Sacramento – Assemblywoman Sharon Runner's (R-Lancaster) legislation that will help ensure that California is able to more rapidly provide assistance to disaster victims throughout the nation.  The bill, AB 823, passed both the Senate and Assembly unanimously.  "This is a very important measure," Runner said.  "Not only does it allow us to help other states in a more timely fashion should a disaster occur but it also allows other states to help California should something catastrophic happen in our state." AB 823, that is co-authored by Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley), ratifies the Federal Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).  The EMAC was created by Congress in 1996 to streamline the exchange and coordination of emergency disaster responses between the states. AB 823 will bring California into the Compact that 48 states already belong to, easing the process whenever California needs to call on them to help us respond to a major wildfire, earthquake or other disasters in California. "This bill is necessary to ensure that California can efficiently share people and equipment during disasters, said Senator George Runner.  "No state has the capability to address all the needs of its people during a major disaster, such as a catastrophic earthquake, which has become quite evident with the events unfolding in New Orleans." "Unfortunately partisan politics prevented us from doing this sooner," Runner stated.  "But thanks to the Governor's leadership on this issue, the majority in the Legislature finally put politics aside and passed good public policy. My only wish is that we could have done it earlier so Californians could have helped hurricane Katrina victims sooner."