School districts: governing boards: pupil members: preferential voting.

(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 submit a petition to the governing board to make those appointments, as provided. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to allow for preferential voting, as defined, for the pupil member or members of the governing board upon receipt of a petition for that purpose. This bill would instead require a pupil member of the governing board of a school district to have preferential voting rights, and would make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. Because the bill would require school districts to provide a higher level of service, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 35012 of the Education Code proposed by SB 468 to be operative only if this bill and SB 468 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (3) 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 the statutory provisions noted above.