Governing boards of school districts: nonvoting and preferential voting pupil members.

(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a school district maintaining one or more high schools to appoint to its membership one or more nonvoting pupil members if pupils petition the governing board to make those appointments. This bill would require the governing board of a school district to appoint the pupil member or members within 60 days of receiving the petition, or at its next regularly scheduled meeting if no meeting is held within those 60 days, as specified. The bill would require a majority vote of all voting board members on a motion to eliminate the nonvoting or preferential voting pupil member position from the governing board of a school district, and would require the motion to be listed as a public agenda item for a meeting of the governing board of the school district prior to the motion being voted upon. Because the bill would require school districts to provide a higher level of service, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.