(a) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10850, an authorized employee of a county social services department may disclose the name, residential address, telephone number, and email address of elderly or disabled individuals receiving services to police, fire, paramedical personnel, or other designated emergency services personnel, in the event of a public safety emergency that necessitates the possible evacuation of the area in which those elderly or disabled clients reside. Those public safety emergencies include, but are not limited to, fires, earthquakes, gas leaks, bomb scares, public safety power shutoffs, and other natural or human-made occurrences that jeopardize the immediate physical safety of county residents.

(2) If a county social services agency intends to disclose information pursuant to paragraph (1), it shall notify elderly or disabled individuals receiving services, at the time the individual is enrolled in services or at the time of the agency’s next contact with the individual, whichever comes first, of that fact. Beginning on January 1, 2022, the individual shall have the option to opt out of having their name, residential address, telephone number, and email address disclosed as described in paragraph (1).

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(A) Information disclosed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be used only by the receiving entity to provide emergency services in the event of a public safety emergency that necessitates the possible evacuation of the area in which an elderly or disabled individual resides.

(B) However, in the event of a public safety power shutoff, the county may disclose information pursuant to paragraph (1) to the extent necessary to prepare an individual for the loss of power and to ensure their safety and well-being within 48 hours preceding and following the event.

(b) The Director of Social Services shall seek any federal approval necessary to implement subdivision (a).

(c) Subdivision (a) shall be implemented only if the director executes a declaration, that shall be retained by the director, stating that any federal approval required for implementation of subdivision (a) has been obtained, and only for the duration of that approval.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 98, Sec. 5. (AB 2213) Effective January 1, 2021.)