Amended in Assembly April 21, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2016


Introduced by Assembly Member Campos

February 20, 2014


An act to add Sectionbegin delete 44278end deletebegin insert 51207end insert to the Education Code, relating tobegin delete teachersend deletebegin insert pupil instructionend insert.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2016, as amended, Campos. begin deleteTeachers: mandated child abuse reporting: training. end deletebegin insertPupil instruction: sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention.end insert

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Existing law prescribes required courses of study in grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and requires the adopted course of study to include instruction, as provided, at the appropriate elementary and secondary grade levels.

end insert
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This bill would require, on or before March 1, 2017, the State Board of Education, based upon the recommendations of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to adopt age-appropriate content standards for transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention, including information on available counseling and resources for children who are sexually abused.

end insert
begin insert

The bill would authorize school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide age-appropriate instruction, pursuant to the content standards adopted by the state board, for transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, as applicable, in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention. The bill would provide a procedure for excusing a pupil from that instruction.

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Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires certain persons identified as “mandated reporters,” including teachers and various other school employees, to report suspected child abuse or child neglect, as specified, and provides that a failure to report as required is an offense. Existing law encourages employers to provide their employees who are mandated reporters with training in the duties imposed by the act, and further requires school districts that do not train their employees who are identified as mandated reporters to report to the State Department of Education the reasons why the training is not provided. Under existing law, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is required to adopt standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of teaching and services credentials.

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This bill would require, on or after January 1, 2015, the holder of a teaching or services credential issued by the commission to complete an approved training program, as specified, by January 1, 2016, and every 2 years thereafter, in the duties imposed on mandated reporters, as specified. The bill would require the holder of the credential, as part of his or her application to renew his or her credential, to submit verification to the commission that he or she has complied with the training requirement.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. 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 51207 is added to the end insertbegin insertEducation Codeend insertbegin insert,
2to read:end insert

begin insert
3

begin insert51207.end insert  

(a) On or before March 1, 2017, based upon the
4recommendations of the Superintendent, the state board shall adopt
5age-appropriate content standards for transitional kindergarten,
6kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in sexual abuse and
7sexual assault awareness and prevention, including information
8on available counseling and resources for children who are
9sexually abused.

10(b) (1) School districts, county offices of education, and charter
11may provide age-appropriate instruction, pursuant to the content
12standards adopted by the state board under subdivision (a), for
13transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12,
14inclusive, as applicable, in sexual abuse and sexual assault
15awareness and prevention.

P3    1(2) Upon written request of the pupil’s parent or legal guardian,
2a pupil in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or grades 1 to
312, inclusive, shall be excused from taking instruction in sexual
4abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention established
5pursuant to this section.

end insert
begin delete6

SECTION 1.  

Section 44278 is added to the Education Code,
7to read:

8

44278.  

(a) On and after January 1, 2015, the holder of a
9teaching or services credential issued by the commission shall
10complete an approved training program by January 1, 2016, and
11every two years thereafter, in the duties imposed on mandated
12reporters pursuant to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
13(Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of
14Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code).

15(b) The holder of a teaching or services credential, as part of
16his or her application to renew his or her credential, shall submit
17verification to the commission that he or she has complied with
18the training requirements set forth in subdivision (a).

19(c) For purposes of this section, an approved training program
20may include, but is not limited to, mandated reporter training
21offered online by the Office of Child Abuse Prevention or another
22agency approved by the State Department of Social Services,
23training conducted by a local educational agency, training offered
24by a local educational agency, or any other training approved by
25the commission.

end delete


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