Gov. Gavin Newsom closed out the legislative year on Oct.13, signing the last of the more than 1,000 bills sent to him for signature or veto in 2023. In total, 1,046 pieces of legislation reached the Governor’s desk in the last weeks of the legislative session, 890 bills were signed into law and 156 were vetoed.
CSBA advocacy propelled five sponsored bills to the Governor’s desk and secured his signature on a package of new laws that will help increase support for districts facing cyberattacks, provide immediate relief during the teacher shortage, help county boards appoint student members, and extend the opportunity for boards to meet remotely during states of emergency:
- Assembly Bill 1023 (Papan, D-San Mateo): Increases cybersecurity support for school districts by requiring the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) to include a representative from the California Department of Education (CDE) and coordinate information sharing with school districts, county offices of education and charter schools.
- Senate Bill 765 (Portantino, D-Burbank): Provides immediate relief to schools during the teacher shortage by making it easier to waive the 180-day mandatory waiting period and increasing the salary earning cap local educational agencies (LEA) must observe before hiring a recently retired teacher. Read more about the bill here.
- AB 483 (Muratsuchi, D-Torrance): Expands access to school-based health and mental health services and increases funding for school districts by improving the Medi-Cal Local Education Agency Billing Option Program (LEA BOP). The bill modifies and imposes new requirements related to timelines, reporting, technical assistance, stakeholder engagement and guidance for LEA BOP.
- AB 417 (Bennett, D-Ventura): Provides needed follow up to 2022 legislation that authorized county boards of education to select a student in a district school to fill a position on the county office board reserved for a pupil. In the absence of a petition for student representation, AB 417 permits a county board to appoint one of its own students from a school directly under its jurisdiction to the position.
- AB 557 (Hart, D-Santa Barbara): Extends indefinitely the authority for school boards to hold meetings virtually during states of emergency.
Dedicated advocacy secures critical vetoes
A major theme in the first year of the 2023–24 legislative session was legislation that would significantly erode local control over hiring, disciplinary and other human resources decisions. CSBA advocacy secured vetoes of two of the most significant measures in this category.
AB 1699 (McCarty, D-Sacramento) would have mandated “right of first refusal” for classified staff hiring policies for all LEAs. CSBA members were critical to this veto, responding in record numbers to the call to action and generating more than 500 individual veto requests sent to the Governor, who vetoed the bill on Oct. 7. A true team effort, CSBA worked with a large coalition of school districts and educational advocacy organizations, including the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the California County Superintendents, California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA) and others.
CSBA also successfully led a coalition of statewide K-12 and community college associations in opposition of SB 433. The bill would have removed the authority of a duly elected school district or community college board to render personnel decisions concerning classified staff, contrary to the spirit of local control and removing yet another layer of locally elected governance authority and delegating it to an unelected entity. The coalition’s work was reflected in the Governor’s decision to veto the bill on Oct. 7.
Results of other major education legislation
Gov. Newsom also acted on many other notable education bills over the signing period. Below are some of the key results, listed by issue area.
Curriculum
- AB 285 (L. Rivas, D-Sylmar): Modifies the course of study for science in grades 1 to 6 and 7 to 12 to include content regarding causes and effects of, and methods to mitigate and adapt to, climate change and requires that appropriate coursework be offered to students no later than the 2024–25 school year.
CSBA Position: Oppose.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - AB 1078 (Jackson, D-Riverside): Allows for complaints to be filed against LEAs that limit or prohibit the use of inclusive textbooks, instructional materials or school library materials in violation of the California FAIR Act. Also provides for immediate state intervention by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, including the assessment of financial penalties upon school districts that do not provide sufficient textbooks or instructional materials to its students.
CSBA Position: Oppose.
Result: Signed into law on Sept. 25. CSBA held a webinar on AB 1078 and its immediate impacts on Sept. 28. Read more here.
