BILL NUMBER: SB 552	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 11, 2009
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 12, 2009
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 13, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Padilla

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to add Section 51882 to the Education Code, relating to
schools.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 552, as amended, Padilla. Schools: health education.
   The Comprehensive Health Education Act of 1977 requires the State
Department of Education to prepare and distribute to school districts
guidelines for the preparation of comprehensive health education
plans, and, in cooperation with county offices of education that
desire to participate, to assist school districts in developing
comprehensive health education plans and programs.
   This bill would require school districts that offer health classes
to grade 9 or 10 pupils to provide at least 15 minutes of
instruction on organ procurement and tissue donation that would be
designed to develop a knowledge of the potentially life-saving
achievement involved in organ and tissue transplantation.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
   (a) There are more than 100,000 people on the national organ
transplant waiting list, and more than 21,000, or 21 percent, of
those people live in California.
   (b) Currently only  18 percent of California drivers are
designated   25 percent of applicants for California
driver's licenses register  as organ or tissue donors.
   (c) Californians who apply for a California drivers license are
asked whether or not they would like to donate their organs and
tissue. It is important that, if we are asking that question, we are
allowing the individual to make an informed decision.
   (d) There is an urgent need to educate the public about organ and
tissue donation.
  SEC. 2.  Section 51882 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   51882.  Commencing with the 2010-11 school year, a school district
that elects to offer health classes to grade 9 or 10 pupils shall
offer at least 15 minutes of instruction on organ procurement and
tissue donation designed to develop a knowledge of the potentially
life-saving achievement involved in organ and tissue transplantation.
Nonprofit  organ-procurement  organizations, including
among others, Donate Life California, shall provide school districts
with the information that will be provided through the instruction
required pursuant to this section.