counties. Finally, federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for mitigation measures across the state.”

Newsom’s new decree

A new presidential executive order, as well as a new atmospheric river flooding the state again over the weekend, prompted the governor to issue another executive order on Monday. Under Governor Newsom’s new executive order, restrictions on work hours for retirees at government offices have been suspended to add more people to help with storm relief and emergency and recovery operations. Residents affected by hurricanes and floods will also be charged all fees for all copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates. Health, childcare, and education will also relax requirements so buildings can remain open and services can still be provided during hurricanes. Merced County has also been specifically named for some services, such as providing up to two free meals per day regardless of any current existing plan.

“Today’s executive order includes provisions that help ensure adequate staffing for emergency response by removing work time restrictions for retirees; support affected residents by waiving fees for replacing documents such as marriage and birth certificates; and provide flexibility to help healthcare facilities in affected areas remain open and support schools in flood-hit Merced County,” the Governor said in a statement.

“Basically, it was a lot of basic things that should have happened by now, but they just needed a push from a higher position to do it,” Rachel Patterson, emergency services coordinator, said in an interview with Globe on Monday. “Some of these things would make it possible for relevant agencies, such as waiving fees for copies of birth certificates for people who lost them in a flood. Others were things that simply had to be signed off by the governor. But he did.

“It’s still pretty bad right now, so giving kids in hard-hit areas extra food or having more people helping out, even if it’s just registration and general clerk work, really helps. Again, I’m not sure if this was all supposed to be under the slogan of an executive order, but it’s good nonetheless.”

Additional hurricane recovery executive orders are pending this week as hurricanes should largely subside outside of near-term hurricanes expected to briefly wet the state again midweek.