BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






               SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                     Dede Alpert, Chair
                 1999-2000 Regular Session
                                        
                                        REVISED AS AMENDED
BILL NO:       SB 1266
AUTHOR:        Knight
AMENDED:       as to be amended
FISCAL COMM:   Yes            HEARING DATE:  April 21, 1999
URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:Scott P. Plotkin

  SPECIAL NOTE  :  This bill was heard by the Committee on  
April 14, 1999, and failed passage by a vote of 6 ayes, 3  
noes.  Reconsideration was granted, and the author is  
presenting the bill today with several amendments.

  SUMMARY  

This bill requires governing boards of school districts to  
make every reasonable effort to appoint a Selective Service  
registrar for each high school, and to make every  
reasonable effort to inform pupils about the importance of  
Selective Service obligations, the consequences of failure  
to register for the Selective Service, and how to register  
for the Selective Service.

  BACKGROUND  

  1)   The Selective Service  .  Under current law young men  
     are required to register with the Selective Service  
     pursuant to the Military Selective Service Act within  
     30 days of their 18th birthday.  If they fail to do  
     so, their registration may still be accepted up to  
     their 26th birthday.

Failure to register with the Selective Service is a felony,  
     punishable by a fine up to $250,000, imprisonment for  
     up to 5 years, or both.

Registration with the Selective Service is required to be  
     eligible for federal student loans and federal job  
     training programs.  Within California, registration is  
     required for many state and local jobs.  In the  
     1997-98 Regular Session, the Legislature enacted AB  
     397 (Kuykendall), which denies state financial aid to  
     those who fail to register.




                                                     SB 1266
                                                      Page 2




  2)   Department of Education advisory on the Selective  
     Service  .  Each year the State Department of Education  
     sends an advisory to district and county  
     superintendents requesting that steps be taken to  
     remind young men who have turned, or will soon turn,  
     age 18 of their legal responsibility to register with  
     the Selective Service.  The advisory contains  
     information relative to how the registration process  
     works, penalties for non-compliance, and implications  
     for failure to register for student financial aid,  
     access to job training benefits, federal employment  
     and other consequences.

In addition, the Department's advisory recommends the  
     appointment of Selective Service registrars from among  
     counselors, faculty, other staff, or adult school  
     volunteers.

  ANALYSIS
  
This bill requires governing boards of school districts to  
make every reasonable effort to appoint a Selective Service  
registrar for each high school, and to make every  
reasonable effort to inform pupils about the importance of  
Selective Service obligations, the consequences of failure  
to register for the Selective Service, and how to register  
for the Selective Service.
  
STAFF COMMENTS  

  1)   Need for the bill  .  According to the author, every  
     effort must be made to ensure that young men are aware  
     of and fulfill their obligation to register for the  
     Selective Service.  

According to information provided by the Selective Service  
     System,        92 percent of men ages 18-25 are  
     registered nationally.  This figure increases to 98  
     percent in the 20-25 age group.  The California  
     registration rate is significantly lower, at 67  
     percent.

Supporters of the bill contend that these provisions are  
     necessary to help improve California's compliance with  
     the Selective Service law, particularly since so many  




                                                     SB 1266
                                                      Page 3



     young men would not be readily available should the  
     Congress and the President reinstate the draft in the  
     event of a national emergency. 

  2)   Author has deleted controversial provisions  .  Since  
     the April 14, 1999 hearing on the bill, the author has  
     provided amendments that delete the requirement that  
     prohibited a school district from issuing a high  
     school diploma, and prohibiting the Superintendent of  
     Public Instruction from issuing a high school  
     equivalency diploma, to a person who had not  
     registered with the Selective Service.

Also deleted is the requirement that the importance of the  
     Selective Service be included as part of the course in  
     American government and civics required for  
     graduation.  

  SUPPORT  

California Council of Police and Sheriffs
National Sojourners, Inc., Fresno Chapter No. 269
Reserve Officers Association of the United States, D.C.  
Department,
           General Lewis B Hershey Chapter
Ronald H. Markarian, Major General (CA. Ret.)
     State Director for California, Selective Service  
System

  OPPOSITION  

None received on this version of the bill.