# Plain Language Summary: Disaster Learning and Life Saving Act of 2021

This bill creates a new independent government agency called the National Disaster Safety Board. Think of it as similar to the National Transportation Safety Board, but instead of investigating plane crashes, this board investigates major natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes to figure out what went wrong and how to prevent deaths and injuries in the future.

The board will automatically investigate any natural disaster that kills 10 or more people. It can also investigate smaller disasters if they caused significant damage, displaced many people, or seriously injured lots of people—even if the death toll was lower. Local governments, tribal nations, or state officials can also request the board investigate a disaster in their area. Importantly, the board can also choose to review disasters that affected vulnerable populations like low-income communities, elderly people, or communities of color, even if they didn't meet the death toll threshold. The board's focus is on learning lessons that could save lives nationwide, not just in the affected area.

Here's what makes this different from a typical investigation: the board is specifically told not to assign blame or find fault with any individual or organization. It's purely fact-finding—trying to understand how and why people died or were injured so recommendations can prevent similar tragedies elsewhere. The board will publish detailed reports about what happened, broken down by demographic information like race, age, and income level, so we can see if certain groups are more vulnerable to specific disasters. Local governments and tribal nations get to review the board's findings before they're published and can provide additional context or corrections.

Disaster Learning and Life Saving Act of 2021

Porter, Katie

Disaster Learning and Life Saving Act of 2021 This bill establishes within the executive branch a National Disaster Safety Board to study the underlying causes of disaster-related fatalities and property damage nationwide and make policy recommendations, and authorizes appropriations for the board through FY2025. Specifically, the board shall review and establish the facts, circumstances, and cause or probable cause of the loss of life, human injury, and economic injury due to a natural hazard with 10 or more fatalities. The board shall <ul> <li> initiate a review of an incident by monitoring the situation and assessing available facts to determine the appropriate review response without interfering in any ongoing lifesaving and life sustaining efforts underway by other entities;</li> <li> disseminate best practices to develop disaster investigation and review capacity within state, tribal, and local governments; and</li> <li> establish an office to review and make recommendations to mitigate and prevent the loss of life, or human or economic injury, for vulnerable populations.</li> </ul> The Government Accountability Office shall audit the programs and expenditures of the board at least once every two years. The bill defines natural hazard to mean a major disaster that is naturally occurring, to include any naturally occurring heat wave, storms, or wildfires, and to exclude a technological disaster.