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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Education |Vote:|1 - 5 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | |Education | |7 - 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | |Education | |7 - 0 | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Page 2 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 AB 517 Page 3 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