BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1955
Author: Block (D)
Amended: 6/21/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-0, 6/13/12
AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Price, Simitian
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner, Blakeslee, Huff, Vargas, Vacancy
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 4/26/12 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Campus law enforcement and student liaison
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the California State
University (CSU) Trustees, and requests the University of
California (UC) Regents, to designate an individual at each
of its respective campuses to serve as a liaison between
campus law enforcement agencies and students exercising
constitutionally guaranteed rights.
ANALYSIS : Existing law prohibits the Regents of the UC,
the Trustees of the CSU, local community college governing
boards, or administrators of any campus of these
institutions from subjecting a student to disciplinary
action solely on the basis of speech or communication
CONTINUED
AB 1955
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which, if it were engaged in outside of campus, is
protected from governmental restriction by the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution or by specified
provisions of the California Constitution.
Existing law also provides that these provisions do not
prohibit the imposition of discipline for harassment,
threats, or intimidation, unless constitutionally
protected, nor do they prohibit an institution from
adopting rules and regulations designed to prevent hate
violence, as defined. (Education Code Section 66301)
This bill:
1. Requires the Trustees of the CSU to designate an
individual at each of its campuses to serve as a liaison
between campus law enforcement agencies and students
exercising rights guaranteed by the U.S. and California
Constitutions.
2. Requests the Regents of the UC to comply with these same
requirements.
Comments
Related informational hearings . In December 2011 and March
2012, the Senate Education Committee and Assembly Higher
Education Committee held joint informational and oversight
hearings related to campus protest incidents on public
university campuses. In December, the committees held an
informational hearing on UC and CSU Policies, Procedures
and Responses to Campus Police and On-campus
Demonstrations. In May the committees held an oversight
hearing, Follow-up on UC/CSU Reports and Investigations:
Policies, and Procedures and Responses for On-campus
Demonstrations. These entities reported upon progress in
implementing recommendations, outlined additional steps
being taken in response to the report findings and
highlighted additional concerns needing to be addressed.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/2/12)
AB 1955
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AFSCME, AFL-CIO
National Association of Social Workers
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
several protests in the fall of 2011 highlighted the need
for effective communication between police, students, and
university administration. This bill is intended to
respond to recommendations from reports and reviews which
were initiated after protest incidents occurred at UC
Berkeley, UC Davis, and at a meeting of the CSU Trustees in
Long Beach, CA:
1. Reynoso Task Force Report . At the request of the
President of the UC, an independent review of campus
protest incidents at UC Davis was conducted and
completed in March 2012. Among its various findings and
recommendations, the Task Force recommended that the
leadership team at the UC Davis campus engage in
proactive communication and consultation with various
groups, including the Graduate Student Association and
the Associated Students of UC Davis.
2. Response to Protests on UC Campuses: A Report to
President Mark G. Yudof, May 2012 . As requested by the
President of the UC, the General Counsel for the UC and
the Dean of the law school at UC Berkeley initiated a
review of policies and practices regarding the UC's
response to demonstrations and civil disobedience with
the intent to identify best practices to inform the
response to future demonstrations. The draft report,
issued in May 2012, includes recommendations that campus
officials communicate with protestors in advance of a
planned demonstration. Generally, the UC recommended
outreach occur by a member of the campus administration,
selected on a case-by-case basis after considering
skills and experience and existing relationships with
the specific protestors.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 4/26/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
AB 1955
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Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Beth
Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove,
Hagman, Hall, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber,
Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell,
Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan,
Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner,
Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski,
Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Furutani, Halderman, Harkey,
Jones, Smyth
PQ:k 7/3/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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