BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 700| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: AB 700 Author: Gomez (D) Amended: 5/24/13 in Assembly 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 : 75-0, 5/30/13 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Pupil instruction: voter education SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), when revising the history-social science framework, to ensure that voter education information is included in the American government and civics curriculum at the high school level, as specified. ANALYSIS : Academic content standards define the knowledge, concepts, and skills that pupils should acquire at each grade level. Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for implementing the standards, and include criteria by which instructional materials are evaluated. The processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting CONTINUED AB 700 Page 2 instructional materials have been suspended since July 28, 2009. The State Board of Education (SBE) is specifically prohibited from reviewing frameworks and adopting instructional materials until the 2015-16 school year, except as provided below. Notwithstanding the suspension, existing law: 1. Requires the SBE to adopt revised frameworks that are aligned to the common core standards in: A. Mathematics by November 30, 2013. B. English language arts by May 30, 2014. 2. Authorizes the SBE to adopt a revised framework for history social science, but only after the Department of Education (CDE) has completed work related to the frameworks for the common core standards. Civics is generally included in the history-social science standards and framework, with several references to the United States and California Constitutions and democracy. Existing law requires the SBE and the CDE to request that the IQC review and revise, as necessary, the course requirements in the history-social science framework to ensure that minimum standards for courses in American government and civics include sufficient attention to teaching students how to interact, in a practical manner, with state and local governmental agencies and representatives to solve problems and to petition for changes in laws and procedures. When the history-social science framework is revised, the IQC must ensure that the following historical documents are incorporated into the framework, as appropriate: 1. The Declaration of Independence. 2. The United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. 3. The Federalist Papers. CONTINUED AB 700 Page 3 4. The Emancipation Proclamation. 5. The Gettysburg Address. 6. George Washington's Farewell Address. This bill requires the IQC, when revising the history-social science framework, to ensure that voter education information is included in the American government and civics curriculum at the high school level. Specifically, this bill: 1. Requires the IQC, when revising the history-social science framework, to ensure that voter education information is included in the American government and civics curriculum at the high school level including: A. Information on the importance of registering to vote in local, state, and federal elections. B. Where and how to access the voter information pamphlet and other materials to become an informed voter. 2. Provides that this bill is not to be construed as requiring the IQC to meet specifically to implement this bill, and that any revisions to the history-social science framework are to be implemented within the existing framework revision process. Comments According to the author, "Currently California education code requires all high school graduates to efficiently pass a course in United States government. While the content of the material addresses voting and the importance of voting, the content fails to go into detail about the voting process, including how to research propositions, how to find further candidate information and voting rights." CONTINUED AB 700 Page 4 FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 7/1/13) California School Boards Association California School Employees Association Latino Democrats of Santa Cruz County Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund School for Integrated Academics and Technologies ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-0, 5/30/13 AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bloom, Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez NO VOTE RECORDED: Bigelow, Beth Gaines, Holden, Patterson, Vacancy PQ:d 7/1/13 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED