IN ORDER, LET ME GO TO THE
PREAMBLE. HERE THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, THERE ARE TEN BILLS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, NONE OF WHICH
ARE ON CONSENT, WITNESSES MAY BE
ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR TESTIMONY
TO THREE MINUTES TO ENSURE THE
COMMITTEE IS ABLE TO COMPLETE
TODAY'S AGENDA IN A TIMELY
FASHION. I KNOW I'VE SAID THAT
BEFORE, SEEING NO QUORUM, LET'S
BEGIN AS A SUBCOMMITTEE WITH THE
FIRST REGULAR ORDER BILL, THE
GOOD SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS IS
HERE. WELCOME, SENATOR UMBERG,
YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY.
YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. HE
GREW UP IN ILLINOIS. PARTLY.
I'M. YES, I'M A PRODUCT OF THE
MIDWEST. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR AND LYNN LOBER, FOR
WORKING WITH US ON THIS MEASURE.
IT'S LIKE ALL BILLS. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT, SO I WANT TO EXPLAIN
THE CATALYST FOR THIS BILL. THE
CATALYST BILL CAME FROM A YOUNG
SOPHOMORE STUDENT AT CHINO HIGH
SCHOOL NAMED, LAWRENCE KIM, WHO
ACTUALLY IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
WHO'S GOING TO TESTIFY ON THE
BILL? HISTORICALLY, STUDENTS
WITH NEURODIVERGENT CONDITIONS
HAVE FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN
EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, RANGING
FROM MISUNDERSTANDING AND
STEREOTYPES TO BULLYING AND
DISCRIMINATION. THIS HINDERS
STUDENTS ACADEMIC GROWTH AND
AFFECTS THEIR EMOTIONAL AND
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS I
MENTIONED, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
LAWRENCE KIM PROPOSED SB 939,
WHICH HELPS AND ACKNOWLEDGES
STUDENTS WITH NEURODIVERGENCE,
WHICH IS A SPECTRUM OF
DIFFERENCES IN BRAIN FUNCTION
AND BEHAVIORAL TRAITS, INCLUDING
CONDITIONS SUCH AS AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDER, ADHD,
DYSLEXIA, AND MORE. SB 939 SEEKS
TO AMEND SECTION 234.1 OF THE
EDUCATION CODE TO EXPLICITLY
INCLUDE PROTECTIONS FOR
NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS,
ENSURING THEY RECEIVE THE SAME
RIGHTS TO A SAFE AND POSITIVE
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS THEIR
PEERS. SPECIFICALLY, THIS BILL
REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION OAN TO WORK WITH THE
UC CSU COLLABORATIVE FOR
NEURODIVERSITY AND LEARNING TO
DISPERSE INFORMATION TO LOCAL
EDUCATION AGENCIES AND TO EXPAND
ITS ONLINE BULLYING TRAINING
MODULE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION
ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT STUDENTS
WHO ARE BULLIED FOR BEING
NEURODIVERGENT. WITH LINKS TO
RESOURCES FROM THE
COLLABORATIVE, WITH ME HERE
TODAY IS DYLAN ELLIOTT, WHO'S
HERE, TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION
OF PSYCHIATRISTS AND THE
INSPIRATION FOR THE BILL ITSELF,
MR. LAWRENCE KIM. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, THANK YOU, MR. UMBERG.
MR. KIM, WELCOME. GLAD TO HAVE
YOU HERE. PLEASE PROCEED. YOU
HAVE THREE MINUTES TO. OKAY.
I'LL START HERE. GORDON. YOU'RE
WELCOME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MY NAME IS DYLAN
ELLIOTT, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRISTS OR
CCEP, IN SUPPORT OF SB 939,
AUTHORED BY SENATOR UMBERG,
WHICH SEEKS TO SUPPORT
NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS IN THE
CLASSROOM, AN EFFORT CENTRAL TO
KZAP'S GOALS. RESEARCH INDICATES
THAT THE POPULATION OF
NEURODIVERGENT YOUTH IS
INCREASING, OR AT THE VERY
LEAST, THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSES
BEING MADE. AS A RESULT, THE
NEED FOR HEIGHTENED AWARENESS
AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF LEARNERS
AMONG EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITIES
GROWS IN KIND. BEYOND ENSURING
THAT EDUCATORS ARE PROPERLY
EQUIPPED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE
NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ALL
STUDENTS, ONE OF SB 939 PROPOSED
GOALS IS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO
MAY BE THE VICTIMS OF BULLYING.
FOR EXAMPLE, ACCORDING TO THE
JOURNAL OF ATTENTION DISORDERS,
NEARLY HALF OF CHILDREN WITH
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDERS ARE VICTIMS OF
BULLYING, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE
AMOUNT OF BULLYING EXPERIENCED
BY NEUROTYPICAL PEERS. IT'S OUR
BELIEF THAT INFORMATION,
ENGAGEMENT AND RESOURCES ARE AN
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TO COMBAT
THIS ISSUE. WITH THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS, LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
AGENCIES WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO
THESE RESOURCES THROUGH AN
EXISTING COLLABORATIVE BETWEEN
THE UC AND CSU SYSTEM AND
REQUIRE THAT INFORMATION BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, BOTH IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S
WEBSITE BUT ALSO ON THE WEBSITES
OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COUNTY
OFFICES OF EDUCATION, AND SCHOOL
SITES. ADDITIONALLY, IT ASKS THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION TO EXPAND ITS ONLINE
BULLYING TRAINING MODULE TO
INCLUDE INFORMATION SUPPORTING
NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS. WHILE
CSAB SUPPORTED THE VERSION OF
THE BILL IN PRINT, WE RECOGNIZE
THE CONCERNS OUTLINED BY THE
COMMITTEE IN THE ANALYSIS AND
APPRECIATE YOUR CHAIR, NEWMAN'S,
AND YOUR YOUR STAFF'S EFFORT IN
FINDING AN EFFECTIVE PATH
FORWARD THAT STILL BENEFITS
NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS. IT'S A
STRAIGHTFORWARD BILL WITH NO
LISTED OPPOSITION. RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, MR. KIM. WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LAWRENCE KIM
AND I'M A SOPHOMORE. CURRENTLY,
MY. HELP HIM WITH THE
MICROPHONE, IF YOU COULD. THANK
YOU. NOT QUITE GETTING THERE. A
LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU. YOUR VOICE
IS GOING TO SOUND AWESOME WHEN
IT'S AMPLIFIED. YOU GUYS CAN
HEAR ME, RIGHT? OH, YEAH. YOU
SOUND GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS
GOOD. YEAH OKAY. GOOD MORNING,
MR. MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, MY
NAME IS LAWRENCE KIM, AND I'M A
SOPHOMORE CURRENTLY ATTENDING
THE BSD ACADEMY AT CHINO HIGH
SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO SHOW MY
UTMOST SUPPORT FOR A BILL IDEA
THAT I CAME UP WITH SB 939. AS A
LONG TIME ADVOCATE FOR
NEURODIVERGENCE AWARENESS, I'VE
OFTEN NOTICED NUMEROUS MEASURES
BEING TAKEN BY THE STATE TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE
NEURODIVERGENT POPULATION
DIRECTLY. DESPITE THIS, I COULD
EASILY NOTICE WITHIN MY OWN
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES OVER THE PAST
YEARS THAT MANY OF MY
NEURODIVERGENT PEERS WERE STILL
BEING LEFT OUT AND BULLIED AFTER
THOROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH NOT
ONLY MY DIVERGENT PEERS, BUT
ALSO WITH THEIR PARENTS, I WAS
ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THE ROOT
CAUSE OF THIS CONTINUAL
EXCLUSION WAS A LACK OF
AWARENESS WITHIN THE STUDENT
BODY POPULATION. I'D NEVER
RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF EDUCATION
ON NEURODIVERGENT POPULATIONS AT
SCHOOL, AND THE SOLE
INTERACTIONS WITH MY
NEURODIVERGENT FRIENDS WAS THE
ONLY OUTLET FOR ME TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THEM. IT'S CRITICAL THAT
THE STUDENT BODY RECEIVES A
PROPER EDUCATION REGARDING SUCH
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR
SCHOOL COMMUNITY. AS SOMEONE
WHO'S BEEN JUDGED FOR WEARING
HEARING AIDS AND RECEIVED UTMOST
UNDERSTANDING FROM MY PEERS
AFTER AN INTERVENTION BY A
TEACHER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT A
MERE EDUCATION OF OUR
DIFFERENCES CAN MAKE A HUGE
IMPACT ON A CHILD'S LIFE. ONCE
THE GENERAL STUDENT BODY
ACQUIRES PROPER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
OUR NEURODIVERGENT POPULATION,
IT WILL BE A SITUATION WORKING
BOTH WAYS. DIRECT SUPPORT FROM
THE STATE, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY
SUPPORT FROM PEERS. I TRULY
APPRECIATE SENATOR UMBRIDGE'S
ADMINISTRATIVE AND AUTHORING SB
939 AND SUPPORTING THE GROWING
NEURODIVERGENT POPULATION IN OUR
SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I ASK FOR
YOUR I VOTE ON THIS BILL. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ARE THERE
ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE
THEN THE ROOM WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
YOUR NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION,
YOUR POSITION CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
CARSON NEEDS, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
NEXT, PLEASE. THANK YOU. MELISSA
CORTEZ, ON BEHALF OF AUTISM
SPEAKS, IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU,
MISS CORTEZ. ARE THERE IS THERE
ANYBODY HERE WHO'D LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? SEEING NONE, LET US NOW
ESTABLISH A QUORUM. I BELIEVE WE
HAVE ONE, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
NO, HE'S NOT ON THIS ONE UNLESS
I KNOW THIS. I'VE BEEN, THIS
MORNING. NO, YOU WE SCREEN A
LITTLE MORE RIGOROUSLY FOR THIS
COMMITTEE, SO. I'M SORRY. WE'RE
ON OTHER COMMITTEES, SO WE DO
NOT HAVE A QUORUM, I APOLOGIZE,
LET US COME BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE
? JUST LONG OVERDUE, THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING YOUR IDEA TO US AND
FOR YOUR VERY ARTICULATE
PRESENTATION TODAY. THANK YOU.
AND CAN I ASSUME YOU'LL MOVE THE
BILL WHEN I WILL MOVE THE BILL
WHEN APPROPRIATE? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS, SENATOR, SENATOR
LUNDBERG, ARE YOU MENTIONED THE
COMMITTEE, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF
YOU EXPLICITLY ACCEPT THE
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. I
APPRECIATE THAT, SO I'M GLAD TO
SUPPORT THE BILL. I'M GRATEFUL
THAT YOU ACCEPTED THE
AMENDMENTS. THERE IS STILL WORK
NEEDED TO, I THINK TO, ARRIVE ON
AN ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF
NEURODIVERGENCE, SO THAT THAT'S
SORT OF A LARGER ISSUE. I THINK
THAT THAT THIS LEGISLATURE AT
SOME POINT IS GOING TO HAVE TO
ADDRESS. BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE
BILL, GLAD TO SUPPORT IT. WE DO
NOT YET HAVE A QUORUM, BUT WHEN
WE DO, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM
SENATOR WILK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE, NO, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS, I APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU, MR. KIM, FOR
TRAVELING HERE TODAY. I SUSPECT
THAT IN A FEW YEARS HE'LL BE ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, THIS
BARRIER, SITTING WITH YOU WITH A
VOICE LIKE THAT. ABSOLUTELY. ALL
RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. URGENT WELL,
HE'S NOT MY DISTRICT.
FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY,
BUT. YES. YEAH. RIGHT. RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. URGENT, I
VOTE THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK
YOU, MR. ELLIOTT, NEXT UP, I SEE
SENATOR ARCHULETA, WELCOME, SIR.
YOU WILL BE PRESENTING SB 1315,
AND AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE DO NOT
YET HAVE A QUORUM. BUT PLEASE
PROCEED WHEN YOU'RE READY. OKAY
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND GOOD
MORNING. AND MEMBERS, I WOULD
LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACCEPTING THE
AMENDMENTS OUTLINED IN THE
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS AND THANKING
THE CHAIR AND THE COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE
ON THIS PARTICULAR BILL. AS WE
RECOGNIZE OUR SCHOOLS DO
FANTASTIC WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY,
HELPING OUR, OUR KIDS TO BE
BETTER EDUCATED AND BEGIN THEIR
PATHWAY TO FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND
REPRESENTING US ALL IN OUR GREAT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER,
THEY ALSO DO OUTSTANDING WORK IN
MEETING THE EXTREME HIGH NUMBER
OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT
ARE REQUIRED OF THEM EACH AND
EVERY DAY AND THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR. SENATE BILL 1315 WOULD
TASK THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION WITH ASSESSING THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF REPORTS REQUIRED
OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE
AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO
THEM, AND TO REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE ON WHAT REPORTS ARE
NO LONGER NEEDED, WHICH ONES CAN
BE CONDENSED, AND WHICH REPORTS
SHOULD REMAIN. I DON'T THINK WE
REALIZE IT, BUT OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ARE OVERBURDENED AND
OVERWHELMED IN SOME CASES. WITH
A NUMBER OF REPORTS REQUIRED OF
THEM. IN FACT, CURRENT ESTIMATES
PUT THE NUMBER OF REPORTS, ON
NEARLY EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE
NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS THAT THE
STATE REQUIRES, WHICH IS 180
DAYS. BUT THE REAL ISSUE THAT WE
SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW ALL THE
REPORTS THAT ARE REQUIRED OF THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT, HOWEVER, WE DO
KNOW THAT ALL THE WHILE, SCHOOL
DISTRICT STAFF ARE SPENDING A
LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME IN THE
OFFICE GATHERING, COMPILING,
DRAFTING, FORMULATING, AND
SUBMITTING REPORTS THAT COULD
OTHERWISE BE FOCUSED ON THE
NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. THE TIME,
EFFORT, AND MONEY SPENT
ACCOUNTABILITY IS CRUCIAL PART
OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE KNOW, AND
THIS MEASURE WILL HELP MEET THE
INTENT AND PROVIDE THE BETTER
POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE
THE OUTCOMES OF OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE MUST GIVE
THE TIME TO OUR TEACHERS AND ANY
MONIES AVAILABLE BACK TO OUR
SCHOOLS. LASTLY, IT WOULD ALSO
HELP SAVE MONEY, REDUCING COSTS
AND FINANCIAL BURDENS ASSOCIATED
WITH UNNECESSARY OR OBSOLETE
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. MY STAFF
ALSO SHARED WITH YOU A PICTURE
OF THE SHEER VOLUME OF REPORTS
SUBMITTED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND YOU SEE IT ON THE PICTURES
THAT I'VE PROVIDED. TO GIVE YOU
AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WHAT IS
REQUIRED ON A REGULAR BASIS HERE
WITH ME IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL
IS SOPHIA LANE SCHOOL BOARD
MEMBER FOR THE CARRILLO UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN HALF MOON
BAY, WHO IS HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD
ASSOCIATION. AND TASHA
DAVENPORT, WHO IS THE CEO FOR
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALS. AND WITH
ALL THIS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR I VOTE THANK YOU, SENATOR,
WELCOME, MISS LANE. THANK YOU,
DEAR CHAIR. MR. AND MEMBERS, MY
NAME IS SOPHIA LANE, AND I'M A
BOARD MEMBER OF THE CABRILLO
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
HALFMOON BAY AND SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. I'M PLEASED TO BE
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, WHICH
IS PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF
THIS BILL. SB 1315 IS A GOOD
GOVERNMENT MEASURE THAT WOULD
REQUIRE CDE TO PRODUCE A
BIANNUAL REPORT ON THE NUMBER
AND SCOPE OF REPORTS REQUIRED OF
OUR STATE'S NEARLY 1000 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. LIKE THE VAST
MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN
CALIFORNIA, CABRILLO UNIFIED IS
SMALL, WITH SEVEN SCHOOL SITES
AND A DIVERSE STUDENT ENROLLMENT
OF APPROXIMATELY 2800 STUDENTS.