Digital divide
- AB 286 (Wood, D-Healdsburg): Incorporates and updates feedback gathered by the California Public Utilities Commission regarding broadband access at the address level to allow greater public and private investment to better serve areas struggling with the digital divide.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 10. - AB 414 (Reyes, D-Colton): Establishes the Digital Equity Bill of Rights, which establishes the principle of the state to ensure digital equity for all its residents and that residents shall have access to broadband in various forms and functions. Also establishes the state policy that broadband internet subscribers benefit from equal access to service.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - AB 965 (J. Carrillo, D-Palmdale): Requires local agencies to undertake batched processing for broadband permits in order to accelerate broadband deployment and help close the state’s digital divide.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Signed into law on Oct. 9.
Facilities
- AB 1604 (Bonta, D-Oakland): Would have made changes to the Charter School Facility Grant program administered by the California School Finance Authority with regard to required admissions preferences, requirements for related parties, declaring nonprofit status and how charter school properties are sold and leased.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 8. Governor’s veto message. - SB 394 (Gonzalez, D-Long Beach): Would have required the California Energy Commission, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to convene a group of agencies and stakeholders to develop a master plan for healthy, sustainable and climate-resilient schools.
CSBA Position: Support if Amended.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 8. Governor’s veto message. - SB 515 (Stern, D-Los Angeles): Limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education (COE), charter school or community college campus to 20 percent of the adjusted construction cost of the shade structure project.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - SB 760 (Newman, D-Fullerton): Requires LEAs maintaining any combination of classes from kindergarten to grade 12 to provide at least one all-gender restroom for pupil use at each of its schoolsites on or before July 1, 2026. The all-gender restroom must meet certain requirements, including, among other things, having signage identifying the bathroom as open to all genders and being unlocked, unobstructed and easily accessible by any pupil.
CSBA Position: Tracking.
Result: Signed into law on Sept. 23.
Governance
- AB 275 (Ward, D-San Diego): Authorizes a governing board of a school district, COE and charter school to award a pupil member elective course credit or financial compensation, or both, while serving as a pupil member.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed in law on Oct. 9. - AB 452 (Addis, D-Morro Bay): Eliminates the time limit for the commencement of actions for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual assault for civil actions that arise on or after the date when the bill takes effect.
CSBA Position: Tracking.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 10. - AB 721 (Valencia, D-Anaheim): Requires that the notification of information related to the dates and location of which the public may inspect the proposed school district budget be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district at least three days before the availability of the proposed budget for public inspection and authorizes a school district to post the notice on their website. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, requires school districts to post the notice on their website and also allows posting in newspapers.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 13. - AB 764 (Bryan, D-Los Angeles): Makes school districts and county boards of education and other local governments subject to similar criteria and process requirements that apply to counties and cities when adjusting the boundaries of the districts used to elect members of their governing bodies. Also increases the public hearing and outreach requirements that apply to all local jurisdictions as part of the process for adopting or adjusting boundaries and authorizes a resident of the jurisdiction to file a petition with the court for an order adopting election district boundaries for an agency that misses the redistricting deadlines.
CSBA Position: Oppose unless Amended.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 7. - SB 413 (Bradford, D-Gardena): Requires county boards of education to decide interdistrict appeals within 30 calendar days and authorizes boards located in a Class 1 and 2 county to decide interdistrict appeals within 60 calendar days in specific instances that involve delays and scheduling conflicts initiated by the parent or home school district; and in cases where the application was filed outside the home school district transfer window.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct.8. - SB 494 (Newman): Prohibits the governing board of a school district from taking action to terminate a superintendent or assistant superintendent of the school district, or both, without cause, at a special or emergency meeting of the governing board. Prohibits the governing board of a school district from terminating a superintendent or assistant superintendent of the school district, or both, without cause, within 30 days after the first convening of the governing board after an election at which one or more members of the governing board are elected or recalled.
CSBA Position: Tracking.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 13.
Labor and human resources
- AB 504 (Reyes, D-Colton): Would have established public employees’ right to demonstrate solidarity with other public employees by honoring a picket line or strike and refusing to enter upon the premises or perform work for a public employer engaged in a primary strike, among other provisions.
