BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 306
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
306 (Hadley)
As Amended July 8, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | 78-0 | (May 28, |SENATE: |40-0 | (August 24, |
| | |2015) | | |2015) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY: Prohibits a school district of residence from
prohibiting the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an active
military duty parent to a school in any school district, if the
school district to which the parents of the pupil apply approves
the application for transfer. Defines "active military duty" to
mean full-time military duty status in the active uniformed
service of the United States, including members of the National
Guard and the State Reserve on active duty orders pursuant to
United States Code Title 10, Sections 1209 and 1211.
The Senate amendments prohibit a school district of residence
from prohibiting the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an
active military duty parent to a school in any school district,
if the school district to which the parents of the pupil apply
approves the application for transfer.
AB 306
Page 2
EXISTING LAW: Authorizes different opportunities for attending
a school district other than the district of residence,
including interdistrict transfer agreements between two
districts, pupil attendance alternatives (which authorize any
school district to accept interdistrict transfers), and the
ability to attend school in a district where a pupil's parent or
guardian is employed.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS: According to the author's office, there are numerous
instances of active military duty parents whose request for
interdistrict transfers for their children have been accepted by
a district of choice, but denied by the district of residence.
(Generally, the transfers have been requested by military
parents who want to send their children to a district other than
then one where they are deployed and in which they reside.) The
author's office argues that, because military families are
subject to frequent moves and have little choice where they
live, it is important to give them choices with respect to where
they send their children to school. According to the author,
"Children of military families already face the realities of
adjusting to new schools each time their families are
re-stationed. We should help America's service families access
the right public schools for their kids while they are here,
while at the same time make California's military bases
attractive to the military and our country's servicemen and
women."
As it left the Assembly, this bill addressed this issue by
establishing "military family school districts of choice" and
prohibiting a district of residence from denying a request to
transfer to such a district. However, this created confusion
with existing law governing "districts of choice." The Senate
amendments avoid this confusion by striking the provisions
related to military family school districts of choice and
instead prohibiting a school district of residence from
prohibiting the transfer out of a child of an active military
AB 306
Page 3
duty parent.
Analysis Prepared by:
Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0001223
Ó
AB 306
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
306 (Hadley)
As Amended July 8, 2015
Majority vote
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: | 78-0 | (May 28, |SENATE: |40-0 | (August 24, |
| | |2015) | | |2015) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY: Prohibits a school district of residence from
prohibiting the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an active
military duty parent to a school in any school district, if the
school district to which the parents of the pupil apply approves
the application for transfer. Defines "active military duty" to
mean full-time military duty status in the active uniformed
service of the United States, including members of the National
Guard and the State Reserve on active duty orders pursuant to
United States Code Title 10, Sections 1209 and 1211.
The Senate amendments prohibit a school district of residence
from prohibiting the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an
active military duty parent to a school in any school district,
if the school district to which the parents of the pupil apply
approves the application for transfer.
AB 306
Page 2
EXISTING LAW: Authorizes different opportunities for attending
a school district other than the district of residence,
including interdistrict transfer agreements between two
districts, pupil attendance alternatives (which authorize any
school district to accept interdistrict transfers), and the
ability to attend school in a district where a pupil's parent or
guardian is employed.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS: According to the author's office, there are numerous
instances of active military duty parents whose request for
interdistrict transfers for their children have been accepted by
a district of choice, but denied by the district of residence.
(Generally, the transfers have been requested by military
parents who want to send their children to a district other than
then one where they are deployed and in which they reside.) The
author's office argues that, because military families are
subject to frequent moves and have little choice where they
live, it is important to give them choices with respect to where
they send their children to school. According to the author,
"Children of military families already face the realities of
adjusting to new schools each time their families are
re-stationed. We should help America's service families access
the right public schools for their kids while they are here,
while at the same time make California's military bases
attractive to the military and our country's servicemen and
women."
As it left the Assembly, this bill addressed this issue by
establishing "military family school districts of choice" and
prohibiting a district of residence from denying a request to
transfer to such a district. However, this created confusion
with existing law governing "districts of choice." The Senate
amendments avoid this confusion by striking the provisions
related to military family school districts of choice and
instead prohibiting a school district of residence from
prohibiting the transfer out of a child of an active military
AB 306
Page 3
duty parent.
Analysis Prepared by:
Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0001223