ACCOUNTABLE IS AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT OF OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM, AS IT ASSURES
THE PUBLIC THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS
ARE BEING USED AS INTENDED, AND
IT HELPS INFORM PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION TOWARD A
FUNCTIONING AND VIBRANT
DEMOCRACY. WE FULLY EMBRACE THIS
IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY AND
WORK HARD TO COMPLY WITH
REQUIREMENTS. HOWEVER, WHEN
COMBINED WITH INCREASINGLY ACUTE
EDUCATIONAL WORKFORCE COSTS AND
SHORTAGES AND THE INCREASE IN
DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS AND STATE
MANDATES, OUR DISTRICT LIKE MANY
OTHERS, HAS LIMITED STAFF AND
RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY AND
DEVELOP AND SUBMIT WHAT HAS
BECOME AN INORDINATELY HIGH
NUMBER OF REPORTS FURTHER TO
ONGOING INTERNAL REPORTING THAT
HELPS US MONITOR MONITOR STUDENT
OUTCOMES. PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES. IT
PAINS ME TO ALLOCATE OUR VERY
LIMITED FUNDING YEAR AFTER YEAR
FOR INEFFICIENT REPORTING
PROCESSES THAT STEM FROM THE
VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE
ACCRETED OVER TIME.
UNFORTUNATELY EVEN IN THIS
DIGITAL AGE, MUCH OF THIS WORK
MUST BE COMPILED MANUALLY
BECAUSE THE DATA RESIDES IN THE
WIDE VARIETY OF IT SYSTEMS
SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST USE AT ANY
GIVEN POINT IN TIME, AND
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS CHANGE
EACH YEAR. THIS TAKES DISTRICT
OFFICE AND IT STAFF TIME, AS
WELL AS THE TIME OF SCHOOL SITE
STAFF AND EVEN TEACHERS, ALL OF
WHOM WE WOULD RATHER FOCUS MORE
EFFICIENTLY ON DIRECT STUDENT
NEEDS. WE DO NOT DISPUTE THAT
PUBLIC FUNDING SHOULD BE HELD TO
ACCOUNT, THOUGH, RATHER SUPPORT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGULARLY
REFLECT UPON REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL ENABLE
OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM TO
DETERMINE WHAT SHOULD BE
ELEVATED, CONDENSED OR
ELIMINATED. I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MISS DAVENPORT. WELCOME YES.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I'M
TASHA DAVENPORT, CEO OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
BUSINESS OFFICIALS. ALSO KNOWN
AS KASBO. WE REPRESENT MORE THAN
30,000 SCHOOL BUSINESS LEADERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE ARE THE
PROUD CO-SPONSORS OF SB 1315.
AND THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
CALIFORNIA OVERSEES MORE THAN
1000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING MORE
THAN 5.8 MILLION STUDENTS AMONG
THE VERY VARIOUS DUTIES ARE THE
SUBMISSION OF THE MANDATED
REPORTS TO THE STATE. THEY SERVE
VARIOUS PURPOSES. WHILE THESE
REPORTS OFFER INSIGHT INTO
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND STUDENT
PROGRESS, THE VOLUME AND BREADTH
OF THE REQUIREMENTS ARE
STRAINING OUR LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
AGENCIES CAPACITY TO BALANCE
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND
EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES. KASBO
RECENTLY ENTERED INTO A STUDY
WITH WEST, EDITOR OF THE CHIEF
BUSINESS OFFICIAL OR CBO. ROLE
AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WHILE THE
PRIMARY ROLE OF A CHIEF BUSINESS
OFFICIAL IS TO CONDUCT
COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
AND STRATEGIC FINANCIAL
DIRECTION, WE FOUND THAT 12% OF
A CBO'S TIME IS SPENT ON
COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING. THIS
PERCENTAGE IS DOUBLE FOR OUR
SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND
WHILE WE WORK ON AN ONGOING
BASIS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
VOLUME OF RECORDING, REPORTING,
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT LINE ITEM
240 ON AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET, AND
OUR FOLKS LOVE EXCEL EXCEL
SPREADSHEETS. THE CONSERVATIVE
FISCAL IMPACT IS COSTING OUR
SCHOOLS NEARLY. $48.5 MILLION
ANNUALLY. AND I SAY CONSERVATIVE
BECAUSE THAT IS THE ESTIMATION
OF TIME OF JUST THE CHIEF
BUSINESS OFFICIAL. IN THE LARGER
DISTRICTS. THEY HAVE FINANCIAL
STAFF AND REPORTING STAFF TO
ASSIST. THAT IS NOT INCLUDED. SO
WHILE EACH REPORT CONTRIBUTES TO
THE STATE'S UNDERSTANDING OF ITS
PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE
CUMULATIVE BURDEN OF YEARS OF
NEW PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES AND
LAWS PLACED ON THE LEAS IS
SIGNIFICANT, AND IT'S DIVERTING
ADMINISTRATIVE ATTENTION FROM
THE STUDENT NEEDS. ANALYZING THE
QUANTITY, VARIETY, AND EXTENT OF
THE REPORTS WILL AID IN US
FINDING INFORMATION AND
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSOLIDATE. I
IDENTIFY REPORTS THAT CAN BE
STREAMLINED AND CERTAINLY THOSE
THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED. THIS
PROCESS WILL CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES TO ALLOCATE
ADDITIONAL TIME AND RESOURCES
TOWARDS OUR STUDENT NEEDS. WE
BELIEVE THAT ULTIMATELY WILL
LEAD TO COST SAVINGS FOR OUR
LEAS BY REDUCING EXPENSES
ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCING THESE
REPORTS, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT
CAN BE MERGED WITH OTHERS FOR
EFFICIENCY. KASBO STANDS READY
AND WILLING TO ASSIST WITH THIS
IMPORTANT EFFORT. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES HERE LIKE TO TESTIFY
IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE?
PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR
NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR
POSITION. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
MEMBERS ANDREA BAHL HERE ON
BEHALF OF THREE ORGANIZATIONS,
THE ASSOCIATION OF SUBURBAN
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE CENTRAL
VALLEY EDUCATION COALITION,
WHICH IS SIX COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENTS AND DISTRICTS IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY, AND, THE
ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ED
HASN'T TAKEN A FORMAL POSITION
BUT IS ACUTELY AWARE AND
SUPPORTS THIS BILL. WE WOULD
SUPPORT THIS BILL MOVING
FORWARD. I THINK THE PHOTO OF
THE BOXES CAME FROM A DISTRICT
IN ORANGE COUNTY. SO YOU REALLY
CAN SEE A PICTURE IS WORTH A
THOUSAND WORDS. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. NEXT, PLEASE. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS JEFF VOLKER,
REPRESENTING THE RIVERSIDE
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
AND THE 23 SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENTS IN RIVERSIDE
COUNTY IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, BARRETT CENTER. WE
HAVE THE SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICT
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. DANA, ON
BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, ARE THERE
ANY WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF MORE
REPORTS? PLEASE COME FORWARD
FIRST. UNSURPRISINGLY, SEEING
NONE, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE? NO
CLEAR SIGN OF A GOOD BILL. SO
YOU, THAT PICTURE, BY THE WAY,
IS FROM A MEETING THAT I
ATTENDED WITH, THE
SUPERINTENDENT FROM ORANGE
COUNTY. SO YOUR YOUR
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IS
IMPRESSIVE. SENATOR, I DON'T
THINK YOU WERE AT THE MEETING.
YOU SOMEHOW OBTAINED THAT PHOTO.
YEAH BUT YOU DO REALIZE THERE IS
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IRONY IN, A
BILL THAT REQUIRES A REPORT
ABOUT TOO MANY REPORTS. YEAH MR.
CHAIRMAN, ISN'T THAT IRONIC THAT
HERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET A
REPORT TO FIND OUT WHY WE HAVE
SO MANY REPORTS. BUT THE REALITY
IS, WE'VE HEARD THAT IT COSTS
MONEY, TIME AND EFFORT. AND WITH
THE EDUCATION CRISIS, WE'RE IN
PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION, PREPARE OUR KIDS
EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT IS AMAZING
WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED. THE COST?
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, MAN. HOURS, WOMEN,
HOURS, HUMAN HOURS, I GUESS I
SHOULD SAY. BUT IT'S TIME TO
TAKE A GOOD ASSESSMENT. AND OF
WHAT WE HAVE HERE. AND WITH
THAT, I ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU, I AM GLAD TO SUPPORT
IT, WE DO NOT HAVE A MOTION
OAN. WE WILL FROM SENATOR WILK,
WHEN AT SUCH TIME WE HAVE A
QUORUM. WE'LL TAKE IT UP. BUT
THANK YOU. I SUSPECT THIS WILL
PASS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. ALL RIGHT. WILK MOVES.
THANK YOU. I DON'T LIKE TO BE
TOLD WHAT TO DO, BUT I GET
ENOUGH OF THAT AT HOME. I DO. I
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. DON'T
SAY. VERY GOOD. NEXT UP WE HAVE
SB 1348 FROM SENATOR BRADFORD.
MR. MR. CHAIR I'M VICE CHAIR
LABOR, SO I'M GOING TO GO CHECK
IN SO THEY CAN START, AND THEN
I'LL COME BACK. I THINK YOU'RE
LEAVING BECAUSE I'M HERE. DON'T
ALL HAVE TO WAIT FOR ME. SO I'LL
GO AHEAD. SO PROCEED. JUST SO
EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE'RE EVERY
WEDNESDAY, THERE'S AT LEAST
THREE COMMITTEES THAT MEET
SIMILAR. SOME OF US ARE EITHER
PRESENTING BILLS OR MEMBERS OF,
SOME MULTIPLE COMMITTEES AT THE
SAME TIME. SO APOLOGIES FOR
HAVING, A VERY SPARSE DAIS HERE,
BUT WELCOME. YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR
HEAD. WELCOME. DO YOU HAVE MY
FULL AND UNDIVIDED ATTENTION?
THIS IS NOT NEW. THAT'LL WORK IN
YOUR FAVOR NO MATTER WHAT,
PLEASE PROCEED. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M HERE TO
PRESENT 1348. AND THIS BILL
WOULD CREATE A SPECIAL STATE
LEVEL DESIGNATION RECOGNIZING
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN
CALIFORNIA THAT ARE MAKING
SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENTS TO
PROMOTE BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS.
HISTORICALLY, BLACK STUDENTS ARE
UNDERREPRESENTED ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES. THE STATISTICS ARE
CONCERNING THAT CONCERNING BLACK
COLLEGE STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT ARE
CONCERNING. NATIONAL DATA SHOWS
BLACK STUDENT ENROLLMENT
DECLINED 22% FROM 2010 TO 2020.
DATA ALSO SHOWS BLACK STUDENTS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO DELAY
ATTENDING COLLEGE AFTER HIGH
SCHOOL. BLACK STUDENTS ARE MORE
LIKELY TO ATTEND COLLEGE PART
TIME, LESS LIKELY TO EARN A
DEGREE, AND MORE LIKELY TO TAKE
A, TAKE ON GREATER AMOUNTS OF
STUDENT DEBT AND DEFAULT ON LOAN
REPAYMENTS. 1348 RECOGNIZES
THOSE COLLEGES IN CALIFORNIA VÀ
THAT FOCUS ON BLACK STUDENT
SUCCESS BY CREATING AND AWARDING
A SEAL OF EXCELLENCE. EXCELLENCE
SERVING BLACK STUDENTS. THIS
RECOGNITION WOULD BE GIVEN TO
INSTITUTIONS THAT MEET THE
ESTABLISHED REQUIREMENTS, SUCH
AS HAVING A BLACK STUDENT
POPULATION OF OVER 6% OR
GREATER, HAVING A BLACK STUDENT
SUCCESS PROGRAM OFFERING ROBUST
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
PROGRAMS, OFFERING CO-CURRICULAR
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, OR
CAMPUS AFFINITY CENTERS FOR
BLACK STUDENTS. ENGAGING IN
OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
THAT DEMONSTRATE A NATURAL TIE
TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THIS
BILL ALSO HELPS STUDENTS AND
THEIR FAMILIES IDENTIFY COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES IN CALIFORNIA
THAT DELIVER HIGH LEVELS OF
SERVICE TO BLACK STUDENTS.
UNLIKE ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE
AMERICAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER
SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND
HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS TO
BLACK STUDENTS, SERVING
INSTITUTIONS WILL BE FOCUSED ON
EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE
ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT AND BLACK
STUDENT SUCCESS. I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR THE AYE VOTE AND HERE
TODAY TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF
THIS BILL IS DOCTOR KEITH
MURRAY. I MEAN, CURRY, I'M
SORRY, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF
COMPTON COLLEGE AND DOCTOR CURRY
IS A LEADER IN ADVANCING BLACK
STUDENT SUCCESS, BOTH ON HIS
CAMPUS AND ON THE NATIONAL
LEVEL. I'M HONORED TO HAVE HIM
JOIN ME THIS MORNING IN SUPPORT
OF 1348 DOCTOR CURRY. WELCOME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
BRADFORD, FOR THIS BILL, I OVER
THE LAST TEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN
INVOLVED IN BLACK STUDENT
SUCCESS PROGRAMS. I ACTUALLY AM
ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE
CO-FOUNDERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLACK STUDENT
SUCCESS WEEK, WHICH IS SCHEDULED
APRIL 22ND THROUGH THE 26TH. WE
ARE OFFERING ROBUST WORKSHOPS
NOT ONLY VIRTUALLY, BUT ALSO AT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. IN ADDITION TO THAT,
I SERVE AS THE NATIONAL PANEL ON
BLACK STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND THE
BLACK STUDENT ENROLLMENT EXPERT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A
NATIONAL MOVEMENT REGARDS TO
BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS. I'VE BEEN
CHAIRING THAT FOR THE LAST YEAR
AND A HALF, SO I FEEL THAT I
HAVE EXPERTISE AS IT RELATES TO
THIS CONVERSATION AROUND BLACK
STUDENT SUCCESS. WHAT I'M
ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT WITH THIS
BILL, IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO
SHOW THAT THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT
THEY'RE DOING WORK AS IT RELATES
TO SUPPORT OF BLACK STUDENT
SUCCESS, NOT ONLY BY ENROLLING
THOSE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO RETAIN
THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL. THROUGH
PROVIDING THOSE PROGRAMS AND
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ON THEIR
CAMPUSES. THIS BILL IS A BILL
THAT'S NEEDED NOT ONLY IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT ALSO
NEEDED NATIONALLY. AND
CALIFORNIA WILL BE AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THE CONVERSATION
WITH REGARDS TO BLACK SERVING
INSTITUTIONS AND I TRULY SUPPORT
THIS BILL. AND THANK YOU TO
SENATOR BRADFORD TO FOR TAKING
THE LEAD ON THIS BILL AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, ARE
THERE ANY OTHER FOLKS HERE IN
THE COMMITTEE HEARING ROOM LIKE
TESTIFYING, SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD
MORNING, TOBY OBTAINED VIA WITH
THE CALIFORNIA STATE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE HERE IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. NEXT, PLEASE
. MONIQUE BARRETT, EDUCATOR FROM
SAN DIEGO, HERE TO SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE, ANYBODY
HERE LIKE TO TESTIFY IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? SEEING
NONE COME BACK TO THE DAIS.
