BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 517
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 20, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
517 (Gallagher) - As Amended May 6, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill requires, under the California Comprehensive Sexual
Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act, parents to have
ample time to review sexual health education materials presented
AB 517
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by outside consultants and guest speakers and be able to make
copies of any non-copyrighted materials. Further, requires
parents to be notified of any relevant credentials of outside
consultants or guest speakers.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown Proposition 98/GF state mandated reimbursable costs,
likely in the low tens of thousands, to provide copies of
materials to parents upon request. There are 9,919 schools in
California that would be subject to the requirements of this
bill. Actual costs will depend on nature of claims submitted by
school districts. The Commission on State Mandates (CSM)
determined existing law related to comprehensive sexual
education instruction constituted a reimbursable mandate. The
state has also included this mandate in the K-12 Mandate Block
Grant. If the CSM determines these requirements impose a higher
level of service, this could pressure the Legislature to
increase funding under the K-12 Mandate Block Grant.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. Existing law requires school districts, at the
beginning of each school year, to notify parents about
instruction in comprehensive sexual health education and
HIV/AIDS prevention education, as well as research on student
health behaviors which is planned for the coming year. The
notice must advise the parent or guardian that written and
audiovisual educational materials used in comprehensive sexual
health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education are
available for inspection, and advise whether the instruction
will be taught by school district personnel or by outside
consultants. Existing law further requires information on
outside consultants and guest speakers, including the date of
the instruction, the name of the organization or affiliation
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of each guest speaker, to be provided to parents.
This bill requires parents have ample time to review and make
copies of non-copyrighted materials, and inform parents of any
relevant credentials of the consultants and speakers. The
author's office states, "This ensures that schools can use
outside consultants to provide this crucial instruction, and
allows parents to be part of their children's educational
process if they so choose."
2)Related legislation. AB 329 (Weber), pending in this
committee, consolidates and revises the requirements for
comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention
education.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081