Civil law: tort claims.

Existing law establishes provisions commonly known as the Tort Claims Act, which governs the liability and immunity of public entities and their officers and employees, claims and actions against public entities and their officers and employees, insurance indemnification, and the defense of public officers and employees. Under existing law, claims under the Tort Claims Act include tort claims as well as certain contract claims. This bill would instead declare that these provisions may be referred to as the Government Claims Act, and would revise various statutory provisions to refer to that title. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 54954.5 of the Government Code, proposed by SB 1395 or AB 1736, or both, to become operative only if SB 1395 or AB 1736, or both, and this bill are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last.