WELCOME, SENATOR BORG. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
SENATOR BEDFORD? THANK YOU,
LIKEWISE. YOU KNOW, COMMEND YOU
FOR THE BILL. WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T
HAVE A QUORUM YET, BUT WHEN WE
DO, WE'LL TAKE A MOTION. PUT IT
TO A VOTE. THANK YOU. THANKS
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP WOULD BE
NUMBER FOUR. I DON'T SEE SENATOR
DODD, SENATOR JOE BORG, YOU HAVE
THE OPTION, I GUESS, OF
PRESENTING, YOUR BILL, IN THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. OR WE CAN
WAIT. YOUR WAY. OKAY, SO WE'LL
WAIT, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE A SHORT
RECESS WHILE WE WAIT FOR ONE OR
MORE AUTHORS. NØ.
IN ORDER. AND. SENATOR DODD, ARE
YOU GOING TO PRESENT SB 1380,
AND YOU ARE QUITE WELCOME TO
PROCEED WHEN READY. GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND MEMBERS,
I WANT TO FIRST THANK YOU AND
YOUR STAFF FOR THE WORK AND MANY
HOURS OF DISCUSSION ON THIS
BILL. SB 1380 IS FIRST AND
FOREMOST ABOUT FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY, K¾T AND THE
STABILITY OF OUR CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS BILL HELPS
PROTECT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AGAINST
INSOLVENCY. WHEN EVALUATING
PETITIONS FOR NEW CHARTER
SCHOOLS, AND CLOSES A LOOPHOLE
THAT CURRENTLY ALLOWS A PETITION
ON LAWFULLY DENIED BY A DISTRICT
TO BE RESUBMITTED AS A
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR COUNTYWIDE
CHARTER. THIS MANEUVER IS AN
ABUSE OF THE EXISTING APPEALS
PROCESS, WHICH WAS CAREFULLY
NEGOTIATED BY THIS BODY, AND
THIS BILL DOES NOT CHANGE, AND
IT ALSO TIES THE HANDS OF COUNTY
BOARDS WHO CURRENTLY CANNOT
CONSIDER THE FISCAL AND
COMMUNITY IMPACT THAT PREVIOUSLY
DENIED THE CHARTER PETITION FOR
A COUNTYWIDE CHARTER PETITION
SHOULD BE APPROVED ON ITS
MERITS, BUT EXISTING LAW IS SO
VAGUE ON HOW WE DISTINGUISH A
COUNTYWIDE CHARTER PETITION FROM
A SINGLE DISTRICT PETITION THAT
IT LEAVES ROOM FOR THE TYPES OF
ABUSES I'VE SEEN IN MY OWN
DISTRICT. THE COMMITTEE ANALYSIS
HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR THE
BILL, BUT ALSO SOME AREAS TO
WORK ON, INCLUDING TIGHTENING UP
THE DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIALLY
SIMILAR PETITIONS AND MAKING
SURE WE ONLY TARGET DISTRICTS IN
FINANCIAL DISTRESS. AND I'M
COMMITTED TO DOING THE WORK WITH
CHAIR NEWMAN, THIS COMMITTEE AND
STAKEHOLDERS ON WHAT THAT SHOULD
LOOK LIKE. LASTLY, THIS BILL
GIVES COUNTY BOARDS THE ABILITY
TO FORMALLY HEAR FROM DISTRICTS
THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHARTER
SCHOOL. NOW, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD
FROM CHARTER ADVOCATES THAT THIS
BILL IMPACTS THE RENEWAL OF
EXISTING CHARTERS, AND I CAN
ASSURE YOU THAT IT IS NOT. THE
CHANGES UNDER MY BILL ONLY
IMPACT PETITIONS TO ESTABLISH
NEW CHARTERS OR THOSE THAT HAVE
MATERIAL REVISIONS TO THEIR
CHARTER SEEKING TO EXPAND SITES
OR GRADE LEVELS, SOMETHING THAT
IS ALREADY LET ME REPEAT THAT
THIS IS ALREADY SUBJECT TO THE
SAME EVALUATION AS A NEW
PETITION UNDER EXISTING LAW. I
WOULD GLADLY BE GLAD TO CLARIFY
THIS BILL, THIS IN THE BILL IF
NEEDED. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT,
TOO, THAT I HAVE SOME AMAZING
CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT.
AND WHILE I THINK, YOU KNOW,
I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, HERE AND
THERE THAT DODDS ANTI-CHARTER
LOOK AT, I'VE GOT THE CLARKSBURG
, CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S JUST
HIGH PERFORMING THE KAIROS
PUBLIC SCHOOL, HIGH PERFORMING.
WE'VE GOT OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS
IN YOLO COUNTY, SONOMA COUNTY,
NAPA COUNTY AND SOLANO COUNTY
THAT ARE HIGH PERFORMING
SCHOOLS. AND NOTHING COULD BE
FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THIS
HERE IS, IN MY VIEW, IS LIKE
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW, LEGISLATIVE
OVERSIGHT, AND IMPROVEMENTS ON
EXISTING ON THE LEGISLATION THAT
WAS PASSED BY THIS BODY AND BY
THE LEGISLATURE AND SIGNED BY
THE GOVERNOR, THAT WE CAN DO
BETTER FOR THE FUTURE. SO I HAVE
HERE TODAY WILLIAM SPAULDING,
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF VALLEJO
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND
DANA DEAN, WHO'S A TRUSTEE AT
THE SOLANO COUNTY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OF THE BILL. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. WELCOME AND I GUESS MISS
DEAN LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE READY TO
PROCEED. PLEASE THANK YOU, GOOD
MORNING, CHAIRMAN NEWMAN AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M. I AM
DANA DEAN. I HAVE SERVED AS A
TRUSTEE ON THE SOLANO COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR 11 YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS ON THE
BENICIA UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD FOR
FIVE YEARS. AND I HAVE SERVED ON
THE CCPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COME
TO UNDERSTAND TRULY THE
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT CHARTER
SCHOOLS PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S WHY I WORKED WITH CSBA
AND MY FELLOW COUNTY BOARD
MEMBERS TO PROTECT THE COUNTY'S
DE NOVO REVIEW IN THE APPEAL OF
DENIED PETITIONS, AS WELL AS THE
AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER COUNTYWIDE
PETITION. WHEN AB 1505 WAS
ADOPTED BY THIS LEGISLATURE, SB
1380 WOULD SIMPLY ADDRESS AN
ISSUE IN THE CURRENT LAW THAT
SERVES TO UNDERMINE THE WORK
THAT THIS BODY DID. SO WELL IN
REFORMING THE CHARTER SCHOOL
ACT. IN 2019. TÍNH. ONE OF THE
KEY COMPONENTS OF THAT REFORM,
WAS ENABLING GOVERNING BOARDS TO
AUTHORIZE HIGH QUALITY CHARTER
SCHOOLS WHILE CONSIDERING THE
SOMETIMES VERY SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS AN APPROVAL CAN HAVE ON
THE DISTRICT'S REMAINING
STUDENTS THAT LOOPHOLE, THE
LOOPHOLE THAT THE BILL WOULD FIX
HERE CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR
PETITIONS TO BE DENIED BY THE
DISTRICT AND THEN GET ANOTHER
BITE AT THE APPLE AND IT CAN
ALSO ENABLE PETITIONS TO
CIRCUMVENT THE DISTRICT
ALTOGETHER, WHILE IMPACTING THAT
DISTRICT GREATLY. WE HAVE SEEN
THIS OCCUR IN VARIOUS PARTS OF
THE STATE ALREADY. IN FACT, THIS
PROBLEM RESULTED IN NEW
LITIGATION IN SAN BENITO COUNTY.
THESE LAWSUITS REDUCE FUNDING
THAT WOULD NORMALLY GO TO
STUDENTS AND IMPORTANTLY FOR US,
CREATE A TENSION BETWEEN THE
LOCAL DISTRICTS AND THE COUNTY
BOARDS, WHO REALLY SHOULD BE
FOCUSED ON WORKING TOGETHER TO
SERVE KIDS. THE BILL NOT ONLY
PROTECTS CHARTER SCHOOL,
AUTHORIZING IN CALIFORNIA BY
MAKING THE DISTRICT AND
COUNTYWIDE PROCESSES MORE
COMPATIBLE, BUT IT ALSO RESTORES
THE INTEGRITY OF IMPORTANT
PROTECTIONS FOR EXISTING
STUDENTS, CUTS TO OR
ELIMINATIONS OF EXISTING
PROGRAMS, INCREASED CLASS SIZES,
AND EVEN CLOSURES OF SCHOOL
SITES ARE JUST SOME OF THE HARMS
THAT WOULD BE PREVENTED BY THIS
BILL. I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE
DEMONSTRATING YOUR STRONG
SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS,
CHARTER OR TRADITIONAL, BY
VOTING AYE ON THIS BILL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SPALDING,
WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIRMAN NEWMAN AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK. MY NAME IS WILLIAM
SPALDING, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE
VALLEJO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, A CO-SPONSOR OF SB
1380 AS ONE OF FOUR DISTRICTS IN
THE STATE CURRENTLY IN
RECEIVERSHIP STATUS. VALLEJO
LOOKS FORWARD TO MAKING ITS
FINAL PAYMENTS WITH INTEREST ON
THE $60 MILLION IN STATE LOANS
AS PART OF THE 2004 EMERGENCY
APPROPRIATION. AFTER THE
DISTRICT BECAME INSOLVENT. WHILE
THE DISTRICT HAS FAITHFULLY
REPAID THE LOAN AND LOOKS TO
EMERGE IN THE NEXT SEVERAL
MONTHS FROM RECEIVERSHIP, THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE SEEN
PRECIPITOUS DECLINING ENROLLMENT
AND OUR OUR FISCAL RECOVERY IS
BUFFETED BY FURTHER DECLINING
ENROLLMENT, ATTENDANCE
CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAIN SCHOOL
FUNDING. VALLEJO HAS MET THESE
CHALLENGES THUS FAR, WITH
SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL BUDGET CUTS
AND SCHOOL CLOSURES AND
CONSOLIDATIONS. WE DO NOT WANT
TO RETURN TO RECEIVERSHIP OR
OTHERWISE BURDEN THE STATE BY
SEEKING FURTHER FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE. OTHER DISTRICTS,
LIKE NAPA VALLEY UNIFIED, HAVE
MADE TOUGH BUDGET DECISIONS TO
AVOID VALLEJO'S FATE. THESE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE FOLLOWED
THEIR FINANCIAL STABILIZATION
PLANS, SUCH AS STAFF LAYOFFS AND
SCHOOL CLOSURES, TO AVOID
FINANCIAL CATASTROPHE. SB 1380
RECOGNIZES THESE LOCAL EFFORTS
AND THE NULLIFYING EFFECT THAT
NEW OR EXPANDED CHARTER SCHOOLS
WOULD HAVE ON THESE DISTRICTS.
BY ALLOWING THESE DISTRICTS TO
CONSIDER THE FISCAL IMPACT OF A
CHARTER SCHOOL PETITION AS.
ADDITIONALLY, SB 1380 WOULD
INSTALL FINANCIAL SAFEGUARDS FOR
FISCALLY DISTRESSED DISTRICTS TO
BE CONSIDERED IN NEW COUNTYWIDE
CHARTER PETITIONS. WITHOUT THESE
SAFEGUARDS, FISCAL DEVASTATION
COULD BEFALL ADJACENT VULNERABLE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. LEAS ARE THE
FIRST AND LAST RESORT OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS HAVING
THE FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO ACCEPT AND EDUCATE ALL
CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF
CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONDITIONS. TO
MEET THIS CONSTITUTIONAL
MANDATE, DISTRICTS MUST BE
VIABLE AND SUCCESSFUL. WHAT WE
SEEK IS A MATTER OF FISCAL
SENSIBILITY AND FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY. NO MORE, NO
LESS. WE URGE THE COMMITTEE TO
SUPPORT SB 1380. WE THANK
SENATOR DODD FOR HIS SUPPORT AND
FORESIGHT IN PROTECTING FISCALLY
VULNERABLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ARE THERE
ANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D
LIKE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF
THE MEASURE, PLEASE COME FORWARD
TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR
NAME AND YOUR ORGANIZATION AND
YOUR POSITION. GOOD MORNING.
CASSIE MANCINI, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. DIANA VU, ON BEHALF OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GLEN AMBOY UNIFIED
UNION, VALLEJO CITY UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEE IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. CINDY
WALTER, PRESIDENT OF THE NAPA
VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR ROSANNA
MUSETTI, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE
NAPA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
ROBIN JANKOWITZ, TRUSTEE, NAPA
VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ROBIN
MINGUELA, ASSISTANT
SUPERINTENDENT OF BUSINESS
SERVICES, NAPA VALLEY UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, CARLOS
MACHADO WITH CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
BOARD ASSOCIATION AS A
CO-SPONSOR ON THE BILL AND IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING.
PATTY HERRERA. ON BEHALF OF THE
OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
AND SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND SUPPORT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ANDREA BALL, ON
BEHALF OF THE SAN JOSE UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, TIFFANY MAUCK, ON
BEHALF OF CFT IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, LET US NOW
HEAR FROM WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION. DO YOU HAVE ANY LEAD
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? PLEASE
COME FORWARD. WE'LL FIND YOU
SPACE AT THE TABLE HERE. AND SO,
MR. SPELLER, IF YOU COULD, IF
YOU COULD MOVE. ACTUALLY, ARE WE
GOING THAT JEREMIAH IS IN
CHARGE? WHICH WAY ARE THEY
GOING? GOING THIS WAY. ALL
RIGHT. STAGE RIGHT, STAGE LEFT.
DO YOU WANT TO, MR. DEAN? DO YOU
WANT. DO YOU WANT TO STAY
TOGETHER? I DON'T KNOW, DIVIDE
AND CONQUER, I GUESS. SURROUNDED
FROM A PINCER MOVEMENT FROM THE
SIDES. OKAY YOU'RE TOO YOUNG FOR
THAT. ALL RIGHT, TO THE
WITNESSES. SO YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE
COMBINED SIX MINUTES ACROSS.
BOTH. YEAH, SO PLEASE PROCEED.
GOOD MORNING. AND COLIN MILLER
WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHARTER
SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION IN
OPPOSITION. I'M GOING TO BE HERE
FOR QUESTIONS OR FURTHER
DISCUSSION, BUT I'M GOING TO
HAND IT OFF TO OUR WITNESSES.
THANK YOU. THANKS. MR. MILLER.
GOOD MORNING. CHAIR. COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, I AM ALFREDO RUBALCAVA,
SUPERINTENDENT OF MAGNOLIA
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OPPOSITION TO
SENATE BILL 1380. MAGNOLIA
OPERATES TEN CHARTER PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN HIGH
NEED COMMUNITIES, AND NEARLY 80%
OF OUR PUPILS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS.
