BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 1266
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   June 16, 1999

                ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 
                      Kerry Mazzoni, Chair
          SB 1266 (Knight) - As Amended:  June 10, 1999
  
SENATE VOTE  :  25-5
  
SUBJECT  :   Selective Service registration.

  SUMMARY : Requires school districts to inform eligible pupils of  
their Selective Service obligations. Specifically,  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.

  FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

  COMMENTS  : 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. The Selective Service  
System indicates that 92% of men ages 18-25 are registered  
nationally. This figure increases to 98% in the 20-25 age group.  
The California registration rate is significantly lower, at 67%.  
Supporters of this bill, which include numerous school districts  
and veterans organizations, contend that its provisions are  
necessary to improve California's compliance with the Selective  
Service law.

  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), Chapter 575, Statutes  








                                                          SB 1266
                                                          Page  2

of 1997,  which denies state financial aid to those who fail to  
register.

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

  REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

  Support  

California Selective Service System (sponsor)

  Opposition  

None received.
  
Analysis Prepared by  :    Alva Johnson / ED. / (916) 319-2087