California Government Code

§ 8657

GOV § 8657 Effective Jan 1, 2026Div. 1 · Title 2 · Ch. 7 · Art. 17

Statute text

(a)Volunteers duly enrolled or registered with the Office of Emergency Services or any disaster council of any political subdivision, or unregistered persons duly impressed into service during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency, in carrying out, complying with, or attempting to comply with, any order or regulation issued or promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or any local ordinance, or performing any of their authorized functions or duties or training for the performance of their authorized functions or duties, shall have the same degree of responsibility for their actions and enjoy the same immunities as officers and employees of the state and its political subdivisions performing similar work for their respective entities.

(b)No political subdivision or other public agency under any circumstances, nor the officers, employees, agents, or duly enrolled or registered volunteers thereof, or unregistered persons duly impressed into service during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency, acting within the scope of their official duties under this chapter or any local ordinance shall be liable for personal injury or property damage sustained by any duly enrolled or registered volunteer engaged in or training for emergency preparedness or relief activity, or by any unregistered person duly impressed into service during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency and engaged in such service. The foregoing shall not affect the right of any such person to receive benefits or compensation which may be specifically provided by the provisions of any federal or state statute nor shall it affect the right of any person to recover under the terms of any policy of insurance.

(c)The California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council, an advisory committee established pursuant to former Section 8590 (repealed by Chapter 56 of the Statutes of 1993), may advise the Governor of the existence of an earthquake or volcanic prediction having scientific validity. In its review, hearings, deliberations, or other validation procedures, members of the council, jointly and severally, shall have the same degree of responsibility for their actions and enjoy the same immunities as officers and employees of the state and its political subdivisions engaged in similar work in their respective entities. Any person making a presentation to the council as part of the council’s validation process, including presentation of a prediction for validation, shall be deemed a member of the council until the council has found the prediction to have or not have scientific validity.

Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 67, Sec. 85. (AB 1170) Effective January 1, 2026.