MAGNOLIA IS CURRENTLY GROWING
AND JUST RECEIVED A HIGHLY
COMPETITIVE FEDERAL GRANT AWARD
TO EXPAND AND REPLICATE OUR
PROVEN AND SUCCESSFUL MODEL, SB
1318 UNNECESSARILY EXPANDS THE
ABILITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO
DENY NEW AND EXPANDING CHARTER
SCHOOLS BASED ON THE DISTRICT'S
SOLE EVALUATION OF VAGUELY
DEFINED CONDITIONS. THIS BILL
WILL ALSO THREATEN THE ABILITY
FOR SCHOOLS TO SUCCESSFULLY
REPLICATE AND EXPAND ON A
REGIONAL LEVEL BY LIMITING THE
COUNTYWIDE BENEFIT OPTION. IF
THIS BILL PASSES, THESE NEW
CONSTRAINTS COULD RESULT IN THE
REJECTION OF OUR EXPANSION PLANS
AND OUR FEDERAL GRANT WOULD BE
IN JEOPARDY. BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THE FAMILIES AND
STUDENTS WHO DESERVE ACCESS TO
OUR QUALITY PROGRAM WOULD BE
DENIED THAT OPPORTUNITY. SB 1380
SOLVES NO PROBLEM. CURRENT LAW
IS SUFFICIENT. DISTRICTS TRULY
IN FISCAL CRISIS ALREADY CAN
DENY CHARTER PETITIONS SOLELY ON
THOSE GROUNDS, AND COUNTY BOARDS
MUST ALREADY DETERMINE THAT A
COUNTYWIDE PETITION MEETS A NEED
THAT CANNOT BE MET BY A SINGLE
CHARTER. MAGNOLIA RECENTLY
SUBMITTED A COUNTYWIDE CHARTER
PETITION, WHICH INCLUDES MORE
THAN FIVE PAGES OF RATIONALE AS
TO WHY THE COUNTYWIDE PETITION
WAS NECESSARY AND HOW IT WILL
MEET A REGIONAL NEED. THIS
REQUIREMENT MEANS THAT THE
PETITION ALREADY WILL BE
SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT THAN OUR
EXISTING LOCAL APPROVED
CHARTERS. THE VAGUE TERMINOLOGY
IN THIS BILL WILL ONLY CREATE
FURTHER DISPUTES AND LAWSUITS.
SB 1380 WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THAT
EACH DISTRICT OPPONENT OF A
COUNTYWIDE PETITION RECEIVE THE
SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE
SINGLE PETITIONER. AS AT THE
COUNTY BOARD HEARING. THIS
REMOVES LOCAL BOARD DISCRETION
AND WOULD STACK THE DECK IN
FAVOR OF CHARTER OPPONENTS AT
THE PUBLIC HEARING. THIS BILL
WAS CRAFTED IN RESPONSE TO
SPECIFIC REGIONAL POLITICS, WITH
TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, BUT IT WILL HAVE A
SWEEPING STATEWIDE IMPACT THAT
WILL ONLY FURTHER DENY ACCESS TO
HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO
STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE ASK YOU TO REJECT SB 1380.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT
PLEASE DO I PUSH THIS? IT'S ON,
IT'S ON. OKAY. VERY GOOD. GOOD
MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS TERRENCE JOHNSON OF
CALIBER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE'RE A
COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL
EXCELLENCE IS UNWAVERING,
PARTICULARLY IN SERVING
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TODAY,
I STAND BEFORE YOU WITH DEEP
CONCERN REGARDING SENATE BILL
1380, A PROPOSAL THAT THREATENS
TO UNDERMINE THE VERY FOUNDATION
OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN
OUR COMMUNITY. ALLOW ME TO
PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT. IN 2021,
RECOGNIZING THE PRESSING NEED
AND THE OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR
QUALITY HIGH SCHOOL OPTION IN
VALLEJO UNIFIED, WE SOUGHT TO
EXPAND OUR SUCCESSFUL TCA
PROGRAM TO INCLUDE A HIGH
SCHOOL, SADLY. VALLEJO UNIFIED
IS A DISTRICT FACING CHRONIC
CHALLENGES BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND
FISCALLY. DENIED OUR CHARTER
PETITION DESPITE THE POSITIVE
ANALYSIS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL
PROPOSAL, VALLEJO UNIFIED STAFF
BY THE BY THE VALLEJO UNIFIED
STAFF AND OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT
FROM THE COMMUNITY. OUR CHARTER
PETITION WAS REJECTED PURELY DUE
TO FISCAL CONCERNS BECAUSE THE
DISTRICT HAD RECEIVED A STATE
LOAN 20 YEARS EARLIER, DESPITE
NO EVIDENCE OF CURRENT FISCAL
CRISIS. THE STATE BOARD UPHELD
THE LOCAL DECISION, CITING THE
CURRENT LAW. NOW SENATE BILL
1380 LOOMS BEFORE US,
THREATENING TO FURTHER
EXACERBATE THE INJUSTICE OF
EXPANDING THE REASONS AND THE
TIMELESS UNILATERAL CHARTER
DENIAL FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
EVEN THOUGH THOSE NOT IN FISCAL
CRISIS, IF PASSED, IT WOULD
FURTHER LIMIT EDUCATIONAL
OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES IN VALLEJO
AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
PERPETUATING THE CYCLE OF
LIMITED CHOICE AND MISSED
OPPORTUNITY AS IT FAILS TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIRE
CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH
LIMITATIONS, FORCING FAMILIES
INTO AGONIZING DILEMMA, SETTLE
FOR FAILING SCHOOLS, OR UPROOT
THEIR LIVES AND SEARCH FOR
BETTER, BETTER ALTERNATIVES.
SENATE BILL 1380 DOES NOT
PROMOTE FISCAL HEALTH. IT WILL
NOT IMPROVE FISCAL AND ACADEMIC
UNDERPERFORMANCE IN VALLEJO
SCHOOLS, BUT IT WILL DISREGARD
THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR
PARENTS, EDUCATORS WHO ARE
DEEPLY INVESTED IN FUTURE
EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN
CONCLUSION, I URGE YOU TO
PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF OUR
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND REJECT
SENATE BILL 1380. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION AND
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. ARE THERE ANY IN
THE COMMITTEE HEARING WOULD LIKE
TO TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE
YOUR NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION,
YOUR POSITION ON THE MEASURE.
THANK YOU. NICOLE YOUNG, PLACER
COUNTY CHAPTER CHAIR, MOMS FOR
LIBERTY, AS WELL AS THE
LEGISLATIVE CHAIR FOR THE
CALIFORNIA MOMS FOR LIBERTY
CHAPTERS. WE ARE IN STRONG
OPPOSITION. CHILDREN SHOULD NOT
BE SHACKLED TO THEIR FAILING
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. MARGARET RADER, LONGTIME
CHARTER SCHOOL PARENT IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. I'M DOCTOR RAMONA
BISHOP, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF
VALLEJO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, CURRENT VISIONARY AND
CEO OF ELITE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SERVING VALLEJO STUDENTS. THANK
YOU. LARA CUR WITH THE CHARTER
SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, CASEY
TAYLOR, CHIEF, CHARTER SCHOOLS
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. MEMBERS BRIAN WHITE ON
BEHALF OF ASSOCIATION OF
PERSONALIZED LEARNING AND
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES,
RESPECTFULLY IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. ROXANN VILLASENOR,
SUPERINTENDENT OF RIVER CHARTER
SCHOOLS, OPPOSE SB 1380. THANK
YOU. KRISTA WOODROFFE,
SUPERINTENDENT OF SEIJO CHARTER
SCHOOLS PARENT OF STUDENTS AT
INLAND LEADERS CHARTER SCHOOLS.
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. MARY
COX, SUPERINTENDENT OF CORBETT
CHARTER SCHOOL, IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU, MATT TAYLOR WITH
GATEWAY CHARTER SCHOOL SERVING
6000 STUDENTS IN YOLO COUNTY AND
SACRAMENTO COUNTY IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. HI, I'M WENDY EKLUND,
PLACENTIA RESIDENT AND SUN COAST
PREP CHARTER SCHOOL LEADER
REPRESENTING 1200 STUDENTS IN
ORANGE COUNTY AND SURROUNDING
COUNTIES. AND WE ARE OPPOSED TO
1380. THANK YOU. NEXT, PLEASE.
HI. MY NAME IS NIKKI NICOLA. I'M
WITH SUN COAST CHARTER AS WELL.
AND IN ORANGE COUNTY AND I
STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS BILL. THANK
YOU. MONNING JARED AUSTIN,
KAIROS PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, VACAVILLE, SOLANO
COUNTY, IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU
. CHRISTINE FERRIS,
SUPERINTENDENT OF CALIFORNIA
PACIFIC CHARTER SCHOOLS, IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. CAITLIN
O'HALLORAN HELLER, REPRESENTING
DIXON MONTESSORI CHARTER SCHOOL
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU.
ELIZABETH DELCONTE, TEACHER
REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA PACIFIC
CHARTER SCHOOL IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. SHANNON GREEN,
REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA PACIFIC
CHARTER SCHOOL IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. NICK DRIVER,
SUPERINTENDENT GRIFFIN
TECHNOLOGY ACADEMIES IN VALLEJO,
SOLANO COUNTY IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR SHERRY SEGURA.
AND I'M REPRESENTING THE
FOUNDATION FOR HISPANIC
EDUCATION AS THE SUPERINTENDENT
IN EAST SAN JOSE. IN OPPOSITION,
RESPECTFULLY, THANK YOU. BETH
BOURNE, YOLO COUNTY MOMS FOR
LIBERTY IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU
. MIMI MCMAHON, RETIRED TEACHER
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, MOLLY
ZAGAL WITH GREENBERG TRAURIG ON
BEHALF OF ASPIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. KAREN MARQUEZ, YOLO COUNTY
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU,
CHARLOTTE JOHNSON. FED UP PARENT
WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU
TO ALL THE WITNESSES. LET'S COME
BACK TO THE DAIS. QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, CONCERNS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES. SENATOR JOE BORG. I
HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS. SURE
ALL RIGHT. SO THE FIRST QUESTION
THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT I'M GOING
TO BE POSING IS THAT WE RECENTLY
APPROVED AB 1505 THAT ALLOWS
DISTRICTS IN FISCAL DISTRESS TO
DENY CHARTERS WITHOUT REGARD TO
THE QUALITY OF SCHOOLS IN THE
DISTRICT OR THE QUALITY OF THE
PROPOSED CHARTER. VALLEJO USED
EXISTING LAW TO DENY A CHARTER
BECAUSE THE DISTRICT HAD A 20
YEAR STATE LOAN AND STATE
OVERSIGHT. THIS BILL WILL GIVE
THE DISTRICT FIVE MORE YEARS
AFTER THE LOAN IS REPAID TO DENY
CHARTERS, EVEN IF THE DISTRICT
IS FAILING ACADEMICALLY. SO THE
QUESTION LIES AS TO WHY ARE WE
EXTENDING THAT, THAT TIME FRAME
IN WHICH THEY CAN DENY CHARTER
SCHOOLS? AND LASTLY, LET'S SEE.
SO CURRENT LAW ALSO HAS SPECIFIC
CRITERIA AND AN INDEPENDENT
DETERMINATION BY THE CEO AND THE
FCMAT TO ASSESS THE FISCAL
IMPACT OF A PROPOSED CHARTER
SCHOOL ON A DISTRICT. THIS BILL
WILL ALLOW ANY DISTRICT TO CLAIM
FISCAL CRISIS TO DENY A CHARTER
IF THE DISTRICT HAS ENACTED A
NECESSARY BUDGET SOLUTION WITHIN
THE PRIOR FIVE YEARS. THIS DOES
NOT APPEAR TO BE DEFINED IN THE
BILL, AND PRESUMABLY ALL
DISTRICTS ENACT BUDGET SOLUTIONS
EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO THE LAST
QUESTION WOULD BE WHO DETERMINES
WHAT THE REASONABLE SOLUTIONS
WOULD BE, AND WHETHER THE
DISTRICT'S UNILATERAL
DETERMINATION IS REASONABLE?
THERE IS NO CRITERIA TO, THERE'S
NO CLEAR CRITERIA AND NO APPEAL
ON THIS. WELL, LET'S LET'S START
WITH THE FIRST QUESTION. MR.
SPALDING, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND
TO THAT? THE QUESTION WAS, IT
ALLOWS FIVE YEARS AFTER, IT
ALLOWS FIVE YEARS AFTER YOU'VE,
PAID OFF THE LOAN. YEAH LEFT
RECEIVERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO DENY
CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND HER CONCERN
IS, IS WHY IS THAT, WHY IS THAT
IN THE BILL? WELL, THERE'S, SO
THERE'S LONG STANDING ISSUES AND
A LOT OF WHAT I DON'T I'M SORRY.
I DON'T THINK THAT MIKE'S
WORKING. YEAH. WE'VE BEEN HAVING
SOME AV PROBLEMS. THERE YOU GO.
AS I HAD MADE AS I HAD SAID IN
MY OPENING COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF LONG STANDING
FISCAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEFALLEN
THE DISTRICT AND A LOT OF IT IS,
YOU KNOW, PRETTY PRECIPITOUS
DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WHICH
CONTINUES. THIS ALLOWS US SOME
ADDITIONAL TIME TO EMERGE FROM
RECEIVERSHIP. THE OTHER THING IS
IT TRACKS WITH A FIVE YEAR,
PROCESS THAT'S ALREADY IN THE
LAW THAT HAS US FOLLOW A FISCAL
STABILITY PLAN THAT'S OVERSEEN
BY THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
AND SO WHILE WE'RE BEING
BASICALLY HELD IN PROBATION,
THIS THIS TRACKS FOR THE SAME
PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH ALLOWS FOR
US TO BE ABLE TO, DENY OTHER
KINDS OF THINGS THAT MIGHT COME
IN AND EXACERBATE OUR FISCAL
SITUATION. SO WE TRIED TO FIND A
FIVE YEAR TRACK THAT WAS SIMILAR
TO THE TRACK OF PROBATION WE'RE
ON. ONCE WE EXIT RECEIVERSHIP.
AND THE NEXT QUESTION, DID YOU,
ARE WE TRACKING ON THAT? YEAH.
DO YOU CARE TO REPEAT THE
QUESTION? BECAUSE OH, SURE. GO
AHEAD. SO WHO DETERMINES WHAT
THE REASONABLE SOLUTIONS ARE AND
WHETHER THE DISTRICT'S
UNILATERAL DETERMINATION IS
REASONABLE? THERE'S NO CLEAR
CRITERIA AND NO APPEAL ON THIS
WITHIN THE BILL. I I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?
ABSOLUTELY. YES SO LET ME READ.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME RIVAS THE
PARAGRAPH BEFORE? ABSOLUTELY. SO
THE CURRENT LAW HAS SPECIFIC
CRITERIA AND AN INDEPENDENT
DETERMINATION BY THE KHÓ AND THE
FCMAT TO ASSESS THE FISCAL
IMPACT OF A PROPOSED CHARTER ON
A DISTRICT. THIS BILL WILL ALLOW
ANY DISTRICT TO CLAIM FISCAL
CRISIS TO DENY A CHARTER IF THE
DISTRICT HAS ENACTED A NECESSARY
BUDGET SOLUTION WITHIN THE PRIOR
FIVE YEARS. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR
TO BE DEFINED IN THE BILL, AND
PRESUMABLY ALL DISTRICTS ENACT
BUDGET SOLUTIONS EVERY YEAR. WHO
DETERMINES WHAT REASONABLE
SOLUTIONS ARE AND WHETHER THE
DISTRICT'S UNIT LATERAL
DETERMINATION IS REASONABLE?
