Bill addressing quake-safety in schools gains Legislature approval

Schools in areas of earthquake activity would have to secure heavy bookshelves, hanging light fixtures and other items at risk of falling over under provisions of a bill that has cleared the state Legislature and now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

“This legislation marks an important step in making sure California schools are safe, inside and out,” said the bill’s author, Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Napa.

A spokesman in Dodd’s office said the Legislature directed the Department of State Architects 16 years ago to develop guidelines that would outline the proper precautions needed to secure the contents of classrooms in the event of an earthquake. But no law was ever added to the books requiring school districts to adhere to those guidelines.

The 6.0 South Napa earthquake, which struck two years ago Wednesday, caused significant damage inside of classrooms. Dodd said students and teachers could have been injured by unsecured objects had the temblor struck during school hours.

The lawmaker’s bill sailed through the Legislature without opposition. It now awaits the governor’s signature.

You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @deadlinederek.