(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares as follows:
(1) Existing law requires the development and maintenance of a nuclear powerplant emergency response program by state and local governments based on federal and state criteria.
(2) The office, in consultation with the department and the counties, has investigated the consequences of a serious nuclear powerplant accident and has established plume emergency phase and ingestion pathway phase planning zones for each site. These zones imply mutually supportive emergency planning and preparedness arrangements by all levels of government.
(3) An integrated emergency planning program is necessary for the benefit of the citizens within the planning zones.
(b) Nothing in this chapter limits the activities of any government in carrying out its general responsibilities pertaining to the public health and the safety aspects of emergency response.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 387. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)