THERE'S NO CLEAR CRITERIA AND NO
APPEAL OF THIS. SO WE START WITH
THE DISTRICT ITSELF, WHICH KNOWS
WHICH ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. SO AND
THOSE FOLKS ARE ELECTED FOR THAT
PURPOSE BY THE PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY. SO THAT WOULD BE MY
FIRST ANSWER. SECONDLY WE AS A
COUNTY BOARD MEMBER, I WILL TELL
YOU THAT WE OFTEN HEAR WHETHER
THERE IS A SPECIFIC APPEAL
PROCESS OR NOT. AND I'M NOT
ACTUALLY SURE THERE ISN'T AN
APPEAL PROCESS, BUT WHETHER
THERE IS A SPECIFIC APPEAL
PROCESS OR NOT. WE HEAR FROM AND
THE SUPERINTENDENT, WE AND THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR
THE COUNTY, HEAR CONCERNS AND
ADDRESS CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS. SO, SENATOR, THROUGH
THE CHAIR, I THINK THAT'S A
VALID I THINK IT'S A VALID
CONCERN. AND I THINK THAT THE
STAFF COMMITTEE STAFF HAD
MENTIONED TO US IN THE STAFF
ANALYSIS THAT THIS IS AN AREA
THAT WE CAN TIGHTEN UP ON, AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE INTEND
TO DO. AND IF THIS BILL GETS OUT
TODAY, YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT
THAT WILL BE AN AREA OF STRONG
CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF, YOU
KNOW, TIGHTENING THAT THAT
LANGUAGE UP. OKAY. THANK YOU. IF
I COULD ADD ONE THING FURTHER,
THE COUNTY BOARD OFTEN, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE OUR OWN SCHOOL
SYSTEM AND WE SERVE STUDENTS
DIRECTLY, BUT ALSO WE SERVE AS
AN APPELLATE BODY ON ANY NUMBER
OF ISSUES, INCLUDING EXPULSIONS,
TRANSFERS, CHARTER APPEALS. SO
IT WOULD BE QUITE NATURAL FOR US
TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. OKAY.
AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION. THE
BILL ACTUALLY, I HAVE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO JUST
NARROW IT DOWN HERE. THE BILL
THE BILL WOULD DENY A SIMILAR
PETITION FOR BEING SUBMITTED AS
A COUNTYWIDE CHARTER. IF IT HAD
BEEN DENIED LOCALLY, WOULD THIS
APPLY EVEN IF A CHARTER WAS
DENIED WRONGLY BY THE LOCAL
DISTRICT AND EVEN OVERTURNED AT,
THE STATE, WOULD THAT REWARD BAD
BEHAVIOR? SO IN TERMS OF A
PETITION BEING DENIED WRONGLY AT
THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE APPEAL
PROCESS REMAINS IN PLACE. SO,
FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR COUNTY, WE
HAVE HAVE, RECEIVED APPEALS OF A
DISTRICT DENIAL AND ACTUALLY
APPROVED THAT CHARTER AND THEN
BECAME THE AUTHORIZER THERE. AND
THAT'S STILL IN PLACE. THAT
DOESN'T CHANGE, BUT THEN I THINK
MORE PARTICULARLY HERE IS THE
IDEA THAT THE EXACT SAME THING
BE BROUGHT ON A COUNTY WIDE
LEVEL. NOW, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A
PLACE FOR COUNTY WIDE CHARTERS
AND COUNTY WIDE PETITIONS, BUT
THE IDEA THAT YOU SIMPLY CUT AND
PASTE AND HONESTLY, I'VE SEEN
THAT IN MY 16 YEARS, I'VE SEEN
OTHER CHARTERS, CHARTER
APPLICATIONS THAT WERE USED IN
SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THÀNH
JUST MIMEOGRAPHED ALMOST. SO
THAT'S WHAT WE AVOID WITH WITH
THIS BILL. ABSOLUTELY Kò THE
APPELLATE PROCESS IS STILL IN
PLACE AND IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL
IN OUR COUNTY. SO LET ME JUST
SHARE MY LAST COMMENTS. THIS IS
JUST PERSONAL. I'M SORRY, I'M IN
COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT OUR THAT
OUR SCHOOLS NEED TO BE. OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEED TO BE
FISCALLY, VIABLE. IT'S PARAMOUNT
THAT THAT IS THE CASE. AND AS A
FORMER MEMBER OF THE BUDGET ONE
COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION FUNDING,
I WAS AN ADVOCATE TO ENSURE THAT
WE HAD THE FUNDING GOING TO OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE
PROVIDED FOR. BUT THERE IS KIND
OF A, A CONCERN THAT I HAVE THAT
AS PERHAPS DECLINING ENROLLMENT,
WHICH WE CAN ALL ASK OURSELVES
AS TO WHY THERE'S VARIETY. WE'VE
HEARD IT ALL. YOU KNOW, THIS IS
MY FOURTH YEAR IN THIS COMMITTEE
VARIETY OF REASONS OF WHY, WE'RE
LOSING OUR CHILDREN TO OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND IN
LIGHT OF PERHAPS THAT, THAT
IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW,
THE REPORTS THAT MANY PARENTS
FEEL THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING THE
NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN
ACADEMICALLY BASED ON THE, THE
DATA THAT'S COMING IN AS FAR AS
THE READING LEVELS, MATH,
SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, IN EVERY IN
THE PERFORMANCE PART OF OUR
SCHOOLS AS OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
DISTRICTS HAVE DECLINING
ENROLLMENT AS THE PERFORMANCE
LEVELS ARE NOT MEETING THE
STANDARDS THAT MANY PARENTS
BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE,
PERFORMING AT THAT AT A CERTAIN
LEVEL, YOU KNOW, SUCCEEDING, I'M
REALLY HESITANT TO CREATE A
SYSTEM THAT IS GOING TO MAKE IT
MORE DIFFICULT FOR CHARTER
SCHOOLS OR FOR PARENTS TO HAVE
OPTIONS THAT WILL MEET THE
CHILDREN'S NEEDS, AND SO I'M
NERVOUS THAT BECAUSE OF THOSE
FISCAL DECISIONS OR ACADEMIC OR
FISCAL DECISIONS, THAT A SCHOOL
DISTRICT AS A WHOLE MAY HAVE
THAT MAY HAVE JEOPARDIZED OR IS
JEOPARDIZING THE FISCAL
VIABILITY THAT WE ARE PUTTING
THE WEIGHT OF THAT THOSE CHOICES
AND THAT PERFORMANCE ON THE
ABILITY FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS TO
BE ABLE TO BE IN EXISTENCE AS AN
ALTERNATIVE FOR FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN. AND SO THIS IS WHERE
I'M HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME
WITH THIS BILL IS BECAUSE I
DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE WHAT
MAY BE PERCEIVED OR MAY BE THE
REALITY OF SYSTEMS THAT ARE
FAILING OUR STUDENTS AND NOT
HAVE VIABLE OPTIONS AS AN
ALTERNATIVE FOR OUR KIDS. THEY
SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THOSE PARTICULAR REASONS, SO
THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM. AS
FAR AS, I, I'M GRAPPLING WITH
THIS, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR BILL
, I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THAT. I
THINK, PERSONALLY, I THINK
THAT'S A PRETTY BROAD STATEMENT
ABOUT THE BILL. AND, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T AGREE WITH A LOT OF I HATE
TO USE THIS WORD BECAUSE I'M
VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCE, CIRCUMSTANCES
WE'RE IN, BUT THE SENSE OF SCARE
TACTICS THAT ARE BEING USED
ABOUT THE BILL, THE BILL
ACTUALLY, FROM MY VIEW AS A
PRACTITIONER, SOMEBODY WHO SITS
THERE AND DOES THIS, THE BILL
ACTUALLY TIGHTENS UP THE PROCESS
. AND FROM MY VIEW ACTUALLY
MAKES IT MORE FAIR. SO I DON'T
SEE THIS AS A BILL THAT SUDDENLY
GOING TO DESTROY CHARTER SCHOOLS
IN, IN OUR STATE. IN FACT, IT'S
A SMALL TIGHTENING OF A REALLY
GOOD PROCESS THAT YOU ALL HAVE
PUT TOGETHER THAT ALLOWS US TO
OPERATE FAIRLY. SO THERE'S A
WHOLE THING ABOUT FAIRNESS THAT
HASN'T REALLY BEEN BROUGHT UP
HERE, I THIS IS NOT THE
DESTRUCTION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THIS IS MAKING PROCESS. THAT'S
NOT THE POINT THAT I WOULD I'M
NOT STATING THAT AT ALL. I'M
SORRY IF I MISSED. NO, NO, NOT
THAT. IT'S JUST. IT'S JUST THAT
IT WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR
THEM TO BE, APPROVED OR IN
EXISTENCE, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF,
YOU KNOW, THE DECISIONS THAT THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE, SO
THOSE DECISIONS THAT ARE
CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
WE'RE LOSING OUR STUDENTS,
PERHAPS, MAYBE ONE ASPECT OF IT,
OR THE FISCAL DECISIONS THAT
WERE MADE BY A CERTAIN SCHOOL
DISTRICT IS, IN MY OPINION,
UNFAIR TO BE PUTTING THAT WEIGHT
ON THE ABILITY FOR CHARTER
SCHOOLS TO EXIST, AND, AND THAT
IS ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IN
GENERAL, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, I AM
AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE SUPPORTING
MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT
THEY NEED. BUT BY THE SAME
TOKEN, IT'S REALLY,
DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT WE
HAVE OVER AND OVER POLICIES THAT
REALLY INFRINGE ON THE ABILITY
TO, HAVE OUR PUBLIC, OUR CHARTER
SCHOOLS IN PLACE. AND SO I, I
WANT TO FIND A BALANCE ON THAT,
NOT JEOPARDIZING OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT
THEY HAVE THE TOOLS, BUT ALSO
ENSURING THAT THE THAT WE HAVE
OPTIONS FOR OUR PARENTS. THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT
TO GIVE THE OPPONENTS A CHANCE
TO RESPOND. AND LET ME FRAME IT
JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS HERE IS ABOUT THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN A LOCAL AND
A COUNTYWIDE CHARTER, AND SORT
OF AS A SUBTEXT TO THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THAT THAT
THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT PROCESS HAS
BEEN USED TO, SUBVERT, YOU KNOW,
THE OTHERWISE NORMAL PROCEEDINGS
WITH RESPECT TO THE APPROVAL OR
DENIAL OF A CHARTER SCHOOL. SO
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT OR YOUR
RESPONSE TO THAT, BUT ALSO ON
THE BROADER QUESTION LIKE, WHAT
SHOULD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE COUNTYWIDE CHARTER AND A
LOCAL CHARTER AS IT RELATES TO
THE SITUATION? THAT'S THE KIND
OF CATALYST FOR THIS BILL. YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE
ORIGINAL QUESTION, THOUGH, WHICH
IS ABOUT AB 1505. AND WHEN WE
INITIALLY AGREED ON A PROCESS TO
ALLOW DISTRICTS TO CONSIDER
FISCAL IMPACT, AND THE IMPORTANT
PART OF THAT WAS A VERY CLOSELY
NEGOTIATED ARRANGEMENT OF HOW
THAT WOULD WOULD BE IMPACTED.
AND IT DID INCLUDE A PROCESS
THAT THAT FCMAT AND THE COUNTY
OFFICES WOULD WEIGH IN ON THAT,
ON SOME SCHOOLS AND IN SOME
SCHOOLS, THEY WOULD HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DENY, TO DENY A
CHARTER ACROSS THE BOARD WITH NO
DISCUSSION, IF THEY WERE IN, IN
STATE RECEIVERSHIP, BUT FOR
OTHER, OTHER REASONS, THEY WOULD
HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY BOARD
AND TO FCMAT TO HAVE, HAVE AN
ASSESSMENT THAT THE CHARTER
ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE A FISCAL
IMPACT. WE KNOW THAT IN VALLEJO
CHARTER SCHOOLS DIDN'T CAUSE
THEIR FISCAL CRISIS. THAT
HAPPENED 20 YEARS AGO. RIGHT.
THEY'VE HAD 20 YEARS TO RECOVER
FROM THAT. WHEN THIS CHARTER
WENT BEFORE THEM, THERE WAS NO
EVIDENCE THAT THE DISTRICT WAS
IN ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL CRISIS.
THEY HAD A SIGNIFICANT, RESERVE
IN PLACE. THEY HAD NOT BEEN IN A
NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION FOR OVER
TEN YEARS, SO YOU KNOW, EVEN
EVEN WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
LAW IS VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT
BECAUSE THEY WERE IN
RECEIVERSHIP, THEY COULD DENY
THE CHARTER, WE THINK THAT'S
VERY GENEROUS. WE DON'T SEE A
REASON WHY EXTRA TIME IS NEEDED
PAST THAT 20 YEARS OF STATE
OVERSIGHT AND RECOVERY FROM FROM
A STATE LOAN THAT NOW THEY WOULD
NEED ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DENY IN ANY CASE,
BASED ON A SIMPLE, YOU KNOW,
FISCAL SOLUTION, WHATEVER THAT
IS, YOU KNOW, SO, SO THIS GOES
WAY FAR BEYOND THAT AGREEMENT
THAT WAS, THAT WAS CAREFULLY
NEGOTIATED. AND THE SAME WITH
COUNTY WIDE BENEFITS. SO WOULD
THE COUNTY WIDE BENEFIT
SITUATION WHEN 1505 WAS PASSED,
ONE OF THE ONE OF THE TRADE OFFS
THAT WAS IN THAT BILL WAS THE
ELIMINATION OF A STATE WIDE
BENEFIT OPTION, WHICH HAD BEEN
IN LAW FOR MANY YEARS. AND IN
ELIMINATING THAT, THERE WAS AN
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE COUNTY
WIDE BENEFIT WOULD WOULD BE AS
SOMEWHAT OF AN ALTERNATIVE, AND
THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS
ALREADY IN CURRENT LAW AS WELL.
BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO
MAINTAIN THAT AS A VIABLE
OPTION. BUT, MR. MILLER, IF YOU
COULD, I MEAN, TO THIS QUESTION
OF SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR AND
WHETHER OR NOT IN THESE
INSTANCES AS OPPOSED TO FROM
SCRATCH, YOU KNOW, THERE IS
JUSTIFICATION IN THE CASE SORT
OF CITED FOR THE COUNTYWIDE
CHARTER, IN LIGHT OF THE
ORIGINAL DENIALS. YES. IN IN
THIS CASE, IN THE CASE THAT THIS
IS BEING TRIGGERED BY, THE, THE
COUNTY, THE COUNTYWIDE CHARTER
IS, IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT
THAN THE ONE THAT WAS DENIED.
THEY'VE ADDED A DIFFERENT
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM INTO THE,
INTO THE PETITION. THEY, THEY'RE
THEY'RE RESHAPING THEIR PROGRAM
TO BE A REGIONAL COUNTYWIDE
PROGRAM WHICH BY DEFINITION
THÀNH AND BY REQUIREMENTS OF THE
LAW. THE PETITIONER HAS TO SHOW
HOW AND WHY, THIS MEETS A COUNTY
WIDE BENEFIT THAT COULDN'T BE
MET BY A LOCAL CHARTER. THAT'S
VERY CLEAR IN THE LAW. SO,
ALFREDO, JUST THEY'RE GOING
THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW
AND HE'S NOT UP HERE, BUT, I'LL
TRY TO SPEAK FOR HIM. THEY THEY
SUBMITTED THEIR PETITION FOR A
COUNTY WIDE BENEFIT RECENTLY
UNDER THIS EXPANSION, THEY
MAGNOLIA SCHOOLS. YEAH SUBMITTED
THE PETITION FOR A COUNTY WIDE
BENEFIT CHARTER RECENTLY, AS
PART OF THIS EXPANSION GRANT
THAT THEY GOT FROM THE FEDERAL
DOE, AND IN THAT THEY HAD OVER
TEN, 12 PAGES OF JUSTIFICATION
AS WHY THE COUNTY WIDE BENEFIT
WAS DIFFERENT AND WHY IT NEEDED
TO BE APPROVED AS OPPOSED TO
INDIVIDUAL CHARTERS. THAT'S A
REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW RIGHT
NOW. SO THERE'S BY ADDING THIS
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT
SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT
UNDEFINED. YOU'RE JUST SIMPLY
THROWING MORE MUD INTO THAT,
THAT DIALOG OF WHAT IT MEANS THE
COUNTY, THE COUNTY APPROVAL IS
VERY DIFFERENT FROM A LOCAL
APPROVAL IN THAT FOR A COUNTY
WIDE BENEFIT, THE COUNTY CAN
DENY A CHARTER FOR ANY REASON.
