Over the weekend, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed legislation that would have provided financial relief for one hundred percent of total eligible costs resulting from the December 2, 2015 terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino. The bill, SB 1385 (Leyva), was co-authored by Assemblyman Marc Steinorth and received unanimous, bipartisan support in the Legislature. The measure was supported by the County of San Bernardino and the City of San Bernardino, as well as the county’s District Attorney and Sheriff’s Department.
“I am shocked, to say the least, in the refusal to support the bravery and skill of our local first-responders for their heroism on December 2,” said Steinorth. “Our law enforcement and county have been widely lauded for their heroism and success, including by Governor Brown. Given the extraordinary circumstances of that day, I am perplexed that the administration would not step up to help offset the tremendous costs.”
The California Disaster Assistance Act is the primary funding mechanism available for recovering local costs in response to acts of terrorism, which the California Office of Emergency Services (OES) oversees. This tragedy is the first terrorist attack for which OES is responsible for determining what costs will be eligible for reimbursement. The estimated cost in responding to the San Bernardino terrorist attack exceeds $19 million and, without further state help, local agencies will be financially penalized for their rapid and comprehensive response to this tragedy. SB 1385 would have prevented that from happening and would have made the local agencies whole.
Assemblyman Steinorth represents the 40th Assembly District which includes Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Highland, Loma Linda, and Redlands.
Contact Heather Rouhana (909) 476-5023
