The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The provision of fire protection services, rescue services, emergency medical services, hazardous material response services, ambulance services, and other services related to the protection of lives and property is a matter of public safety and critical to the public peace, health, and safety of the state.
(b) It is in the public interest that emergency services be deployed quickly and efficiently in the interest of saving lives and reducing the damage or destruction of property.
(c) The establishment of a uniform, statewide policy regarding a public agency’s ability to receive and process emergency calls is a matter of statewide concern and an interest to all inhabitants and citizens of this state.
(d) The purpose of the act that added this section is to affirm and clarify a public agency’s duty, responsibility, and jurisdiction to establish and improve emergency communication procedures and quickly respond to any person calling the telephone number “911” seeking fire, medical, rescue, or other emergency services.
(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 389, Sec. 1. (SB 438) Effective January 1, 2020.)