THEY FIND REASONABLE. THEY CAN
DO ANYTHING. THERE'S NO APPEAL
FOR A COUNTY WIDE BENEFIT. IT IS
DEFINITELY. IT'S CLEARLY THE
OPTION OF THE COUNTY TO CHOOSE
TO APPROVE THAT CHARTER BASED ON
ON WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR, IN
THEIR COUNTY, SO THERE'S REALLY,
YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DENY IS NOT BASED ON THE, THE
SAME CRITERIA AS A DISTRICT.
IT'S A VERY FLEXIBLE OPTION FOR
COUNTIES. AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF
DISCRETION IN THAT PROCESS.
THANK YOU. SO IT IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THIS
BILL IS WE APPEAR TO BE TALKING
ABOUT TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS
ON THE ONE HAND, WE HAVE, ON
SORT OF THE, THE AUTHOR'S SIDE,
YOU KNOW, THE ASSERTION THAT
THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE
PROCESS THAT'S SORT OF EASILY
ADDRESSED THROUGH THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS BILL. AND I APPRECIATE,
SENATOR DODD, YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH STAFF
ON SORT OF CLARIFICATION OR
RENDERING, OBJECTIVE SOME OF THE
SOME OF THE DISTINCTIONS. BUT ON
THE OTHER SIDE, IT SEEMS THAT,
YOU KNOW, THE ASSERTION HERE IS
THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AT A
SYSTEMIC LEVEL, KIND OF AN
EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THE
CONTINUED SUCCESS OF CHARTER
SCHOOLS. AND SO I GUESS YOU
KNOW, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MR.
MILLER, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO THAT.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT REALLY DOES
SEEM TO BE THE SUBTEXT OF THIS
DISCUSSION. YEAH. I MEAN, THERE
ARE THINGS IN THE BILL THAT THAT
DEFINITELY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
STATEWIDE IMPACT. AND WE TALKED
ABOUT, FOR INSTANCE, THE IMPACT
ON GROWING SCHOOLS WITH, YOU
KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO THE AUTHOR
OF THE BILL IS VERY CLEAR, THE
LAW IS VERY CLEAR THAT WHEN A
CHARTER SCHOOL GROWS, THEY ADD A
GRADE LEVEL OR THEY THEY CHANGE
TO A LARGER SITE. THEY HAVE TO
GO BACK TO THE DISTRICT. AND
THIS FISCAL IMPACT CRITERIA
APPLIES. SO THIS AFFECTS GROWING
SCHOOLS AS WELL AS NEW SCHOOLS,
AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH GRADE SCHOOLS IN
CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE A PROBLEM
THAT WE NEED TO DEAL, AND
CHARTERS ARE PART OF THAT
SOLUTION RATHER THAN FIGHTING
WITH CHARTERS AND OPPOSING THEM
AND DENYING THEM. THESE
DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT SERVING
STUDENTS VERY WELL SHOULD, YOU
KNOW, BE REACHING OUT AND
LEARNING FROM THOSE EXPERIENCES
AND TRY TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TRY
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WORKING
BEST, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
THROUGH CHARTERING TO REALLY
PROVIDE SOME GOOD PRACTICES AND
SOME GOOD EXPERIENCE AND IN MANY
PLACES, THAT COOPERATION IS
HAPPENING FOR A STATEWIDE IMPACT
AND COMMUNITY WIDE IMPACT,
CREATING MORE TENSION BETWEEN
CHARTERS AND DISTRICTS IS NOT
THE RIGHT SOLUTION. I APPRECIATE
THAT, AND I WILL POINT OUT, I
MEAN, THAT REALLY IS THE ESSENCE
OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL EXPERIMENT
IN CALIFORNIA. SENATOR DODD, IF
YOU'D LIKE TO CLOSE, PLEASE. I'M
SORRY, SENATOR WILK DID NOT SEE
YOUR HAND. THAT'S BECAUSE I
DIDN'T PUT MY HAND UP. I SENT IT
TO YOU TELEPATHICALLY. SOME.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
YEAH, WELL, WE GOT TO WORK. IF,
ELON MUSK CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT
. I I'M BECAUSE I'M. I'M PRO
CHARTER SCHOOL, AND FRANKLY, YOU
ARE TOO. BUT THE ASSAULT ON
CHARTER SCHOOLS IS JUST BEEN
BRUTAL. AND I WAS VERY
DISAPPOINTED WHEN THE
ASSOCIATION, CAVED ON 1505. BAD
BILL VOTED NO ON IT. PROBABLY
PROBABLY HAD NO CHOICE
CONSIDERING THE PEOPLE WHO SIT
IN THE SEATS IN THIS
LEGISLATURE. BUT I DO HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH THIS. SUBSTANTIALLY
DIFFERENT. I MEAN, THAT'S IS
THAT NOT CAUGHT? THAT'S NOT
CODIFIED AT ALL. AND SO ANYBODY
COULD JUST COME UP WITH THEIR
OWN THING AND SAY IT, SAY THAT,
THAT, THAT TROUBLE. THERE'S BAD
ACTORS ON BOTH SIDES. I THINK
ONE OF THE REASONS FOR 1505 WAS
A CHARTER SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT,
AND I SAW WHAT KIND OF HAVOC
THEY WREAKED. BUT BUT I'VE ALSO
SEEN, SCHOOL DISTRICTS TURN DOWN
FABULOUS CHARTERS. SO I'M, I'M,
I'M REALLY AND I APOLOGIZE. I
WASN'T HERE FOR THE BEGINNING AS
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MULTIPLE
COMMITTEE COMMITTEE HEARINGS, SO
I WANTED TO THROW IT OUT TO BOTH
SIDES ABOUT THIS SUBSTANTIALLY
DIFFERENT AND HOW DOES HOW DOES
THAT GET DETERMINED IF IT'S NOT
IN STATUTE AND THEN I RESERVE
THE RIGHT FOR A FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS. WELL, FROM FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, THE CURRENT LAW IS
ALREADY ALREADY ADDRESSES THAT
THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE A
COUNTYWIDE BENEFIT CHARTER ARE
ALREADY SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT A LOCAL CHARTER IS.
AND THE LAW SPECIFICALLY SAYS
THAT YOU HAVE TO JUSTIFY WHY.
AND THE COUNTY BOARD MUST
APPROVE FINDINGS THAT SHOW WHY
THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN A
CHARTER. SO WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CURRENT LAW
AND WHAT'S IN THIS BILL? WELL,
WE THIS BILL THEN THROWS IN THIS
THIS OTHER PROHIBITION, IF IT'S
NOT SUBSTANTIALLY, SIMILAR OR IF
IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT
THAN IT IS NOT SUBSTANTIALLY
DIFFERENT, SO BUT YOU JUST SAID
IT'S ALREADY IN THE LAW, THOUGH.
IT IS. AND SO NOW WE'RE CREATING
A DIFFERENT WE'RE CREATING
ANOTHER LAYER THAT WHEN LAW IS
PERFECTLY CLEAR, THIS, THIS
VAGUE TERMS IS GOING TO MUDDY
THE WATERS AND JUST MAKE ALL
KINDS OF CONFUSION AND LAWSUITS,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
DISTRICTS YOU KNOW, GOING TO
COUNTIES AND FILING LAWSUITS
LIKE THEY ARE NOW, BECAUSE THE
COUNTY DID SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T
LIKE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT
THIS IS JUST GOING TO GIVE MORE
FUEL FOR THAT, FOR THAT FIRE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER
. I'M I'M ASSUMING YOU WANT TO
WEIGH IN, RIGHT? YES. I THANK
YOU, SENATOR. AND, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE WE'RE WILLING TO WORK
WITH. OH, SORRY. CARLOS MACHADO
WITH. EVERYBODY KNOWS MR.
MACHADO. WELL, I DON'T WHO ARE
YOU WITH AGAIN? BECAUSE, THE
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD
ASSOCIATION. THÀNH. SO,
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR WAS ADDED
TO THE BILL IN AN ATTEMPT TO
ADDRESS SITUATIONS WHERE A
DISTRICT HAS A HAS DENIED A
PETITION, AND THE PETITIONERS
HAVE THEN, EITHER NOT WILLING TO
GO THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS,
ALL THE WAY THROUGH OR TRYING TO
GET A SECOND BITE AT THE APPLE
AND JUST GOING STRAIGHT TO THE
COUNTY AS A COUNTYWIDE CHARTER.
SO SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR IS A
WAY FOR US TO TRY TO ADDRESS
THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS, IN
LIEU OF, BEING ABLE TO DEFINE
MORE CLEARLY WHAT A COUNTYWIDE
CHARTER IS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW,
IN STATUTE, IN ESSENCE, THE
DEFINITION IS ANYTHING THAT
ISN'T A DISTRICT APPROVED
CHARTER SCHOOL. SO THE LINE
ISN'T THAT CLEAR. SO WE THOUGHT
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT. AND THE
WAY THAT THAT'S ADDRESSED IS BY,
ALLOWING THE COUNTY TO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN
THOSE TWO TYPES OF PETITIONS.
AND AS, OUR AUTHOR NOTED, YOU WE
ARE READY AND WILLING TO HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH CHARTER
ADVOCATES TO SEE IF THERE'S A
WAY TO CRAFT THAT LANGUAGE TO,
MORE SPECIFICALLY TARGET THE
INSTANCES THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT WHEN IT'S A, THE SAME
SCHOOL SITE OR A SIMILAR SCHOOL
SITE, AND WHERE THE TWO
PETITIONS ARE TARGETING THE SAME
STUDENT POPULATION. SO THOSE ARE
KEY ELEMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
THE SITUATIONS THAT HAVE COME UP
IN NAPA AND IN SAN BENITO, WHERE
THEY HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF ELEMENTS TO A
PETITION THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR,
WHETHER IT'S A PETITION IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OR, NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO
CAPTURE THOSE AS PART OF BEING
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR, BUT JUST
THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT DO MAKE
THEM SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR, LIKE
THE ONES I JUST MENTIONED. OKAY
JUST AN ADDED NOTE ON THAT. WE
ARE CONCERNED THAT THAT THAT
PROVISION COULD HAVE AN
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WHERE
CHARTERS WOULD BE FORCED TO
EITHER GO TO A, YOU KNOW, WHAT
COULD BE A VERY UNFRIENDLY
DISTRICT OR GO TO THE COUNTY.
AND, AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE
CHOICE TO DO BOTH, THEY WOULD
THEY WOULD JUST BYPASS THE LOCAL
. AND SO YOU'RE REALLY REMOVING
THE LOCAL FROM, FROM THAT, FROM
THAT DIALOG, WHEN YOU FORCE THAT
, YOU FORCE ONE PATH OR THE
OTHER. SO POTENTIALLY A PROBLEM
WITH THAT I WOULD JUST ADD
THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE INTERCHANGEABLE. THOSE TWO
AUTHORIZED PROCESSES ARE NOT
INTERCHANGEABLE AS THEY'RE
WRITTEN IN STATUTE. THIS OUR
PROVISIONS DO TRY TO PRESERVE
WHAT'S IN STATUTE BY MAKING THEM
DISTINCT. BOTH A DISTRICT
AUTHORIZING PROCESS AND A
COUNTYWIDE AUTHORIZING PROCESS.
AND I WILL ADD, I THINK, AS
COMMITTEE'S POINTED OUT AND,
SENATOR DODD, YOU AND YOUR STAFF
HAD CONVERSATIONS THAT STILL
THAT DEFINITION STILL NEEDS WORK
, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT STILL NEEDS
CLARITY, ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. SO
WHERE DOES IT AGAIN, BECAUSE I
WAS AT ANOTHER COMMITTEE
HEARING. WHERE WHERE DOES THIS
GO NEXT? IT GOES TO
APPROPRIATIONS NEXT. SO DO WE.
SO I HEARD WILLINGNESS TO
CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE. SO DO WE
HAVE TIME TO ALLOW THOSE
PARTIES. WELL WE'RE NOT WE'RE
NOT GOING TO DO THAT FROM THE
DAIS HERE. NO, NOT FROM THE OF
COURSE NOT FROM THE DAYS. THAT'S
WHAT I'M ASKING ABOUT. WE HAVE
AMPLE TIME, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SO
THERE'S AMPLE TIME. YEAH. YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO BE SUPPORTIVE. I
JUST I CAN'T I JUST CAN'T I
CAN'T GET THERE. I CAN'T GET
THERE TODAY. BUT I WANT TO BE
SUPPORTIVE. SO I'M JUST THROWING
THAT OUT AS A POSSIBLE
ALTERNATIVE. WHAT WHAT'S THE I
DON'T KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
SCHOOL BOARD JUST SAID AND
THERE'S BEEN. AND THAT WILL
HAPPEN. I THINK WE HAVE A
COMMITMENT FROM SENATOR DODD TO,
YOU KNOW, TO WORK DELIBERATELY
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, NOT
UNCOMMON. RIGHT OKAY. ANYTHING
ELSE, SENATOR DODD? YEAH. SO
HERE'S HERE'S MY PROBLEM,
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE 12 YEARS
NOW, SO I KNOW HOW IT WORKS. IF
WE LET IT OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE,
IT'S GOING TO FLY. SO OUR ONLY
POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
REAL DISCUSSION ON THIS IS IN.
WELL, I MEAN, ON THE ONE HAND, I
THINK I TAKE IN EARNEST THE
AUTHOR'S COMMITMENT TO WORK ON
THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I
TRUST THE AUTHOR. I DON'T TRUST
THE PROCESS. YOU DON'T TRUST YOU
DON'T TRUST THE INSTITUTION. I
APPRECIATE THAT, I'M SURE THERE
ARE MANY IN THIS ROOM WHO WOULD
AGREE WITH YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, I
THINK LAST YEAR WE HAD WE HAD A
BILL ABOUT THE DISPOSITION OF
CHARTER ASSETS. YOU KNOW, THERE
WAS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE YEAR,
TO TRY AND FIND A WORKABLE
SOLUTION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE
COMMITMENT HERE IS TO DO
SOMETHING SIMILAR. IS THAT
CORRECT, SENATOR DODD? YES.
