BILL NUMBER: AB 1575	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 23, 2012
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 27, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 21, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 30, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 25, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lara
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member John A. Pérez)
   (Coauthor: Senator Lowenthal)

                        FEBRUARY 1, 2012

   An act to add Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 49010) to
Chapter 6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
and to amend Section 905 of the Government Code, relating to pupil
fees.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1575, Lara. Pupil fees.
   (1) Existing law requires the Legislature to provide for a system
of common schools by which a free school is required to be kept up
and supported in each district. Existing law prohibits a pupil
enrolled in school from being required to pay a fee, deposit, or
other charge not specifically authorized by law.
   This bill would prohibit a pupil enrolled in a public school from
being required to pay a pupil fee, as defined, for participation in
an educational activity, as defined, as specified. The bill would
provide that this prohibition is not to be interpreted to prohibit
solicitation of voluntary donations, voluntary participation in
fundraising activities, or school districts, schools, and other
entities from providing pupils prizes or other recognition for
voluntarily participating in fundraising activities. The bill would
specify that these provisions apply to all public schools, including,
but not limited to, charter schools and alternative schools, are
declarative of existing law, and should not be interpreted to
prohibit the imposition of a fee, deposit, or other charge otherwise
allowed by law.
   The bill would require the State Department of Education,
commencing with the 2014-15 fiscal year, and every 3 years
thereafter, to develop and distribute guidance for county
superintendents of schools, district superintendents, and charter
school administrators regarding the imposition of pupil fees for
participation in educational activities in public schools. The bill
would require the department to post the guidance on its Internet Web
site and would provide that the guidance does not constitute a
regulation subject to specified law.
   (2) Existing regulations establish uniform complaint procedures
that require each local educational agency to adopt policies and
procedures for the investigation and resolution of complaints
regarding violations of state and federal laws and regulations
governing educational programs.
   This bill would authorize a complaint of noncompliance with the
provisions of this bill to be filed with the principal of a school
under those uniform complaint procedures. The bill would authorize a
complaint to be filed anonymously if specified circumstances exist.
The bill would authorize a complainant not satisfied with a public
school's decision to appeal that decision to the State Department of
Education and receive a written appeal decision within 60 days of the
department's receipt of the appeal. If merit is found in either the
complaint or appeal, the bill would require the public school to
provide a remedy to all affected pupils, parents, and guardians that,
where applicable, includes reasonable efforts by the public school
to ensure full reimbursement. The bill would require information
regarding the requirements of this bill to be included in a specified
annual notification. The bill would require public schools to
establish local policies and procedures to implement these complaint
procedures by March 1, 2013. By imposing new requirements on local
educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program.
   (3) Existing law excepts certain claims from the requirement that
all claims for money or damages against local public entities be
presented in accordance with specified law.
   This bill would additionally except specified claims for
reimbursement of pupil fees for participation in educational
activities.
   (4)  The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.


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

  SECTION 1.  Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 49010) is added to
Chapter 6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
to read:

      Article 5.5.  Pupil Fees


   49010.  For purposes of this article, the following terms have the
following meanings:
   (a) "Educational activity" means an activity offered by a school,
school district, charter school, or county office of education that
constitutes an integral fundamental part of elementary and secondary
education, including, but not limited to, curricular and
extracurricular activities.
   (b) "Pupil fee" means a fee, deposit, or other charge imposed on
pupils, or a pupil's parents or guardians, in violation of Section
49011 and Section 5 of Article IX of the California Constitution,
which require educational activities to be provided free of charge to
all pupils without regard to their families' ability or willingness
to pay fees or request special waivers, as provided for in Hartzell
v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal.3d 899. A pupil fee includes, but is not
limited to, all of the following:
   (1) A fee charged to a pupil as a condition for registering for
school or classes, or as a condition for participation in a class or
an extracurricular activity, regardless of whether the class or
activity is elective or compulsory, or is for credit.
   (2) A security deposit, or other payment, that a pupil is required
to make to obtain a lock, locker, book, class apparatus, musical
instrument, uniform, or other materials or equipment.
   (3) A purchase that a pupil is required to make to obtain
materials, supplies, equipment, or uniforms associated with an
educational activity.
   49011.  (a) A pupil enrolled in a public school shall not be
required to pay a pupil fee for participation in an educational
activity.
   (b) All of the following requirements apply to the prohibition
identified in subdivision (a):
   (1) All supplies, materials, and equipment needed to participate
in educational activities shall be provided to pupils free of charge.

