BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 514
Author: Bonta (D)
Amended: 6/26/13 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/19/13
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Huff,
Monning, Torres
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 5/23/13 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT : The Safe Schools for Safe Learning Act of 2013
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill, the Safe Schools for Safe Learning Act of
2013, expands the existing list of resources the Superintendent
of Public Instruction (SPI) is required to post on the
California Department of Education (CDE) website to include
resources for youth who have been affected by gangs, gun
violence, and psychological trauma caused by violence at home
and at school.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
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1.States legislative recognition that all pupils enrolled in
public schools have the inalienable right to attend classes on
school campuses that are safe, secure, and peaceful.
2.Establishes the Safe Place to Learn Act and requires the CDE,
as part of its Categorical Program Monitoring Process, to
monitor compliance with the following requirements:
A. Adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment,
intimidation and bullying.
B. Adopt a process and timeline for receiving and
investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment,
intimidation and bullying, as well as an appeal process.
C. Post the policy in all schools and offices.
D. Maintain documentation of complaints and ensure that
complainants are protected from retaliation.
E. Identify a responsible school employee to monitor
compliance.
1.Requires CDE to display current information, and periodically
update the information, on curricula and other resources that
specifically address bias-related discrimination, harassment,
intimidation, and bullying, on the California Healthy Kids
Resource Center Internet website, and other appropriate CDE
websites.
2.Requires the CDE to develop a model handout, to be posted on
the CDE's website, describing:
A. The rights and obligations to provide all pupils with
equal rights and opportunities in educational institutions,
free from discrimination and harassment.
B. The policies addressing bias-related discrimination,
harassment, intimidation, and bullying in schools.
1.Requires the SPI to post on his/her website, and annually
update, a list of statewide resources that provide support to
youth who have been subjected to school-based discrimination,
harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and their families.
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These resources are to include community-based organizations
and be provided to each school district.
This bill:
1.The Safe Schools for Safe Learning Act of 2013, expands the
existing list of resources the SPI is required to post on the
CDE's website to include resources for youth who have been
affected by gangs, gun violence, and psychological trauma
caused by violence at home and at school.
2.States legislative findings and declarations relative to the
negative effects of violence and the need to create safe
school environments.
Comments
According to the author, "This bill is the result of
Assemblymember Bonta's recent 'There Ought to be a Law' contest
in which he asked students to submit answers to the question
'What would make you feel safer at school?' The majority of
responses came from Oakland Unified School District and related
to expanding counseling services for students suffering from
depression, creating 'safe spaces' at schools for students to
feel protected from bullying, and providing resources to
students to deal with gang violence, post-traumatic stress
disorder, violence in the home and other trauma-related issues."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/9/13)
California Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
California Mental Health Directors Association
Equality California.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 74-0, 5/23/13
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown,
Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway,
Cooley, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gordon, Gorell,
Gray, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones-Sawyer,
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Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor,
Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi,
Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen,
Pan, Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva,
Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Weber,
Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Grove, Holden, Jones, Waldron, Vacancy,
Vacancy
PQ:nl 8/9/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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