YEAH. SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER
COMMENT FROM SENATOR WILK,
YOU'RE WELCOME TO CLOSE. YES. I
WAS GOING TO SAY IN MY CLOSE, IS
THAT ALL, YOU KNOW, THE
ARGUMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD, ARE
RED HERRINGS. UPON FURTHER
REVIEW AND LISTENING HERE TODAY,
I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT'S
TRUE. I THINK THERE'S AN HONEST,
IN MOST CASES, DISPUTE ON THE
INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE. I WILL
SAY THAT HAVING EVEN TALKED TO A
NUMEROUS, PEOPLE FROM LOCAL
CHARTER SCHOOLS ABOUT, WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, I'VE TALKED TO
NUMEROUS CHARTER SCHOOLS, YOU
KNOW, OVER THIS, OVER THIS, TIME
OR SINCE WE'VE HAD IT. AND LET
ME TELL YOU, I'VE NEVER BEEN
INVOLVED, REALLY, WITH BILLS IN
THIS, IN THIS COMMITTEE LIKE
THIS. I DON'T LIKE THE CHARTER
VERSUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEBATE ANY
MORE THAN ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM
MAYBE DOES OR ON THE ON THE
DAIS, BUT WHEN I SAW WHAT WAS AT
STAKE HERE AND I LOOK AT THIS,
LIKE I SAID IN MY OPENING, THIS
IS LIKE LEGISLATIVE, OVERVIEW OF
EXISTING LANGUAGE, AND WE DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH LEGISLATIVE
OVERSIGHT ON BILLS THAT HAVE
ALREADY PASSED FROM BEST
PRACTICES. SO WE'RE SEEING WHAT
BEST PRACTICES ARE IN THE
DISTRICT AND THE BEST PRACTICES
IN THE DISTRICT FROM THE
LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE HERE
ARE NOT WORKING WELL. THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEM WORK
BETTER. SO THE EXTRA FIVE YEARS
THAT THE THAT THAT WE'VE HEARD
ABOUT THAT, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AFTER AFTER EXITING
RECEIVERSHIP. I'VE NEVER HEARD
THAT BEFORE THIS HEARING TODAY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEBODY
DIDN'T COME UP AND OFFER AN
AMENDMENT. NO AMENDMENTS WERE
OFFERED IN THAT AREA. THE IMPACT
ON CURRENT CHARTERS. WE MADE IT
CLEAR TO ANYBODY THAT'S TALKED
TO ME, I DO NOT WANT TO IMPACT
CURRENT CHARTERS. CURRENT
SUCCESSFUL CHARTERS. YOU HEARD
THE OPPOSITION TODAY. A LOT OF
GREAT CHARTERS, PARTICULARLY IN
IN THIS DISTRICT THREE. I DO NOT
WANT TO IMPACT, BUT HAVE WE HAD
ONE AMENDMENT PROPOSED TO US
ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO THAT IN
THIS BILL? NONE FINALLY, YOU
KNOW, THE, SIMILAR ARGUMENTS YOU
KNOW, IS IT SUBSTANTIALLY
SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT BETWEEN A
CHARTER? EXCUSE ME? THE LOCAL
AND THE AND THE COUNTY CHARTER
THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
KIND OF MAKES SENSE TO ME TOO,
BUT NOT ONCE HAVE WE HAD ANY
OFFER OF ANY AMENDMENTS THAT
COULD MAKE THAT PROVISION ANY
MORE CLEAR. SO I'M SAYING WHEN
YOU HAVE OPPOSITION THAT JUST
DOESN'T WANT A BILL AND SAYS NO,
AND HELL NO, IT'S VERY HARD TO
WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT. SO I
WOULD INVITE THE OPPOSITION.
I'VE BEEN KNOWN IN MY TEN YEARS
IN THE LEGISLATURE. I WORK WITH
OPPOSITION ON EVERY SINGLE BILL
THAT I HAVE, AND I KEEP MY WORD
TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DÍAS.
THIS IS MY LAST YEAR AND I DO
NOT INTEND TO CHANGE MY POSITION
ON THAT. I WILL WORK AND WORK
HARD TO TRY TO MAKE THIS THE
BEST BILL THAT WE CAN HAVE, NOT
ONLY FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT MORE.
MOREOVER FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF THIS POLICY GOING FORWARD. SO
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK
YOU. SO WE DO NOT YET HAVE A
QUORUM, BUT WE WILL BRING THIS
MATTER TO A VOTE, AT SUCH TIME
AS, AS WE DO, THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
ON THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU, MR.
MILLER
.
WE'LL DO A BILL. RIGHT. WANT TO
DO A BILL? YEAH. LET'S DO IT.
LET'S DO IT. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP
AGAIN, SINCE QUORUM, WE HAVE
SENATOR WILK SB, SB 996, I WOULD
NOTE YOU'VE LEFT THE DAIS. YOU
CAN'T GET YOUR READERS. YOU HAVE
TO DO THIS. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS
FROM MEMORY.
ALL RIGHT. SIR, YOU ARE
PRESENTING SB NINE. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND
MEMBER. AND LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX
. WAY MORE INTERESTING TOPIC AND
THAT'S AWESOME THAN CHARTERS.
ANYWAY. SB 996 IS A SIMPLE
TRANSPARENCY MEASURE, FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO BE REQUIRED TO
PUBLISH HER SEXUAL THEIR SEXUAL
EDUCATION MATERIALS ON THEIR
WEBSITE AND INFORM PARENTS HOW
TO ACCESS THOSE AT A PUBLICLY
NOTICED MEETING. UNDER CURRENT
LAW, SEX ED CURRICULUM MATERIALS
ARE REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED FOR
REVIEW UPON REQUEST, BUT SCHOOL
EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE
ALREADY OVERWORKED, UNDERFUNDED
AND THERE ARE NO TIMELINE
REQUIREMENTS CURRENTLY IN THE
LAW. EFFECTIVELY, THE PROCESS IS
TO OBTAIN THESE MATERIALS
OFTENTIMES BECOMES EXCESSIVELY
DIFFICULT. POSTING SEX ED
MATERIALS ON THE DISTRICT
WEBSITE SIMPLIFIES THE ISSUE FOR
BOTH PARENTS AND SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. SCHOOLS WOULD ONLY
HAVE TO POST CURRICULUM ONLINE,
OCCASIONALLY UPDATED, AND REFER
PARENTS TO THE SITE WHEN
NECESSARY. PARENTS WOULD SIMPLY
HAVE TO LOOK UP THE MATERIALS
AND REQUEST THEIR CHILD TO BE
OPTED OUT, WHICH IS THE CURRENT
LAW. IF THEY BELIEVE THAT THE
APPROPRIATE IF THAT WAS THE
APPROPRIATE DECISION FOR THEIR
CHILD. SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS
FOR BOTH SIDES IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THIS ISSUE CAN QUICKLY
AND DRASTICALLY BECOME VERY
HEATED, AND I THINK IT'S THE
HIGHEST PRIORITY OF A PARENT TO
EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN IN THE
WAY THAT THEY WANT. SCHOOLS HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THEIR
BEST JUDGMENT REGARDING WHAT
CONSTITUTES AGE APPROPRIATE SEX
ED MATERIALS. ON THE OTHER SIDE,
PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO REVIEW
MATERIALS THAT DISTRICTS HAVE
DETERMINED ARE AGE APPROPRIATE
FOR THEIR CHILDREN WITHOUT
HAVING TO REQUEST THEM SO THEY
CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE CHOICE.
AB 996 REMOVES ALL BARRIERS TO
TRANSPARENCY WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY
DECREASING ADMINISTRATIVE
RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOLS. BOTH
SIDES WANT TO PROVIDE THE
STUDENTS WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE
EDUCATION. SB 996 ELIMINATES A
SIGNIFICANT DISTRACTION THAT IS
FOR FAR TOO LONG STOOD IN THE
WAY OF THIS GOALS REALIZATION.
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, DO YOU HAVE A
LEAD WITNESS? I CHOSE NOT TO
HAVE A LEAD WITNESS. CHOSE TO.
OKAY I, YOU. YES, MISS FRIDAY,
WELCOME, I WOULD I'M HAPPY TO
HAVE ME TOOS DON'T WANT TO HAVE
A LEAD WITNESS. ALL RIGHT. YOU.
ME TOO. WITH SOME ALLOWANCE FOR
COLOR. WELL, YOUR CHAIR, I'LL
DEFER TO. YOU KNOW, I'M
DEFERRING TO THE AUTHOR. WE
DON'T HAVE A QUORUM ANYWAY,
ACTUALLY, I THINK IT IS FAIR,
SO. I'M SORRY. SO, MISS FRIDAY,
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE
PROCEED. AND WE WILL STIPULATE
THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING ON YOUR
OWN BEHALF AND NOT ON BEHALF OF
THE AUTHOR. THESE ARE MY WORDS,
AARON FRIDAY, LICENSED
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY, CO-LEAD OF
OUR DUTY, SO I THERE'S NOT A
WEEK THAT DOESN'T GO BY THAT I
DON'T GET AN EMAIL OR A PHONE
CALL FROM A PARENT ASKING TO GET
ACCESS TO THE, SEX MATERIALS
THAT ARE BEING TAUGHT TO THEIR
SCHOOLS. NOT A WEEK. AND THESE
PARENTS ARE BEING, UNTRUTHFULLY
TOLD THAT THE MATERIAL IS NOT
AVAILABLE TO THEM BECAUSE IT'S
COPYRIGHT, WHICH IS NOT ACTUALLY
THE LAW. THESE PARENTS THEN
SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR RECORDS AND
THEY ARE AGAIN DENIED THE
CURRICULUM, WHICH THEY ARE
REQUIRED BY LAW TO PROVIDE THEIR
OWN. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ASKED
THESE PARENTS TO COME IN
PHYSICALLY INTO THE DISTRICT'S
OFFICE TO REVIEW THE MATERIALS,
AND THEY LOCKED DOWN THE VARIOUS
HOURS THAT THE PARENT IS ALLOWED
TO LOOK AT IT, AND THEY ALSO
STAND OVER THEM. I PERSONALLY
EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF, WHERE
SOMEONE SAT IN THE ROOM AND
WATCHED AS I READ THROUGH THE
SEX ED CURRICULUM, SO THIS BILL
IS REALLY NEEDED AND IT'S A
VERY, VERY SIMPLE BILL. AND IT
WILL I MEAN, WHY ARE WE HIDING
THIS FROM PARENTS? I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHEN PARENTS HAVE AN
ABILITY TO OPT OUT OR OPT IN,
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
OPTING IN OR OPTING OUT TO. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS OUTSTANDING
TESTIMONY. I WILL TELL YOU, THIS
WAS DRIVEN HOME. WE STILL HAVE A
PROCESS, SO. RIGHT. I'M SORRY.
OKAY YOU'RE. WHATEVER. HOLD THAT
THOUGHT. GO AHEAD, WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT ME. TWO WITNESSES.
PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR
NAME. CAN I GET THREE MINUTES,
NO. I THINK THAT WAS SUFFICIENT.
SO CONCERNED MOTHER. BELIEVE IT
OR NOT, WITH THE HAIR OF A SIXTH
GRADER. AND, YES, I VERY MUCH
SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
NEXT, PLEASE. PLACER COUNTY
CHAPTER CHAIR, MOMS FOR LIBERTY.
I REPRESENT OVER 1200 PARENTS IN
THE PLACER COUNTY AREA. WE
SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
NEXT, PLEASE. CHARLOTTE JOHNSON,
A PARENT ASKING WHAT'S TO HIDE?
THANK YOU. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. SENATOR
WILK, ON BEHALF OF PERC
ADVOCACY, WE ARE HERE ON SUPPORT
. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT,
PLEASE. CYNTHIA CRAVENS,
LONGTIME DEMOCRAT, FORMER
CANDIDATE FOR CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE DISTRICT 11. AND I'M VERY
MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
THANK YOU. NEXT, PLEASE. YOU'RE
FREE TO BRING THE MIC BACK DOWN
AT NORMAL PEOPLE'S HEIGHT AFTER
MISTER MIMI MCMAHON, RETIRED
TEACHER AND VERY CONCERNED
GRANDPA PARENT ABOUT THE WHAT IS
BEING HIDDEN FROM PARENTS AND
GRANDCHILDREN, GRANDPARENTS,
BETH BORN MOMS FOR LIBERTY, YOLO
COUNTY. I'M ONE OF THE PARENTS
WHO DID SUBMIT A PUBLIC RECORDS
REQUEST FOR THE SEX ED AT MY
CHILD'S SCHOOL AND WAS TOLD IT
WAS COPYRIGHTED AND THAT I
COULDN'T HAVE ACCESS. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ARWYN FUNK. I'M
ANOTHER FED UP PARENT WHO WAS
TOLD I COULD NOT ACCESS THESE
MATERIALS. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS
LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. MIKE
MURRAY, REPRESENTING THE
AMERICAN COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL. THANK YOU. CAROL
MARQUIS, YOLO COUNTY MOMS FOR
LIBERTY. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. I'M A PROUD
COPTIC ORTHODOX FROM OUR CHURCH.
I SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU,
ARE THERE ANY WITNESSES HERE IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS MEASURE?
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU HAVE
THE OKAY. YOU HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THREE MINUTES OF
TESTIMONY AS WELL. ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE HAVING MIC ISSUES. THANK
YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. OKAY
GOOD MORNING. COMMITTEE CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, DIANA VU, ON BEHALF
OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR
MORE THAN 17,000 MEMBERS ACTS AS
A PROPONENT OF TRANSPARENCY AND
BELIEVES PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
OF STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL
SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY
TO ACCESS COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL
HEALTH EDUCATION AND HIV
PREVENTION EDUCATION MATERIALS.
AS SUCH, CURRENT LAW EDUCATION
CODE SECTION 51938 ALREADY
REQUIRES A LOCAL EDUCATION
AGENCIES TO NOTIFY PARENTS AND
GUARDIANS OF THEIR RIGHTS TO
INSPECT WRITTEN AND AUDIO VISUAL
MATERIALS. IN ADDITION, PARENTS
AND GUARDIANS ALSO HAVE THE
RIGHT TO OPT THEIR CHILD OUT OF
ANY OR ALL PARTS OF THESE
PARTICULAR HEALTH EDUCATION
SUBJECTS. SB 996 MOVES BEYOND
TRANSPARENCY FOR PARENTS AND
GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS, AND
PROVIDES OUTSIDE GROUPS A
PATHWAY TO INFLUENCE LOCAL
CURRICULUM. IN RECENT YEARS,
LEAS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE
INCREASINGLY FOUND THEMSELVES
TARGETED BY EXTERNAL GROUPS
SEEKING TO IMPOSE THEIR
IDEOLOGICAL AGENDAS ON LOCAL
SCHOOLS. THESE GROUPS OFTEN USE
TACTICS RANGING FROM AGGRESSIVE
LOBBYING AND MISINFORMATION
CAMPAIGNS, TO LEGAL THREATS AND
COORDINATED HARASSMENT OF
EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THEIR GOAL
IS TO EXERT INFLUENCE OVER
CURRICULUM DECISIONS, TEACHER
TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND OTHER
ASPECTS OF EDUCATION POLICY TO
ALIGN WITH THEIR NARROW
INTERESTS, OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE
OF ACADEMIC RIGOR, DIVERSITY,
AND INCLUSIVITY. THIS EXTERNAL
PRESSURE HAS CREATED A TOXIC AND
DIVISIVE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN OUR
SCHOOLS, UNDERMINING THE ABILITY
OF EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS
TO FOCUS ON THEIR PRIMARY
MISSION. PROVIDING A HIGH
QUALITY EDUCATION TO ALL
STUDENTS. INSTEAD OF FOSTERING A
COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE
DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES ARE
RESPECTED AND VALUED, THESE
OUTSIDE FORCES CULTIVATE
DISCORD, FEELING CONTENTIOUS
DEBATES AND ERODING TRUST WITHIN
COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, THESE
EXTERNAL ENTITIES SUBVERT THE
AUTHORITY OF ELECTED SCHOOL
BOARDS AND UNDERMINE THE VOICES
OF PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND
STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE HAD
SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE
ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS. PER EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 60002. FOR THESE
REASONS, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
YOUR A NO VOTE ON THIS BILL.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
HERE, IN THE HEARING ROOM? I'D
LIKE TO TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION.
