(a) The Office of Emergency Services shall develop model guidelines for local government agencies and community-based organizations planning to develop a disaster registry program. Adoption of the model guidelines shall be voluntary. Local governmental agencies or community-based organizations wishing to establish a disaster registry program may consult with the Office of Emergency Services for further guidance.

(b) The guidelines required by subdivision (a) shall address, at a minimum, all of the following issues:

(1) A purpose statement specifying that the intent of the registry is not to provide immediate assistance during a local, state, or national disaster, to those who are registered, but to encourage that those registered will receive a telephone call or visit from neighborhood disaster volunteers or other organizations specified in the final local plan as soon as possible after the disaster in order to check on their well-being and ask if they need assistance. This statement shall also specify that persons registered should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

(2) A list of persons eligible for the registry. This list shall include, but not be limited to, disabled persons, including those with developmental disabilities, the elderly, those for whom English is not a first language, persons who are unskilled or deficient in the English language, long-term health care facilities, residential community care facilities, and residential care facilities for the elderly.

(3) A statement specifying that the party responsible for responding to those registered will not be held liable for not responding.

(4) A plan for ensuring that hard data is available if computers shut down.

(5) A recommendation for those persons or organizations that would be appropriate to respond to persons on the disaster registry, and a plan for training the responsible party.

(6) A plan for community outreach to encourage those eligible to participate.

(7) A plan for distribution of preparedness materials to those eligible to participate in the disaster registry.

(8) Recommendations and assistance for obtaining federal and state moneys to establish a disaster registry.

(9) A recommendation that organizations currently providing services to persons who are eligible for the disaster registry program be encouraged to alter their information form to include a space on the form where the person has the option of registering for the program. By checking the box and giving approval to be registered for the program the person waives confidentiality rights. Despite this waiver of confidentiality rights, local government agencies and community-based organizations planning to develop a disaster registry are encouraged to do everything possible to maintain the confidentiality of their registries. Organizations that currently have lists of people who would be eligible to register for the program should be encouraged to share this information with persons establishing a disaster registry.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 140. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)