BILL NUMBER: AB 1472	CHAPTERED  08/11/03

	CHAPTER  219
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 11, 2003
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  AUGUST 9, 2003
	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 24, 2003
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JUNE 4, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 2, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 24, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 10, 2003
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Goldberg

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2003

   An act to amend Section 12283 of the Elections Code, relating to
elections.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1472, Goldberg.  Public schools and election days.
   Under existing law, if local elections officials so request, the
governing boards of public schools must allow schools to be used for
polling places on election days.
   This bill would authorize governing boards to exercise the
options, in response to such a request, of:  (1) keeping schools used
for polling places in session but identifying to the elections
official the specific areas of the school buildings not occupied by
school activities that will be allowed for use as polling places, (2)
designating the election day for staff training and development, or
(3) closing the schools to students and nonclassified employees.
   This bill would require that elections officials requesting the
use of school buildings submit requests sufficiently far in advance
to permit the governing board to determine whether or not to keep
affected schools in session before school year calendars are prepared
and distributed to parents.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 12283 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

   12283.  (a) The governing body having jurisdiction over school
buildings or other public buildings may authorize the use of its
buildings for polling places on any election day, and may also
authorize the use of its buildings, without cost, for the storage of
voting machines and other vote-tabulating devices.  However, if a
city or county elections official specifically requests the use of a
school building for polling places on an election day, the governing
body having jurisdiction over the particular school building shall
allow its use for the purpose requested.  When allowing use of a
school building for polling places, the governing body may, but is
not required to, do any of the following:
   (1) Continue school in session, provided that the governing body
shall identify to the elections official making the request the
specific areas of the school buildings not occupied by school
activities that will be allowed for use as polling places.
   (2) Designate the day for staff training and development.
   (3) Close the school to students and nonclassified employees.
Classified employees are those so defined by Section 41401 of the
Education Code.
   (b) An elections official making a request for use of a school
building pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include in his or her
request a list of the schools from which the use of a building for
polling places is needed.  Requests must be made within sufficient
time in advance of the school year for the governing body to
determine, on a school-by-school or districtwide basis, whether to
keep the affected schools in session, designate the schoolday for
staff training and development, or close the school to students and
nonclassified employees before school calendars are printed and
distributed to parents.
   (c) Once a governing body has approved the use of a school
building as a polling place, the governing body shall instruct the
school administrator to provide the elections official a site with an
adequate amount of space that will allow the precinct board to
perform its duties in a manner that will not impede, interfere, or
interrupt the normal process of voting and to make a telephone line
for Internet access available for use by local elections officials,
if requested by those officials.
   (d) The school administrator shall also make a reasonable effort
to ensure that the site is accessible to the handicapped.