BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 447
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 447 (Williams)
As Amended August 12, 2013
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |77-0 |(May 6, 2013) |SENATE: |37-0 |(August 19, |
| | | | | |2013) |
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Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.
SUMMARY : Authorizes the non-voting student trustee during the
first year of his or her term, except as specified, to vote at
the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees (BOT)
meeting if the voting student member is absent from the meeting
as specified.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of this bill
and instead:
1)Authorize the non-voting student trustee of the CSU BOT to
vote at a BOT meeting if the voting student member is absent
from the meeting due to illness, a family emergency, or a
medical emergency.
2)Add double-jointing language to SB 325 (Block) of the current
legislative session to avoid chaptering-out issues and make
technical changes.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that the CSU BOT be composed of the following ex
officio members: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker
of the Assembly, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and CSU
Chancellor.
2)Provides that the CSU BOT be composed of the following
members:
a) Sixteen members appointed by the Governor and subject to
confirmation by two-thirds of the membership of the Senate;
b) A representative of the CSU alumni associations,
selected for a two-year term by the CSU alumni council
AB 447
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(this person cannot be a CSU employee during the two-year
term);
c) Two student members with at least junior standing,
appointed by the Governor, serving staggered two-year
terms. One student trustee has full voting powers; the
second, non-voting student trustee succeeds to the voting
position upon the expiration of the term of the first; and,
d) A tenured CSU faculty member, appointed by the Governor
for a two-year term (Education Code Section 66602).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : Existing law provides for two CSU students, nominated
by the statewide student association and appointed by the
Governor, to serve on the CSU BOT for staggered two-year terms.
The student trustee in his or her second year serves as the
voting trustee. The student trustee in his or her first year
cannot vote in the absence of the voting student trustee. This
has created a serious problem for student representation in
recent years. For example, in the 2012-13 academic year, the
voting student trustee had health issues and missed two out of
the six meetings. In January 2013, the voting student trustee
was ill and could not attend the meeting. These absences,
though no fault of the student, meant that there was no single
member voting solely on behalf of students. The student
trustees are constantly engaging with students to better
understand their needs, in addition to their thoughts on
pressing CSU issues.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0001734