BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
SB 1266 (Knight)
Hearing Date:5/17/89 Amended:4/28/99
Consultant: Karen French Policy Vote:Education 10-0
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BILL SUMMARY:
SB 1266 requires the governing boards of school districts
to make "every reasonable effort" to appoint a Selective
Service registrar for each high school and to inform pupils
about the importance of Selective Service obligations, the
consequences of failure to register for the Selective
Service, and how to register.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 Fund
School mandate -----Unknown, potentially over $150,000-----General*
*Costs count toward meeting the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee.
STAFF COMMENTS:
This bill may meet the criterial for referral to the
Suspense File. The author has provided a letter from
Central Unified School District indicating that they
already have a registration program. Of issue in
determining mandated costs is interpretation of the "every
reasonable effort" language. To the extent districts
must provide a financial remuneration to selective service
registrars, this bill imposes mandated costs. Those
districts already providing this service could, under this
bill, claim as a mandate the costs they currently fund.
Each year the State Department of Education sends an
advisory to district and county superintendents requesting
that steps be taken to remind young men to register. The
advisory contains information relative to how the
registration process works, penalties for non-compliance
(felony), and implications for failure to register on
access to student financial aid, job training benefits,
federal employment, etc.
According to information provided by the Selective Service
System, 92% of men ages 18 to 25 are registered nationally.
This figure increases to 98% in the 20 to 25 age group.
The California registration rate is significantly lower, at
67%.