Hahn, Bargar Explore People With Disabilities Evacuation Registry
Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn (D) and Kathryn Barger (R) led the effort for last week’s LA Board of Supervisors order that County departments explore creating a registry to aid in evacuating people with disabilities and older adults with mobility issues during an emergency.
Hahn and Barger—who represent Altadena—brought the motion forward in the wake of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in January, during which people with disabilities and older adults faced particular difficulties in safely evacuating.
“When the next disaster hits, we need to be better prepared to evacuate people who cannot evacuate themselves,” said Hahn, who authored the motion “In an emergency, our first responders should know who our most vulnerable residents are, where they are, and how to reach them when minutes matter and lives are on the line.”
“Our County must take decisive action to protect our most vulnerable residents,” said Barger, who co-authored the motion. “It is devastating to learn that the average age of the 17 lives lost in the Eaton Fire was 77—a tragic reminder of the urgent need to safeguard seniors and people with disabilities during emergency evacuations. We have a duty to ensure no one is left behind. This motion is a critical step toward strengthening our preparedness and response efforts.”on assistance during emergencies.
Chu Lauds Eaton Fire Soil Testing Beginning This Week
U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Pasadena) lauded this week’s upcoming soil testing of the impacted Eaton Fire areas of northern Pasadena and Altadena. Still, it took the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to task for not paying for it.
“I have asked the EPA and FEMA to do soil testing in Altadena and Pasadena, and I was disappointed when they flat-out said no. They said they haven’t paid for soil testing after debris removal since 2019, and they have concluded that whatever is found below the 6 inches is preexisting before the fires,” said Chu..
“While I support efforts to continue to pressure EPA and FEMA, I understand the need for immediate solutions. That is why I will also continue to pursue other means for soil testing for residents. I have met with the Community Action Project Los Angeles, which is starting its soil testing of 1200 homes this week. These are homes that signed up with them and approved entry on the property. I am pursuing additional funding that would expand the number of houses tested in the burn area.”
Calderon’s FAIR Plan Stabilization Act Heads to Senate
Assemblymembers Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier) and David Alvarez (D-San Diego) saw their Assembly Bill (AB) 226, the FAIR Plan Stabilization Act, pass out of the Assembly 72-0 last week. The measure is now headed to the Senate for consideration.
According to Insurance NewsNet, the FAIR Plan Stabilization Act (AB 226) aims to strengthen the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan by allowing it to seek additional claims-paying capacity through bonds or a line of credit, especially during major disasters like wildfires.
Following the devastating LA Wildfires, the FAIR Plan requested to assess their member companies for $1 billion—the first time in 30 years. AB 226 reaffirms California’s commitment to helping those most impacted by the recent disasters, as the FAIR Plan supports a large number of policyholders in the areas in and surrounding the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“AB 226 stabilizes the FAIR Plan by allowing bonds to spread costs over time, preventing sudden insurer assessments that could spike premiums or bankrupt small companies,” said Calderon, Chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee. “This urgent fix protects homeowners and safeguards our insurance market from catastrophic failure. I look forward to seeing this critical bill make its way through the Senate.”
Yokoyama Issues His First Cerritos Mayor’s Letter
Newly elected Cerritos Mayor Frank Yokoyama (D) wrote his first column to constituents with pride and humility as the new Mayor for the City of Cerritos.
“Thank you to those who attended the March 26 City Council meeting and for the thoughtful comments shared. About 700 guests joined us at the renowned Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, where we installed three recently elected Councilmembers Jennifer Hong, Mark E. Pulido, and Sophia M. Tse; unanimously selected Lynda P. Johnson as Mayor Pro Tem; and unanimously approved my selection as Mayor,” he wrote Yokoyama.
“This was a historic night for the City, which now boasts Cerritos’ first all-Asian-American City Council, including three members of Filipino ethnicity, and the first majority female City Council. I’m also proud to serve as the first Japanese-American Mayor of the City of Cerritos.”
California State Attorney General Rob Bonta administered the oath of office for Councilmember Pulido. City of San Gabriel Mayor John Wu administered the oath for Councilmember Hong, and ABC Unified School District School Board President Ernie Nishii and Deputy Superintendent/Chief Financial Officer Toan Nguyen jointly administered the oath for Councilmember Tse.
For information on City news and events, view the April edition of the Cerritos News that is mailed to residents, and visit the City’s website at cerritos.gov.