CSBA Position: Oppose.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 8. Governor’s veto message. - AB 897 (McCarty): Reduces the threshold for part-time probationary employees in adult education programs to be deemed to have served a complete school year if the employee has served 75 percent of a 60-percent short-term position.
CSBA Position: Oppose.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 9. - AB 934 (Muratsuchi): Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to contract with a public relations organization to develop a teacher recruitment public awareness campaign and states the Legislative intent that this program not exceed $900,000.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 10. - AB 1273 (Bonta): Requires the CDE to convene a workgroup on or before Dec. 31, 2024, for the purpose of reporting recommendations to the Legislature on or before Dec. 31, 2025, on appropriate staffing ratios for classified school employees.
CSBA Position: Oppose unless Amended.
Result: Signed into law on Oct.7. - SB 354 (Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa): Would have required the CTC to revise its administrative services credential standards and performance expectations with a focus on inclusive learning environments, and required the CDE, in consultation with the CTC, to develop and disseminate guidance on the ways in which inclusive classrooms may be staffed.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 8. Governor’s veto message. - SB 553 (Cortese, D-San Jose): Requires employers to establish, implement and maintain an effective workplace violence prevention plan that includes requirements to maintain incident logs, provide specified trainings and conduct periodic reviews of the plan.
CSBA Position: Oppose.
Result: Signed into law on Sept. 30.
Nutrition
- SB 348 (Skinner, D-Berkeley): Requires schools to provide students with adequate time to eat following guidelines established by CDE; makes various conforming changes to the school meal program to implement the free universal school breakfast and lunch program; and, requires the CDE, in partnership with the California School Nutrition Association, to develop guidelines to reduce the sugar and sodium content in school meals if the National School Lunch Program allows more added sugar or sodium than is recommended by the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans at any time in the future.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8.
Student health and mental health
- AB 70 (Rodriguez, D-Pomona): Extends a recently enacted law that requires certain buildings, including schools, constructed after Jan. 1, 2023, to have at least six trauma kits on the premises, and to also require buildings that were constructed prior to that date to have the trauma kits if the buildings were renovated or improved.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 9. - AB 230 (Reyes, D-Colton): Expands the requirement that schools serving students in grades 6 through 12 stock specified restrooms with menstrual products to include schools serving students in grades 3 to 5.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - AB 1283 (Chen, R-Yorba Linda): Authorizes LEAs to make emergency stock albuterol inhalers available at LEAs and authorizes school nurses or trained personnel who have volunteered to administer an albuterol inhaler to persons suffering from, or reasonably believed to be suffering from, respiratory distress.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 9. - AB 1479 (Garcia, D-Coachella): Would have established the Pupil Social-Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Program, to be administered by the CDE, to make available grants to LEAs to provide Tier 1 mental health supports to pupils and families, subject to an appropriation for this purpose.
CSBA Position: Disapprove.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 9. Governor’s veto message. - AB 1651 (Sanchez, R-Rancho Santa Margarita): Extends the definition of “volunteer” and “trained personnel” to include the holder of an Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate (ASCC) who may administer an emergency epinephrine auto-injector, as specified, and requires LEAs to store epinephrine auto-injectors in an accessible location for emergency use.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 9. - AB 1722 (Dahle, R-Bieber): Allows, until Jan. 1, 2029, LEAs to employ a licensed vocational nurse who is supervised by a credentialed school nurse who is employed as a school nurse at the same or at another LEA.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 13. - SB 10 (Cortese): Requires school safety plans of schools, including charter schools, serving students in grades 7 to 12 to include a protocol for responding to a student’s opioid overdose, requires the CDE to post informational materials on its website on opioid overdose prevention and encourages COEs to establish working groups on fentanyl education in schools.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 13. - SB 326 (Eggman, D-Stockton): If passed and approved by voters on the 2024 ballot, this bill would recast the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) as the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA). Would clarify that county behavioral health programs are permitted to use BHSA funds to treat primary substance use disorder conditions; restructure current MHSA funding buckets; enhance the current process for local planning of various services funded by the BHSA and for oversight, accountability and reporting of BHSA funds. The final version of the bill includes a CSBA-sponsored proposal to require county mental health boards to include members with education experience.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 12. - SB 509 (Portantino): Would have required, by July 1, 2027, LEAs serving students in grades 7 to 12 to certify to the CDE that 40 percent of classified employees and 100 percent of certificated employees have received youth behavioral health training identified by the CDE; and added instruction in mental health to the course of study for grades 1 to 6.
