Amended  IN  Assembly  January 15, 2020
Amended  IN  Assembly  January 06, 2020
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2019
Amended  IN  Assembly  February 21, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 276

Introduced by Assembly Member Friedman

January 28, 2019

An act to add Section 32261.5 48980.5 to the Education Code, relating to pupil safety.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 276, as amended, Friedman. 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, and private school to 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 to develop, in consultation with the Department of Justice, and annually provide to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools the appropriate content to use for the notification. The bill would make a school district, county office of education, and charter school immune from civil liability for any damages relating to the notification.
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.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.Section 32261.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:
32261.5.

A school district, county office of education, charter school, and private school shall inform parents and guardians of pupils at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term, in the manner prescribed by Section 48980 for school districts, of California’s child access prevention laws and laws relating to the safe storage of firearms, including, but not limited to, Division 4 (commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of Part 6 of the Penal Code.

SECTION 1.

 Section 48980.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

48980.5.
 (a) A school district, county office of education, and charter school shall inform parents and guardians of pupils at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term, in the manner prescribed by this article for school districts, of California’s child access prevention laws and laws relating to the safe storage of firearms, including, but not limited to, Division 4 (commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of Part 6 of the Penal Code.
(b) The department shall develop, in consultation with the Department of Justice, and annually provide in a concise manner to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools the appropriate content to use for the notification required pursuant to subdivision (a).
(c) A school district, county office of education, and charter school is immune from civil liability for any damages allegedly caused by, arising out of, or relating to the notification required pursuant to subdivision (a).

SEC. 2.

  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.