Pupil safety: parental notification: firearm safety laws.

The Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act of 1985 requires school districts and county offices of education to be responsible for the overall development of all comprehensive school safety plans for their schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district, at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term, to notify parents or guardians of minor pupils of specified rights and responsibilities of the parent or guardian and of specified school district policies and procedures. This bill would require a school district, county office of education, and charter school to annually inform parents and guardians of pupils at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term of California's child access prevention laws and laws relating to the safe storage of firearms, as specified. By imposing additional duties on school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Education, on or before July 1, 2023, to develop, and subsequently update as provided, in consultation with the Department of Justice, and provide to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, and, upon request, to provide to private schools, model language for the notice regarding those child access prevention and safe storage of firearms laws. The bill would make a school district, county office of education, charter school, private school, and the department immune from civil liability for any damages relating to the notice, as specified. The bill would deem a local educational agency and the department in compliance with the above-described requirements if Senate Bill 906 of the 2021–22 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on before January 1, 2023, SB 906 adds Sections 49391 and 49392 to the Education Code, and the local educational agency and the department comply with the notice requirements of SB 906, as provided. 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.