CSBA Position: Oppose Unless Amended.
Result: Vetoed on Oct. 13. Governor’s veto message.
School climate and safety
- AB 5 (Zbur, D-Hollywood): Requires the CDE to complete the development of an online training curriculum on cultural competency in supporting LGBTQ students and online delivery platform by July 1, 2025, and requires LEAs to provide and require at least one hour of training annually to all certificated staff, beginning with the 2025–26 school year through the 2029–30 school year.
CSBA Position: Tracking.
Result: Signed into law on Sept. 23. - AB 1466 (Weber, D-San Diego): Requires each LEA to post the same data that LEAs are currently required to share with the CDE on their websites related to restraint and seclusion.
CSBA Position: Disapprove.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - SB 274 (Skinner): Prohibits the suspension or expulsion of a student enrolled in grades 6-12 in a public school on the basis of willful defiance until July 1, 2029,authorize employees to refer students to school administrators for in-school interventions or supports, and require that administrators document the actions taken in the student’s record and inform the referring employee of those actions.
CSBA Position: Support if Amended.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - SB 323 (Portantino): Requires that comprehensive school safety plans address accommodations related to relevant federal disability laws, requires that the annual evaluation of those plans ensure appropriate adaptations, and authorizes parents and others to bring a concern about a student’s safety to the principal.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - SB 857 (Laird, D-Santa Cruz): Requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to convene an advisory task force to identify the statewide needs of LGBTQ pupils on or before July 1, 2024, and report its findings to the Legislature, the SPI and Governor by Jan. 1, 2026.
CSBA Position: Support if Amended.
Result: Signed into law on Sept. 23.
School transportation
- AB 579 (Ting, D-Sacramento): Requires, commencing Jan. 1, 2035, all newly purchased or contracted school buses to be zero-emission vehicles. LEAs that determine this goal is not feasible due to both terrain and route constraints may request a one-time extension for five years and frontier LEAs would also be authorized to apply for annual extensions beginning in 2040 and ending in 2045.
CSBA Position: Oppose unless Amended.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 8. - SB 88 (Skinner): Imposes new requirements for drivers who are either employed by or contracted with by LEAs to provide student transportation services for compensation. In response to advocacy by CSBA and partners, the author agreed to amendments in late August that allowed CSBA’s to remove its opposition.
CSBA Position: Neutral.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 7.
Special education
- AB 723 (Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton): Defines “school of origin” for purposes of foster youth educational rights to remain enrolled in a school when a residential placement changes to include placements in a non-public, nonsectarian school (NPS), and requires an NPS, commencing in the 2024–25 school year, to provide assurances in its application for state certification that it agrees to serve as the school of origin of a foster youth and allow these students to continue their education in the school.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 13. - AB 1340 (Garcia): Requires the CDE, by Jan. 1, 2025, to post on its website data on four- and five-year cohort graduation rates for students with disabilities, disaggregated by federal disability category, subject to an appropriation for this purpose.
CSBA Position: Approve.
Result: Signed into law on Oct. 9. - AB 1517 (Gallagher, R-Yuba City): Would have required that when an LEA qualifies for differentiated assistance on the basis of the performance of students with disabilities, the county superintendent include the administrator of its Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) on its expert technical assistance team, requires that the superintendent of a school district consult with their SELPA administrator prior to adoption of a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and made changes to required elements of local plans and annual assurances support plans.
CSBA Position: Support.
Result: Vetoed on Oct.8. Governor’s veto message.
For a comprehensive look at all the education bills passed this year, stay tuned for CSBA’s annual What’s New for 2024 report, coming soon.