   (2) A fee waiver policy shall not make a pupil fee permissible.
   (3) School districts and schools shall not establish a two-tier
educational system by requiring a minimal educational standard and
also offering a second, higher educational standard that pupils may
only obtain through payment of a fee or purchase of additional
supplies that the school district or school does not provide.
   (4) A school district or school shall not offer course credit or
privileges related to educational activities in exchange for money or
donations of goods or services from a pupil or a pupil's parents or
guardians, and a school district or school shall not remove course
credit or privileges related to educational activities, or otherwise
discriminate against a pupil, because the pupil or the pupil's
parents or guardians did not or will not provide money or donations
of goods or services to the school district or school.
   (c) This article shall not be interpreted to prohibit solicitation
of voluntary donations of funds or property, voluntary participation
in fundraising activities, or school districts, schools, and other
entities from providing pupils prizes or other recognition for
voluntarily participating in fundraising activities.
   (d) This article applies to all public schools, including, but not
limited to, charter schools and alternative schools.
   (e) This article is declarative of existing law and shall not be
interpreted to prohibit the imposition of a fee, deposit, or other
charge otherwise allowed by law.
   49012.  (a) Commencing with the 2014-15 fiscal year, and every
three years thereafter, the department shall develop and distribute
guidance for county superintendents of schools, district
superintendents, and charter school administrators regarding the
imposition of pupil fees for participation in educational activities
in public schools. The department shall post the guidance on the
department's Internet Web site.
   (b) The guidance developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not
constitute a regulation subject to the requirements of Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.
   49013.  (a) A complaint of noncompliance with the requirements of
this article may be filed with the principal of a school under the
Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in Chapter 5.1 (commencing
with Section 4600) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of
Regulations.
   (b) A complaint may be filed anonymously if the complaint provides
evidence or information leading to evidence to support an allegation
of noncompliance with the requirements of this article.
   (c) A complainant not satisfied with the decision of a public
school may appeal the decision to the department and shall receive a
written appeal decision within 60 days of the department's receipt of
the appeal.
   (d) If a public school finds merit in a complaint, or the
department finds merit in an appeal, the public school shall provide
a remedy to all affected pupils, parents, and guardians that, where
applicable, includes reasonable efforts by the public school to
ensure full reimbursement to all affected pupils, parents, and
guardians, subject to procedures established through regulations
adopted by the state board.
   (e) Information regarding the requirements of this article shall
be included in the annual notification distributed to pupils, parents
and guardians, employees, and other interested parties pursuant to
Section 4622 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.
   (f) Public schools shall establish local policies and procedures
to implement the provisions of this section on or before March 1,
2013.
  SEC. 2.  Section 905 of the Government Code is amended to read:
   905.  There shall be presented in accordance with Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 900) and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
910) all claims for money or damages against local public entities
except any of the following:
   (a) Claims under the Revenue and Taxation Code or other statute
prescribing procedures for the refund, rebate, exemption,
cancellation, amendment, modification, or adjustment of any tax,
assessment, fee, or charge or any portion thereof, or of any
penalties, costs, or charges related thereto.
   (b) Claims in connection with which the filing of a notice of
lien, statement of claim, or stop notice is required under any law
relating to liens of mechanics, laborers, or materialmen.
   (c) Claims by public employees for fees, salaries, wages, mileage,
or other expenses and allowances.
   (d) Claims for which the workers' compensation authorized by
Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200) of the Labor Code is the
exclusive remedy.
   (e) Applications or claims for any form of public assistance under
the Welfare and Institutions Code or other provisions of law
relating to public assistance programs, and claims for goods,
services, provisions, or other assistance rendered for or on behalf
of any recipient of any form of public assistance.
   (f) Applications or claims for money or benefits under any public
retirement or pension system.
   (g) Claims for principal or interest upon any bonds, notes,
warrants, or other evidences of indebtedness.
   (h) Claims that relate to a special assessment constituting a
specific lien against the property assessed and that are payable from
the proceeds of the assessment, by offset of a claim for damages
against it or by delivery of any warrant or bonds representing it.
   (i) Claims by the state or by a state department or agency or by
another local public entity or by a judicial branch entity.
   (j) Claims arising under any provision of the Unemployment
Insurance Code, including, but not limited to, claims for money or
benefits, or for refunds or credits of employer or worker
contributions, penalties, or interest, or for refunds to workers of
deductions from wages in excess of the amount prescribed.
   (k) Claims for the recovery of penalties or forfeitures made
pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Chapter 1 of
Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.
   (  l  ) Claims governed by the Pedestrian Mall Law of
1960 (Part 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Division 13 of the
Streets and Highways Code).
   (m) Claims made pursuant to Section 340.1 of the Code of Civil
Procedure for the recovery of damages suffered as a result of
childhood sexual abuse. This subdivision shall apply only to claims
arising out of conduct occurring on or after January 1, 2009.
   (n) Claims made pursuant to Section 701.820 of the Code of Civil
Procedure for the recovery of money pursuant to Section 26680.
   (o) Claims made pursuant to Section 49013 of the Education Code
for reimbursement of pupil fees for participation in educational
activities.
  SEC. 3.   If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.