Bill
SB 305
Expands CERT training statewide with $3,000,000 recurring funding to DEM, building local partnerships to boost volunteer training and community disaster preparedness.
Status (as provided)
- Introduced: February 10, 2025
- Reported status in the bill header: Withdrawn from Committee. (Note: legislative status can change; check the legislature’s official site for current status.)
Purpose
- To expand and promote Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training by providing dedicated funding and program support through the state Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management (DEM). The intent is to strengthen local, community‑level preparedness by growing training capacity and community outreach.
Key provisions
- Appropriation
- $3,000,000 (three million dollars) in recurring General Fund appropriations for fiscal year 2025–2026 to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management.
- Use of funds
- Expand and promote the CERT program and training statewide.
- Establish a new program or expand an existing DEM program to:
- Partner with local community organizations to deliver CERT training sessions; and
- Develop outreach strategies to encourage community participation in CERT training.
- Effective date
- The act (as drafted) becomes effective July 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Primary implementer: Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management.
- Direct beneficiaries:
- Community Emergency Response Teams (volunteer trainees and trainers).
- Local community organizations that will host/coordinate training.
- Local emergency services and jurisdictions that rely on CERT volunteers during disasters.
- Budgetary stakeholders:
- State General Fund and appropriations committees (recurring funding commitment).
Potential impacts
- Preparedness and resilience: Expanded CERT capacity can increase community-level surge capability during disasters (search, basic first aid, light rescue, situational awareness), support professional responders, and improve local resilience.
- Public engagement: Targeted outreach could broaden volunteer demographics and increase participation from underserved or under‑served communities.
- Fiscal: $3.0 million recurring increases ongoing state budget commitments. The magnitude of benefit will depend on how funds are allocated (training delivery, staff, materials, grants to local partners) and on performance metrics.
- Implementation needs: Effective outcomes will require coordination with local emergency managers, standardized training quality, monitoring/evaluation (training numbers, volunteer retention, deployment readiness), and data on geographic coverage to avoid uneven distribution.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Funding is tied to the 2025–26 fiscal year and the measure specifies a July 1, 2025 effective date.
- Because committee/chronology information may vary across documents, confirm current bill status and any enacted changes through the official legislative docket or the Department of Public Safety.
If you want, I can:
- Draft suggested implementation metrics DEM could use (e.g., trainees per region, retention rate, exercise participation);
- Prepare a one‑page briefing for local DEM offices describing how to apply for or use the funds; or
- Check and report the bill’s up‑to‑date status in the relevant legislative database.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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