Public postsecondary education: community colleges: expulsion hearing.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts, administered by a governing board, throughout the state, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at the community college campuses maintained by the districts. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a district to expel a student for good cause when the presence of the student causes a continuing danger to the physical safety of the student or others. Existing law requires that the expulsion be accompanied by a hearing. This bill would authorize the governing board of a district to either deny enrollment, permit enrollment, or permit conditional enrollment to any individual who has been expelled from a community college within the preceding 5 years, or who is, at the time of the application, undergoing expulsion procedures, for certain offenses, as provided, if the board determines that the person continues to pose a risk to the safety of others. This bill would require the board or a delegate to hold a hearing, before taking action to deny enrollment or permit conditional enrollment, to determine whether the person continues to pose a risk. The bill would authorize a governing board of a district to delegate its authority under these provisions to the superintendent or president of the district, or to his or her designee. The bill also would authorize the community college district to request information, and respond to a request for information, from another community college district to determine whether an applicant continues to pose a danger to the physical safety of others. The bill would authorize a community college district to require these applicants to inform the district of his or her prior expulsion, and to consider failure to do so in determining whether to grant admission. The bill would expressly apply specified immunities to an exercise of discretion by a community college district, and its officers and employees, under these provisions. The bill would not apply these provisions to the admission of students for whom a community college district has discretion to admit pursuant to specified law.