School districts: governing boards: 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 pupil members if pupils submit a petition to the governing board to make those appointments, as provided. Existing law requires a pupil member to be recognized as a full member of the governing board of the school district at meetings, including receiving all materials presented to the board members and participating in the questioning of witnesses and the discussion of issues. This bill would specify that a pupil member shall receive all open meeting materials presented to the board members at the same time the materials are presented to the board members and would additionally require a pupil member to be invited to staff briefings of board members or provided a separate staff briefing within the same timeframe as the staff briefing of board members. To the extent that this requirement would impose additional duties on school districts, 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 AB 261 to be operative only if this bill and AB 261 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.