BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






                          SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                              Alan Lowenthal, Chair
                             2011-12 Regular Session
                                         

          BILL NO:       AB 401
          AUTHOR:        Ammiano
          AMENDED:       May 9, 2012
          FISCAL COMM:   No             HEARING DATE:  May 16, 2012
          URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill

           SUBJECT  :  School safety:  Carl Washington School Safety and 
          Violence 
                    Prevention Act.
          
           SUMMARY   

          This bill deletes a provision from the Carl Washington School 
          Safety and Violence Prevention Act that specifies sexual 
          orientation shall not include pedophilia.

           BACKGROUND  

          Existing law, the Carl Washington School Safety and Violence 
          Prevention Act, is a categorical program for the purpose of 
          helping schools have access to supplemental resources to 
          combat bias on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, 
          national origin, disability, gender, gender identity, gender 
          expression, or sexual orientation and specifies that sexual 
          orientation does not include pedophilia.  (Education Code � 
          32228)

          Existing law specifies that through the 2014-15 fiscal year, 
          local educational agencies that receive funds for specified 
          categorical programs may use the funding for any educational 
          purpose to the extent permitted by federal law.  Funding for 
          Carl Washington School Safety and Violence Prevention Act 
          programs is included in this categorical flexibility.  (EC � 
          42605)

           ANALYSIS  

           This bill  deletes from the Carl Washington School Safety and 
          Violence Prevention Act the specification that sexual 
          orientation shall not include pedophilia.

           STAFF COMMENTS  



                                                                  AB 401
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           1)   Need for the bill  :  The purpose of the Carl Washington 
               School Safety and Violence Prevention Act is to help 
               public schools have access to supplemental resources to 
               combat discrimination on the basis of race, color, 
               religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, 
               gender identity, gender expression, or sexual 
               orientation.  According to the author's office, the 
               Act's statement that sexual orientation shall not 
               include pedophilia is not necessary and inappropriately 
               links a person's sexual orientation to the psychiatric 
               disorder of pedophilia.  AB 401 removes obsolete 
               language without altering the intent of the Act.  

           SUPPORT
           
          California Communities United Institute
          Equality California

           OPPOSITION
           
          None received.