BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1967
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1967 (John A. Pérez)
As Amended June 21, 2012
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |74-1 |(May 30, 2012) |SENATE: |36-0 |(August 21, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC)
and the State Board of Education (SBE) to ensure the health and
science frameworks, adopted in the course of the next submission
cycle include the subject of organ procurement and tissue
donation, as appropriate.
The Senate amendments add co-authors to this measure.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : This bill requires the Instructional Quality
Commission (IQC) and the State Board of Education (SBE) to
ensure the health and science frameworks, adopted in the course
of the next submission cycle include the subject of organ
procurement and tissue donation, as appropriate.
Electing to be an Organ Donor: Currently, there are two ways to
register as an organ donor in California. First, each
application for a new or renewal driver's license or
identification card provides a place for the applicant to
indicate if he or she wants to be an organ donor. If the person
affirms this desire, the pink donor dot symbol is pre-printed on
the driver's license or identification card. Second, the Donate
Life California Web site provides a way to register as an organ
donor online.
According to Donate Life California, there are more than 100,000
people on the National Organ Transplant Waiting List, more than
21,000 of whom live in California. Nationwide, approximately 18
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people die each day awaiting life-saving organ transplants, and
a new name is added to the national waiting list every 13
minutes. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and one
tissue donor can improve lives of up to 50 others. Nationwide,
minorities represent 49% of organ transplant candidates and more
than 60% of kidney transplants. In California, Latinos make up
32% of those waiting for life-saving transplants, Asians/Pacific
Islanders 16%, and African Americans another 14%.
Health Education Standards and Graduation Requirements: Neither
the health education standards nor the frameworks include any
information about organ procurement or tissue donation. The
health curriculum framework was scheduled to be revised to align
it to the 2008 health standards but due to the fiscal situation
in the state and resulting budget actions, the development of
curriculum frameworks and adoption of instructional materials
has been suspended until the 2015-16 school year. AB 2 X4
(Evans), Chapter 2, Statutes of 2009-10 Fourth Extraordinary
Session, prohibits the SBE from adopting or following any of the
procedures to adopt instructional materials, including following
the procedures related to framework development, through the
2012-13 school year. SB 70 (Budget and Fiscal Review
Committee), Chapter 7, Statutes of 2011, extended this
prohibition to the 2015-16 school year. The revision and
adoption of a health framework may be several years away given
the existing fiscal challenges.
Despite the delay in the adoption of a health framework, the
Assembly should consider whether it is important to include
organ and tissue donation in the next revision of the health
framework. California does not require the completion of a
health course as a condition for graduation from high school.
Districts are authorized to offer health education courses to
students and may require students to complete health education
coursework as a district graduation requirement. According to
Donate Life California, since 2006, more than 80 California high
schools have voluntarily hosted organ donation presentations in
their classrooms.
A number of recent bills have sought to amend the curriculum
standards and frameworks, and some have required instruction in
a particular subject matter. Because the education code is
permissive, districts can offer health education already, and
many if not most already do offer health education in high
school.
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Science Education Standards and Graduation Requirements:
Neither the science education standards nor the frameworks
include information about organ procurement or tissue donation.
SB 300 (Hancock), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2011, requires the
science curriculum standards to be revised by July 30, 2013, so
there may be a revision of the standards in the near future.
The science curriculum framework was scheduled to be updated in
2010 but due to the fiscal situation in the state and resulting
budget actions, the development of curriculum framework and
adoption of instructional materials has been suspended until the
2015-16 school year (as noted above). The revision and adoption
of a science framework may be several years away given the
existing fiscal challenges.
High school students are required to complete two years of
science as a graduation requirement. It is unclear, however,
which science disciplines are most appropriate for a discussion
on organ procurement or tissue donation. For example, it may be
appropriate in a biology class, but may not be appropriate in a
physics or chemistry course. The bill specifies that this topic
shall be included in science disciplines, as appropriate.
Previous legislation: AB 1118 (John A. Pérez) of 2011, which
was held on the Assembly Appropriations suspense file, would
have required the Curriculum Development and Supplemental
Materials Commission and the SBE to ensure the health framework,
adopted in the course of the next submission cycle, includes the
subject of organ procurement and tissue donation in the
instruction provided to pupils in grades 9-10. Further it would
have required a school district, commencing with the 2012-13
school year, to provide pupils who are enrolled in health
classes in grades 9 and 10 at least 15 minutes of instruction in
organ procurement and tissue donation, as specified.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN:
0004561
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