Capitol Staff Briefed on Strengthening California’s Seismic Resilience

Last week, nearly 50 legislative and executive branch staff members gathered at the Legislative Office Building in Sacramento for a briefing on strengthening the seismic resilience and functional recovery of homes and buildings across California.

Hosted by Sheehy Strategy Group, the event featured two leading voices in seismic safety: Dr. Tara Hutchinson, professor at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and Richard McCarthy, who served for three decades as executive director of the California Seismic Safety Commission.

Dr. Hutchinson shared findings from recent large-scale research at UC San Diego’s Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table, the world’s largest outdoor earthquake simulator. Researchers there built a 10-story test building outfitted with hundreds of sensors and cameras to study how it performs during simulated earthquakes.

The research examines not only a building’s structural integrity but also its internal systems. A building can remain standing after a quake yet still be unusable. Nonstructural systems such as plumbing, electrical wiring, HVAC and elevators play a critical role in whether a building can function after a disaster. If these systems fail, recovery can be long and costly, even when the structure itself remains intact.

Following her presentation and a lively Q&A, McCarthy discussed policy opportunities to strengthen California’s building codes. He highlighted practical, lower-cost improvements to nonstructural systems that could significantly speed recovery and reduce long-term disruption after an earthquake.

California sits on some of the most seismically active ground in the world. Investing in functional recovery — not just structural survival — can mean the difference between days and months of disruption after a major quake. Events like this help bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and real-world policy action.

Looking ahead, Sheehy Strategy Group and Omega Flex Inc. are exploring potential policy proposals for the 2026 legislative session to help translate these findings into actionable improvements for communities across the state.

Thank you to the legislative and executive branch staff members who dedicated their time and attention to this important issue affecting California communities.

For more information, contact Tom Sheehy at Tom@SheehyStrategyGroup.com or (916) 213-8998.