BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2018
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2018 (Ridley-Thomas) - As Introduced February 16, 2016
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Policy |Higher Education |Vote:|13 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill requires training of those employees of a community
college district (CCD) mandated under current law to report
incidences of child abuse. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the California Community Colleges (CCC) Board of
Governors, in consultation with the Office of Child Abuse
AB 2018
Page 2
Prevention in the California Department of Social Services
(CDSS), to:
a) Develop and disseminate information and guidance, in
accordance with the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
(CANRA), to each mandated reporter employed at a CCD
regarding the detection and reporting of child abuse.
b) Develop appropriate means of instructing employees and
administrators of a CCD who are mandated reporters,
including, but not limited to, an online training module to
be provided by CDSS.
2)Requires the governing board of each CCD to provide annual
training, using the online training module or other training
method, and to develop a process for all persons required to
receive training to provide proof of completing the training
within the first six weeks of each academic year or within the
first six weeks of that person's employment.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)One-time General Fund costs of around $60,000 for the CCC
Chancellor's Office to establish statewide guidelines and
information about detecting and reporting child abuse. CDSS
costs for consultation would be similar.
2)Significant state reimbursable costs to implement mandated
CANRA training at 72 districts and 113 campuses, including
ensuring compliance with the training requirement. Assuming
administrative costs of $3,000 per campus, statewide costs
would be $340,000.To the extent districts choose to utilize an
online training module, ongoing training costs should be
minimal. Costs could be more substantial in districts choosing
AB 2018
Page 3
to develop their own training module.
Costs could also be incurred to compensate 90,000 CCC staff
for training time. To the extent districts successfully file
mandate claims for staff training time, costs could be in the
low millions of dollars.
COMMENTS:
1)Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). CANRA was
passed in 1980; over time, numerous amendments have expanded
the definition of child abuse and the types of positions of
persons mandated to report under the law. CANRA includes
provisions strongly encouraging employers to provide their
employees who are mandated reporters with training in the
duties of reporting.
Any mandated reporter, prior to commencing his or her
employment, and as a prerequisite to that employment, must
sign a statement on a form by the employer to the effect that
he or she has knowledge of the mandated reporting procedures
and will comply with their responsibilities under CANRA.
Failure to report an incident of known or reasonably suspected
child abuse or neglect is a misdemeanor punishable by up to
six months confinement in a county jail and/or a fine of
$1,000.
2)Purpose. According to the author, there have been recent
changes to the list of mandated reporters, to include faculty
AB 2018
Page 4
and staff that work on postsecondary educational institutions.
The author contends that, "This impacts the California
Community College system because minors are regularly on
campus either as a student who are dual-enrolled in K-12 and
community college classes or a child who is on campus at a
childcare facility while his or her parent attends class." The
author argues that faculty and staff that are mandated
reporters have not received training as encouraged by CANRA.
3)Training Program Already Available. Pursuant to AB 1432
(Gatto), Chapter 797, Statutes of 2014, the California
Department of Education (CDE), in consultation with the CDSS,
developed an online training module for mandated reporters
within school districts, county offices of education, and
charter schools, which should meet the training requirements
of AB 2018.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081