Education

(1) The California Constitution prohibits the Legislature from creating a debt or liability that singly or in the aggregate with any previous debts or liabilities exceeds the sum of $300,000, except by an act that (A) authorizes the debt for a single object or work specified in the act, (B) has been passed by a 23 vote of all the Members elected to each house of the Legislature, (C) has been submitted to the people at a statewide general or primary election, and (D) has received a majority of all the votes cast for and against it at that election. This bill would set forth the College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2026 as a state general obligation bond act that would provide $____ to construct and modernize education facilities, as specified. This bond act would become operative only if approved by the voters at an undefined statewide election. The bill would also provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at that election. (2) Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. This bill would require the Trustees and the Regents to comply with certain conditions, as provided, before receiving funds from the 2026 University Capital Outlay Bond Fund established pursuant to the College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2026. (3) This bill, except for the provision making the provisions of the bill severable, would become operative upon the adoption of the College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2026 by the voters at an undefined statewide election.

Existing law prohibits a person from being subjected to discrimination on the basis of specified characteristics, including, among others, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation in a program or activity conducted by a postsecondary educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls students who receive state student financial aid. This bill would expressly include sex in the list of specified characteristics.

Existing law provides that parents and guardians of children enrolled in public schools have the right and should have the opportunity, as mutually supportive and respectful partners in the education of their children within the public schools, to be informed by the school, and to participate in the education of their children, as specified, to include, among other things, having access to the school records of their child. This bill would expressly provide in that latter provision that school records include both official and unofficial school records. The bill also would delete an obsolete reference.

Existing law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires school districts, charter schools, county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, and the California School for the Blind to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education, as specified. The act requires that instruction to include, among other things, information about the effectiveness and safety of all federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -approved contraceptive methods in preventing pregnancy, including, but not limited to, emergency contraception, and requires instruction on pregnancy to include an objective discussion of all legally available pregnancy outcomes, including, but not limited to, parenting, adoption, and abortion. This bill would require the discussion of adoption to include a comprehensive explanation of, and information on, the types of adoption, the rights of a placing birth parent, and specific local adoption resources and support. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.

This measure proclaims April 10, 2025, as Dolores Huerta Day in California and encourages all public schools and educational institutions to conduct exercises remembering her, recognizing her accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with her contributions to California.

This bill is a House Resolution that formally recognizes the work of school board members across California by designating January 2025 as School Board Recognition Month. It directly affects local school districts and county offices of education by honoring the nearly 5,000 elected school board members who serve in these roles. The resolution expresses appreciation for their dedication to public education and encourages community members to support these local officials in their efforts to serve students. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change, as it does not alter laws or regulations but instead highlights the importance of school governance.