BILL ANALYSIS Ó
HR 28
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 6, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
HR 28
(Dababneh) - As Introduced July 15, 2015
SUBJECT: Humane education
SUMMARY: Encourages the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to ensure the incorporation of humane education in the
core curriculum, and resolves that compliance with existing law
regarding humane education should include educating students on
principles of kindness and respect for animals. Specifically,
this resolution:
1)Resolves that compliance with existing law regarding humane
education should include educating students on the principles
of kindness and respect for animals and observance of laws,
regulations, and policies pertaining to the humane treatment
of animals, including wildlife and its environment.
2)Resolves that actions such as implementing statewide or
districtwide "humane education days" and involving nonprofit
organizations in humane education activities with local
faculty and school administrators be considered for inclusion
in compliance efforts.
HR 28
Page 2
3)Resolves that the SPI be encouraged to ensure the
incorporation of humane education in the core curriculum.
4)Resolves that the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of the resolution to the State Senate, the SPI, the State
Board of Education (SBE), the California Department of
Education (CDE), and the author for appropriate distribution.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires each teacher to endeavor to impress upon the minds of
the students, among other things, kindness toward domestic
pets and the humane treatment of living creatures.
2)Requires that, when adopting instructional materials,
governing boards of local educational agencies (LEAs) require
those materials, as they deem necessary and proper, to
encourage thrift, fire prevention, and the humane treatment of
animals and people.
3)Requires any student with a moral objection to dissecting or
otherwise harming or destroying animals to notify his or her
teacher of this objection, and permits the teacher and student
to develop and agree upon an alternative educational project.
States that a student may not be discriminated against based
upon his or her decision to exercise this right.
HR 28
Page 3
4)Requires that animals on the premises of a public elementary
or high school be housed and cared for in a humane and safe
manner, and prohibits the injuring or experimental medication
or drugging of animals at public elementary and high schools.
FISCAL EFFECT: This resolution has been keyed non-fiscal by the
Office of Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS:
Need for the resolution. The author states: "This resolution
will put the state of California on record that compliance with
Education Code provisions should include educating students on
the principles of kindness and respect for animals and
observance of laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to the
humane treatment of animals, including wildlife and its
environment. It calls on the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Board of Education, and the California
Department of Education to ensure compliance with the Education
Code relative to humane education in California's public school
system."
Humane education. According to the SPCA of Los Angeles, the
primary goals of humane education are to decrease both animal
cruelty and interpersonal violence. Numerous organizations offer
free curriculum materials which may be used by schools and
individuals to teach about topics ranging from the prevention of
animal cruelty, to animal safety, to careers with animals, among
others. Proponents of humane education note the
well-established association between animal cruelty and
interpersonal violence in adulthood.
Humane education in state curriculum. This resolution
encourages the SPI to ensure the incorporation of humane
education in the core curriculum. This incorporation could be
HR 28
Page 4
achieved through the inclusion of humane education concepts in
state content standards, frameworks, and adopted instructional
materials. It does not appear that humane education is included
in state content standards or frameworks for the core subjects
of English language arts or mathematics.
To ensure that state-adopted instructional materials are in
compliance with state law regarding humane education (see
Existing Law above), the CDE and LEAs use a document titled
"Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social
Content," adopted by the SBE in 2013. This document guides
evaluators in ensuring compliance with various requirements for
curriculum in statute and SBE policy as they review
instructional materials for state and local adoption.
Reflecting existing law regarding humane education in
instructional materials, this document states: "Humane
treatment of people and animals should be encouraged through
illustrations and text."
CDE compliance monitoring. This resolution states that the CDE
should monitor for specified humane education activities through
its compliance monitoring system. The CDE monitors LEAs for
compliance with state and federal law through on-site and online
reviews. LEAs may be selected for monitoring every two years,
and 120 new LEAs are monitored per year. The CDE reports that
several factors are considered when identifying LEAs for review,
including compliance history, academic achievement, program
size, and fiscal status. Some are also chosen on a random
basis. The CDE uses program instrument documents to guide
monitors and LEAs in determining whether a district is in
compliance with the law.
Prior legislation. SB 811 (O'Connell) of the 2001-02 Session,
would have required that the promotion of compassion and respect
for both humans and animals be considered in the next cycle in
HR 28
Page 5
which the science, and history/social science curricula
frameworks and the accompanying instructional materials are
adopted. This measure was held in the Assembly and not heard in
this Committee.
HR 28
Page 6
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Social Compassion in Legislation (sponsor)
Association of Professional Humane Educators
Beagle Freedom Project
City of West Hollywood
Humane Society of the United States
In Defense of Animals
Public Interest Coalition
RedRover
Stanislaus Animal Services Agency
Over 300 individuals
HR 28
Page 7
Opposition
Butte County Kennel Club Board of Directors
California Right to Life Committee, Inc.
Analysis Prepared by:Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087