(a) A local government may enter into an agreement to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility for the sole purpose of enrolling residents of that local government in a city-operated, county-operated, or city- and county-operated public emergency warning system.
(b) A local government that enters into an agreement to access the records of a public utility pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include procedures to enable any resident to opt out of the warning system and a process to terminate the receiving agency’s access to the contact information of the resident from a public utility. A local government or a third-party contractor or agent that assists with or administers the emergency warning system may not use the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification. The receiving agency shall ensure that the confidentiality of the contact information is protected under reasonable security procedures.
(c) A local government that enters into an agreement to access contact information pursuant to subdivision (a) shall, upon receipt of that information, notify residents that they have been entered into the public emergency warning system. This notification shall include a process to opt out of the warning system and to terminate the local government’s access to the contact information of the resident for purposes of the emergency warning system, regardless of the source of the information.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a public utility shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for the accuracy of, or any use, nonuse, or improper release of, the contact information it provides to the local government under this section, including, without limitation, for any deficiencies or inaccuracies of the contact information provided.
(e) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Contact information” means a person’s name, address, telephone number, and email address.
(2) “Local government” means a city or county, including a city and county.
(3) “Public utility” has the same meaning as in subdivision (a) of Section 216 of the Public Utilities Code and also includes a local publicly owned electric utility as defined in Section 224.3 of the Public Utilities Code, a mobile telephony service as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 224.4 of the Public Utilities Code, a public water agency, and an agency responsible for solid waste or recycling services.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 98, Sec. 3. (AB 2213) Effective January 1, 2021.)