Amended in Senate August 15, 2013

Amended in Senate July 11, 2013

Amended in Assembly May 24, 2013

Amended in Assembly May 6, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 23, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 1, 2013

Amended in Assembly March 14, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 549


Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

February 20, 2013


An act tobegin delete amend Section 32282 ofend deletebegin insert add Section 32282.1 toend insert the Education Code, relating to school safety.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 549, as amended, Jones-Sawyer. Comprehensive school safety plans: mental health professionals and police role on campus guidelines.

Existing law provides that school districts and county offices of education are responsible for the overall development of a comprehensive school safety plan for its schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the schoolsite council of a school to write and develop the comprehensive school safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of the particular school, except as specified with regard to a small school district. Existing law requires the comprehensive school safety plan to include specified strategies and programs that will provide or maintain a high level of school safety. Existing law encourages, as comprehensive school safety plans are reviewed and updated, all plans to include policies and procedures aimed at the prevention of bullying.

This bill would also encourage the comprehensive school safety plansbegin insert, as they are reviewed and updated,end insert to include clear guidelines,begin delete as provided,end delete for the roles and responsibilities ofbegin delete mental health professionals, community intervention professionals, school counselors, school resource officers, and police officers on school campus, if the school district uses these peopleend deletebegin insert certain parties with school-related health and safety responsibilities and would authorize the inclusion in these plans of primary strategies for specified purposesend insert.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert

begin insertSection 32282.1 is added to the end insertbegin insertEducation Codeend insertbegin insert,
2to read:end insert

begin insert
3

begin insert32282.1.end insert  

As comprehensive school safety plans are reviewed
4and updated, the Legislature encourages all plans, to the extent
5that resources are available, to include clear guidelines for the
6roles and responsibilities of mental health professionals,
7community intervention professionals, school counselors, school
8resource officers, and police officers on school campus, if the
9school district uses these people. The guidelines may include
10primary strategies to create and maintain a positive school climate,
11promote school safety, and increase pupil achievement, and
12prioritize mental health and intervention services, restorative and
13transformative justice programs, and positive behavior
14interventions and support.

end insert
begin delete
15

SECTION 1.  

Section 32282 of the Education Code is amended
16to read:

17

32282.  

(a) The comprehensive school safety plan shall include,
18but not be limited to, both of the following:

19(1) Assessing the current status of school crime committed on
20school campuses and at school-related functions.

21(2) Identifying appropriate strategies and programs that will
22provide or maintain a high level of school safety and address the
23school’s procedures for complying with existing laws related to
P3    1school safety, which shall include the development of all of the
2following:

3(A) Child abuse reporting procedures consistent with Article
42.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of
5Part 4 of the Penal Code.

6(B) Disaster procedures, routine and emergency, including
7adaptations for pupils with disabilities in accordance with the
8federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec.
912101 et seq.). The disaster procedures shall also include, but not
10be limited to, both of the following:

11(i) Establishing an earthquake emergency procedure system in
12every public school building having an occupant capacity of 50
13or more pupils or more than one classroom. A school district or
14county office of education may work with the California
15Emergency Management Agency and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic
16Safety Commission to develop and establish the earthquake
17emergency procedure system. The system shall include, but not
18be limited to, all of the following:

19(I) A school building disaster plan, ready for implementation
20at any time, for maintaining the safety and care of pupils and staff.

21(II) A drop procedure whereby each pupil and staff member
22takes cover under a table or desk, dropping to his or her knees,
23with the head protected by the arms, and the back to the windows.
24A drop procedure practice shall be held at least once each school
25quarter in elementary schools and at least once a semester in
26secondary schools.

27(III) Protective measures to be taken before, during, and
28following an earthquake.

29(IV) A program to ensure that pupils and both the certificated
30and classified staff are aware of, and properly trained in, the
31earthquake emergency procedure system.

32(ii) Establishing a procedure to allow a public agency, including
33the American Red Cross, to use school buildings, grounds, and
34equipment for mass care and welfare shelters during disasters or
35other emergencies affecting the public health and welfare. The
36school district or county office of education shall cooperate with
37the public agency in furnishing and maintaining the services as
38the school district or county office of education may deem
39necessary to meet the needs of the community.

P4    1(C) Policies pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 48915 for
2pupils who committed an act listed in subdivision (c) of Section
348915 and other school-designated serious acts that would lead to
4suspension, expulsion, or mandatory expulsion recommendations
5pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 48900) of Chapter
66 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2.

7(D) Procedures to notify teachers of dangerous pupils pursuant
8to Section 49079.

9(E) A discrimination and harassment policy consistent with the
10prohibition against discrimination contained in Chapter 2
11(commencing with Section 200) of Part 1.

12(F) The provisions of a schoolwide dress code, pursuant to
13Section 35183, that prohibits pupils from wearing “gang-related
14apparel,” if the school has adopted that type of a dress code. For
15those purposes, the comprehensive school safety plan shall define
16“gang-related apparel.” The definition shall be limited to apparel
17that, if worn or displayed on a school campus, reasonably could
18be determined to threaten the health and safety of the school
19environment. A schoolwide dress code established pursuant to this
20section and Section 35183 shall be enforced on the school campus
21and at any school-sponsored activity by the principal of the school
22or the person designated by the principal. For purposes of this
23paragraph, “gang-related apparel” shall not be considered a
24protected form of speech pursuant to Section 48950.

25(G) Procedures for safe ingress and egress of pupils, parents,
26and school employees to and from school.

27(H) A safe and orderly environment conducive to learning at
28the school.

29(I) The rules and procedures on school discipline adopted
30pursuant to Sections 35291 and 35291.5.

31(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that schools develop
32comprehensive school safety plans using existing resources,
33including the materials and services of the partnership, pursuant
34to this chapter. It is also the intent of the Legislature that schools
35use the handbook developed and distributed by the School/Law
36Enforcement Partnership Program entitled “Safe Schools: A
37Planning Guide for Action” in conjunction with developing their
38plan for school safety.

P5    1(c) Grants to assist schools in implementing their comprehensive
2school safety plan shall be made available through the partnership
3as authorized by Section 32285.

4(d) Each schoolsite council or school safety planning committee
5in developing and updating a comprehensive school safety plan
6shall, where practical, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with
7other schoolsite councils or school safety planning committees.

8(e) The comprehensive school safety plan may be evaluated and
9amended, as needed, by the school safety planning committee, but
10shall be evaluated at least once a year, to ensure that the
11 comprehensive school safety plan is properly implemented. An
12updated file of all safety-related plans and materials shall be readily
13available for inspection by the public.

14(f) As comprehensive school safety plans are reviewed and
15updated, the Legislature encourages all plans, to the extent that
16resources are available, to include both of the following:

17(1) Policies and procedures aimed at the prevention of bullying.

18(2) Clear guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of mental
19health professionals, community intervention professionals, school
20counselors, school resource officers, and police officers on school
21campus, if the school district uses these people. The guidelines
22may include primary strategies to create and maintain a positive
23school climate, promote school safety, and increase pupil
24achievement, and prioritize mental health and intervention services,
25restorative and transformative justice programs, and positive
26behavior interventions and support.

27(g) The comprehensive school safety plan, as written and
28updated by the schoolsite council or school safety planning
29committee, shall be submitted for approval under subdivision (a)
30of Section 32288.

end delete


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