BILL NUMBER: AB 2454	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Torlakson

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to add Sections 49429 and 49429.1 to the Education Code,
relating to school nurses.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2454, as introduced, Torlakson. Education: school nurses.
   Existing law requires the governing board of any school district
to give diligent care to the health of pupils, and the boards are
authorized to employ properly certified persons for the work.
   This bill would require every school district with over 500 pupils
to employ at least one school nurse, as defined.
   Because this bill would require school districts to perform new
duties it would impose a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The health needs of pupils are currently not being adequately
met in California's schools due to the lack of qualified health
professionals employed by the school districts who have access to
local school campuses.
   (b) Nurses are uniquely qualified to attend to the primary care of
pupils suffering from chronic and acute health conditions.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to
ensure that school districts more adequately address and meet the
health care needs of pupils by requiring that school districts employ
a sufficient number of qualified nurses to attend to the health
needs of pupils.
  SEC. 2.  Section 49429 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   49429.  (a) A school nurse is defined in Section 49426.
   (b) A registered nurse is defined under Chapter 6 (commencing with
Section 2700) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.
  SEC. 3.  Section 49429.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   49429.1.  Notwithstanding Section 49400, every school district
with 500 or more pupils shall employ at least one school nurse as
defined in subdivision (a) of Section 49429.
  SEC. 4.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district are the result of a program for which legislative authority
was requested by that local agency or school district, within the
meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of
Article XIII B of the California Constitution.