BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 447 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 17, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 447 (Williams) - As Amended: March 21, 2013 Policy Committee: Higher EducationVote:12-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes SUMMARY This bill: 1)Removes community college district governing boards' discretion whether to allow the nonvoting student representative on these boards to attend closed sessions, thus granting all student board representatives the authority to attend any closed session except those regarding personnel matters, collective bargaining, or litigation and make and second motions. 2)Allows nonvoting student board members to cast an advisory vote, to be recorded in the board's meeting minutes. FISCAL EFFECT Negligible state-reimbursable costs for districts to record the advisory votes of student board members and include in meeting minutes. COMMENTS 1)Background . Student trustees are elected representatives of the student body and have been members of community college district governing boards since 1977. Each local board determines the privileges of student trustees. Up to two students are elected for this position and voice the students' concerns at the board meetings. 2)Purpose . According to the author, this bill seeks to provide all student trustees of CCC district boards an equal AB 447 Page 2 opportunity to represent their peers. The author contends that when privileges are afforded to some and not others, the student voice can be diminished. 3)Opposition . The Community College League of California believes that local boards should continue to have their current discretion. The League indicates that the extent to which the student trustee is viewed as an advocate for and representative of the current student body varies from board to board, and depends in part on the attitude of the person holding the position. Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081