BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    


                                                          SB 187  
                                                         Page 1

SENATE THIRD READING
SB 187 (Hughes)
As Amended September 3, 1997
Majority vote 
 
  SENATE VOTE  :  24-6
                                                  
  EDUCATION            17-1        APPROPRIATIONS    14-7           

Ayes: Mazzoni, Pacheco, Alquist, Ayes: Migden, Aguiar, Baca,  
Cardenas,
      Bowler, Caldera, Campbell,       Kuehl, Machado, Martinez,
      Davis, Honda, Leach, Lempert,    Papan, Figueroa, Shelley,
      Martinez, Scott, Strom-Martin,   Sweeney, Thomson,  
Villaraigosa,
      Sweeney, Washington, Wayne,      Washington
      Wildman
                                 Nays: Poochigian, Ackerman,
Nays: House                            Bordonaro, Brewer,  
Granlund,
                                       Olberg, Runner

  SUMMARY  : Requires schools to develop comprehensive school safety  
plans.  Specifically,  this bill  :  

1) Requires the schoolsite council at each public school to  
   develop and adopt a comprehensive school safety plan by  
   September 1, 1998, and forward it to its corresponding school  
   district or county office of education, for approval.  Requires  
   the schoolsite council to consult with local law enforcement in  
   developing the plan.  (Allows a school safety planning  
   committee to develop the plan instead of the schoolsite  
   council, provided the committee meets certain membership  
   requirements.)  Allows schools to submit existing safety plans  
   to comply with this requirement, as long as the plans are in  
   existence by December 31, 1997 and contain the required  
   information.

2) Requires that each school safety plan include the following:   
   a) an assessment of school crime committed on school campus; b)  
   child abuse reporting procedures; c) disaster procedures; d)  
   school discipline policies; e) procedures to notify teachers of  
   dangerous pupils; f) a sexual harassment policy; g) any  
   schoolwide dress code; and h) a safe and orderly environment.   
   Requires schools to update the plans on an annual basis.   
   Requires schools to hold a public meeting to solicit public  
   opinion on their school safety plans before approving them.  

3) Establishes that nothing in the bill shall restrict the  
   authority of school boards as established by the Education  













                                                          SB 187  
                                                         Page 2

   Code.

4) Exempts schools in small school districts [with fewer than 2501  
   units of average daily attendance (ADA)] from the requirement  
   to develop plans, if the small school district develops a  
   districtwide comprehensive school safety plan that is  
   applicable to each school in the district. 

5) Requires school districts and county offices of education to  
   approve school safety plans and to notify the State Department  
   of Education (SDE) by October 15, 1998, of any schools that do  
   not submit plans.  Requires the Superintendent of Public  
   Instruction (SPI) to notify and subsequently levy a $500 fine  
   against any district or county office housing a school that  
   does not submit a school safety plan.  

6) Establishes that all the above requirements, except the  
   updating requirement, shall remain in effect until January 1,  
   2000, after which time existing law language governing school  
   safety plans shall be reinstated.  Establishes that schools  
   must continue to update their school safety plans on an annual  
   basis, after January 1, 2000, and must maintain an updated file  
   of safety-related plans and materials for public viewing.        

  EXISTING LAW  expresses legislative intent that schools develop  
school safety plans.  Expresses intent that schools use existing  
resources to develop plans.  
  FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee  
analysis, this bill has unknown annual General Fund costs,  
projected to be less than $150,000, to school district and county  
offices of education to develop the comprehensive safety plans.   
The actual costs of this bill are unknown and depend on the number  
of schools which have not prepared plans under the permissive  
provisions of current law.  

  COMMENTS  :  This bill affects all schools run by school districts  
(with more than 2500 ADA) and county offices of education,  
including county-run community schools and juvenile court schools.  
 


  Analysis prepared by  :  Leonor Ehling / aed / (916) 445-9431


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