THE MEASURE PAUL ROBESON WITH
PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATES OF
CALIFORNIA. APOLOGIES FOR THE
LATE SUBMISSION OF OUR LETTER,
BUT WE ARE RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED.
THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON. ANYBODY
ELSE, OKAY. LET US COME BACK TO
THE DAIS. SENATOR CHROBOG, ANY
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FOR THE
AUTHOR. I SEEN THIS BILL A
COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN
HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING
BECAUSE I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO EVERYTHING
THAT YOU SAID, AS FAR AS OPTING
OUT AND INSPECTING THE
MATERIALS. BUT THE PROBLEM LIES
IN THE FACT THAT MANY OF THESE
PARENTS WERE HEARING REPORTS
ACROSS THE STATE WHERE THEY'RE
BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE MAY
HAVE PARENTS THAT MAY BE A
LITTLE OVERZEALOUS. OF COURSE.
AND AS A LATINA MOM, I GET, YOU
KNOW, WHY SOME PARENTS WOULD
FEEL, YOU KNOW, ANGRY. AND I
THINK I JUST WANT TO, FOR THE
RECORD, JUST DISCUSS A LITTLE
BIT OF IT. WHEN WE LOOK AT ANGER
AND I'M SAYING THIS EVERYWHERE
IN MY IN MY DISTRICT AND MY, MY
POOR STAFF IS PROBABLY SICK OF
HEARING IT. BUT THE ROOT OF ALL
ANGER IS FEAR. AND WE HAVE TO
ASK AS TO WHY. YOU KNOW, SOME
PARENTS HAVE SO MUCH FEAR AND
WHAT IS GOING ON. SO, I, I
RESPECT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE,
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FACT
THAT THERE ARE REPORTS ACROSS
THE STATE WHERE PARENTS ARE
BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
VIEW THEM OR MAKING IT VERY
DIFFICULT FOR THEM. SO AS A
STATE LEGISLATURE, WE HAVE TO
KIND OF LOOK AND, AND ASK
OURSELVES, HOW DO WE MAKE THIS A
MORE TRANSPARENT PROCESS IN
WHICH IT CAN BE READILY
ACCESSIBLE FOR PARENTS TO, TO
REVIEW, AND I DON'T, I DON'T
KNOW HOW WE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T
KNOW HOW WE CAN, I HAVEN'T
LOOKED INTO IT. AND THAT'S
PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT
WANT TO LOOK INTO. BUT THE, THE
WHOLE NOTION OF THE COPYRIGHTED,
DISCUSSION, I DON'T I HAVEN'T
LOOKED INTO THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE
TO MAKE THE, THE, THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM A LITTLE BIT MORE
TRANSPARENT, MORE PARENT
FRIENDLY, BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING
THE TRUST OF CALIFORNIAN
FAMILIES. AND THEY'RE EITHER
LEAVING THE STATE OR PULLING
THEIR KIDS OUT. AND WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN
OUR SCHOOLS, WE HAVE TO ASK FOR
WHY IS THAT HAPPENING? AND START
ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. BECAUSE
IT IS A DETRIMENT TO OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. SO HOW
DO WE MAKE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM BETTER FUNCTIONING, MORE
TRANSPARENT, MORE, YOU KNOW,
BUILD THE TRUST, BY CALIFORNIANS
SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. SO
THAT'S, I THINK WHAT WE'RE
SEEING AND WE'RE TRYING TO
MITIGATE WITH THIS PARTICULAR
BILL. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO SUPPORT
THE BILL. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO MOVE
IT WHEN THE APPROPRIATE TIME IS
HERE. THANK YOU. IF YOU WOULDN'T
MIND, I'M SURE YOU WANTED TO
RESPOND IN ANY WAY, BUT TO THIS,
TO THE ASSERTION AROUND
COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS AND THE
USE. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT. AND THAT I'M GOING
TO DEFER TO MY NEW ATTORNEY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOUR PRO BONO
ATTORNEY, OKAY. MR. FRIDAY YEAH.
SO, SO ALL BOOKS, EVERY BOOK
THAT THAT A CHILD IS, IS READING
AT SCHOOL. THEIR TEXTBOOK HAS A
COPYRIGHT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
PARENTS AREN'T ALLOWED TO LOOK
AT THOSE BOOKS. RIGHT I THINK
THE ISSUE STARTING UP IS THE
POSTING OF THOSE MATERIALS ON A
PUBLIC WEBSITE. COPYRIGHT.
COPYRIGHT GOES TO COPYRIGHT GOES
TO WHETHER THE PERSON WHO IS
REVIEWING IT IS THEN REUSED IT
FOR FINANCIAL GAIN. SO IF A
PARENT IS JUST LOOKING AT IT AND
READING IT, THEY ARE NOT
VIOLATING ANY COPYRIGHT, RIGHT?
THE QUESTION IS, IS THE DISTRICT
VIOLATING A COPYRIGHT BY MAKING
IT PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE? BUT
SENATOR WILK, THAT'S REALLY NOT
YOUR GOAL. YOUR GOAL IS SIMPLY
TO MAKE, PARENTS APPRIZED OF
MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS
TO. YEAH, I'VE HAD ANECDOTALLY,
PARENTS COME TO ME AND SAY THAT
THE SCHOOLS WOULD NOT ACCESS IT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT PLATFORM
WE POSTED ON THAT WE WERE DOING
THIS BILL AND MY, MY DMS OR
PRIVATE MESSAGE OR WHATEVER WAS
JUST FILLED WITH PARENTS SAYING,
THIS IS THIS IS A FRUSTRATION
NOW WHEN I SO A COUPLE THINGS.
SO WHEN I HAD KIDS IN SCHOOL, I
WAS KNOWN AS MR. VANESSA WILK
BECAUSE SHE WAS PTA PRESIDENT
FOR THREE YEARS AND I SERVED ON
THE SITE COUNCIL. BUT I KNOW
BACK THEN HOW RUMORS AND GOSSIP
WOULD SPREAD. I GOT TO BELIEVE
IT'S EVEN WORSE NOW. I THINK
THIS BILL DOES TWO THINGS. ONE
IS IT EMPOWERS PARENTS TO BE
ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT
INFORMATION, TO SEE IF IT IS, IN
FACT AGE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR
CHILD. AND TWO, I THINK IT'S
GOING TO ACTUALLY REDUCE, REDUCE
THE HEAT AND, AND JUST REDUCE
THE HEAT AND IT'S GOING TO SAVE
ADMINISTRATORS A TON OF TIME
WITH DEALING IF PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO STIR IT UP. AGAIN,
PRIOR ITERATIONS OF THIS BILL
WAS REQUIRED PARENTS TO OPT IN.
WE'RE NOT DOING THIS. YOU WOULD
HAVE TO OPT OUT. IT WOULD
PROBABLY BE SINGLE DIGITS IS MY
GUESS. BUT A PARENT HAS, YOU
KNOW, HAS A RIGHT, YOU KNOW, TO
MAKE THAT DECISION. AND I'M NOT
DOING THIS BECAUSE I'M A PRUDE.
MY WIFE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS
WAS PART OF A NONPROFIT THAT
TAUGHT HIV, HIV EDUCATION IN THE
SCHOOLS. IN FACT, WE'D BE AT THE
MALL OR AT A SUPERMARKET AND
KIDS WOULD GO, HEY, THERE'S THE
SEX LADY. SO I'M MARRIED TO THE
SEX LADY. SO I'M DEFINITELY I
THINK THEY WERE SAYING, SEXY
LADY. NO, NO, THE SEXY, SEXY
LADY. OKAY. SO I'M DEFINITELY
I'M DEFINITELY NOT A PRUDE, BUT
THIS IS THIS FOR ME STEMS FROM
THE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE BILL
NUMBER WAS CORY JACKSON BILL
LAST YEAR. 1078. YEAH. AND I'M
SITTING ON THE BACK OF THE FLOOR
AND WE'RE LIKE ALL TALKING OVER
EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF HAVING
REAL DIALOG. I THINK THIS IS
REALLY SIMPLE. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE
AGAINST THIS, I FEEL I FEEL LIKE
YOU GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE
BECAUSE YOU JUST PUT IT THERE.
YOU YOU LEGALLY HAVE ACCESS, YOU
LEGALLY HAVE ACCESS TO IT. IT'S
THERE. AND THEN. ALL RIGHT. MR.
I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
RESPOND. THANK YOU. SENATOR.
YEAH, AGAIN, WE DO NOT OPPOSE
TRANSPARENCY. WE'VE ABSOLUTELY
FULLY SUPPORTED IT SOUNDS LIKE
THE ISSUES WITH COPYRIGHT,
BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC
POSTING, IT DOES GO PUBLIC. AND
AS WE'VE SEEN IN OUR EDUCATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT, IT GOES BEYOND THE
COMMUNITY NOWADAYS. SO I
APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WANT TO
GET SOME CLARIFICATION FOR
SENATOR WILK. SO YOU ARE NOT, AS
I UNDERSTAND IT, ADVOCATING OR
COMMITTED TO POSTING THESE
MATERIALS IN TOTAL ON THE
WEBSITE. YOU'RE SIMPLY, AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, YOU WANT TO GIVE
PARENTS AN OPPORTUNITY ON A
PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE A
CHANCE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S
BEING PRESENTED. IS THAT
CORRECT? YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. SO
YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE SORT OF
MINDFUL OF THAT COPYRIGHT
PROBLEM. AND THAT'S THE GOAL IS
NOT SIMPLY TO, TO REPOST. MY
ATTORNEY JUST INFORMED US THERE
IS NO THERE IS NO COPYRIGHT IF
PEOPLE THERE MAY BE OTHER
ATTORNEYS, BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT
USING IT TO TURN A PROFIT.
THERE'S NO INFRINGEMENT. I WANT
BECAUSE I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT
WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND HERE. SO
IS IT A YOU KNOW, IS IT YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE A PUBLICLY NOTICED
MEETING WHERE PARENTS ARE GOING
TO BE INFORMED SO THEY CAN BE
INFORMED SO THEY CAN INSPECT THE
MATERIALS. BUT DOES THAT
INSPECTION INCLUDE ACCESS TO THE
WHOLE OF THE BOOK OR SIMPLY AN
ACCOUNTING OR LISTING OF THESE
ARE THE MATERIALS BECAUSE PEOPLE
COULD THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, OR
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
SCENARIO FOR A SCHOOL PORTAL
THAT'S PROBABLY PASSWORD
PROTECTED THAT PROVIDES SOME
LEVEL OF PROTECTION ON A
COPYRIGHT BASIS. IS THAT WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING, OR DO YOU WANT TO
POST THESE MATERIALS ON THE WEB
SO EVERYBODY CAN READ THEM FROM
COVER TO COVER? I JUST SIMPLY
YOU DO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THERE
MAY IN FACT BE COPYRIGHT ISSUES
THERE. RIGHT. HERE'S HERE'S THE
IF I MAY, HERE'S THE PROBLEM
WITH THE COPYRIGHT ARGUMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, THE PUBLIC IS
PAYING FOR THESE MATERIALS
ALREADY IN THEIR TAXES. SO THESE
ENTITIES THAT CREATE THESE THESE
CURRICULUM ARE PAID, I DON'T
KNOW, $30,000 FOR THE CURRICULA
IF IT IS PUT ON THE WEBSITE AND
THE PARENT IS JUST READING IT
AND THEY ARE NOT REUSING IT,
THERE IS NO COPYRIGHT
INFRINGEMENT. BUT IF ANOTHER
THIRD PARTY COMES IN AND LOOKS
AT, LET'S SAY, HEALTH CONNECTS
CURRICULA AND THEN STEALS FROM
IT, WELL, THEN THERE CAN BE A
LAWSUIT FOR COPYRIGHT AND
THERE'S AN EASY SOLUTION THERE
ACTUALLY. HOLD IT. SO THERE IS A
SOLUTION. YOU HOLD IT AND IT IS
IT IS IN THE BILL. IF THERE IS A
COPYRIGHT ISSUE, THE LÀ WOULD
SET UP A PORTAL FOR PARENTS TO
GO IN TO ACCESS IT. I JUST
MENTIONED THAT, SO. BUT, BUT
THERE'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S SORT
OF TWO TYPES OF MATERIAL, RIGHT?
THERE'S CURRICULA, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S DEVELOPED AND SOLD KIND
OF ON A, ON A, YOU KNOW,
CONTRACT BASIS. AND THEN THERE'S
BOOKS, RIGHT. AND SO THEY'RE
DIFFERENT. SO ON THE ON THE
CURRICULUM SIDE, YOU USUALLY
BUILD INTO THAT LICENSING
AGREEMENT OR THAT SERVICE
AGREEMENT WITH THE CURRICULUM
PROVIDER THAT THEY WOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT THESE THESE
MATERIALS WOULD IN FACT BE
AVAILABLE. RIGHT. SO THAT WOULD
BE PART OF THE DEAL, FOR, FROM
BUT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN
AUTHOR OR PUBLISHER THAT HAS A,
I THINK, A JUSTIFIABLE FEAR OF
CANNIBALIZING THEIR SALES, YOU
HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
RIGHT. AND THIS IS ABOUT
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, A BOOK
THAT'S ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR
BODY KIND OF THING. YEAH NOT
YOUR BODY, PER SE. BODY. YOU
KNOW WHAT? MY BODY. OH YES, MANY
DO. OKAY. SO BUT YOU KNOW, SPEAK
TO THAT BECAUSE I MEAN BECAUSE
THAT'S, THAT IS A, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S I THINK THAT'S A VALID
CONCERN. WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING
THIS ISSUE FOR A DECADE NOW, AND
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS
EVER COME UP. WELL, I WASN'T
SURE THE FIRST. YEAH. SO BUT ALL
RIGHT. BUT ARE YOU OPEN TO
NARROWING AND CLARIFYING? I'M
OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT CREATES
GREATER TRANSPARENCY SO PARENTS
CAN BE INFORMED. AND I'D LOVE TO
HAVE THE WHOLE BITE OF THE APPLE
. BUT IF I ONLY GET A PART OF
PART OF IT, I, YOU KNOW, I'M IN
THE SUPER MINORITY. I, I'M HAPPY
JUST WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SUPER
MISS VIEW, WOULD THAT COME
CLOSER TO SORT OF MEETING YOUR
CONCERNS AROUND COPYRIGHT? I
MEAN, ALL WE'RE REALLY TALKING
ABOUT IS SORT OF EXTENDED
TRANSPARENCY THEN, I MEAN, I, WE
WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOCUS ON THE
COPYRIGHT PIECE AS LONG AS BUT
WE DO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE
PUBLIC POSTING OF IT. OKAY. SO
TO CLARIFY IN IN WHAT SENSE. IN
WHAT SENSE. BECAUSE IT JUST
BRINGS OUT, FURTHER CONTENTION.
WE BELIEVE WE BELIEVE THAT THE
LAW ALREADY PROVIDES THIS
INFORMATION TO PARENTS. AND IF
WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT LEAS DO
NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN
PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO
PARENTS BECAUSE IT'S
COPYRIGHTED. NO, NO, NO, I'M
SORRY TO RUB, BUT THEY COULD
THEY COULD PROVIDE ON A PUBLICLY
ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE. LINKS TO ALL
OF THIS AND A SCREENSHOT OF THE
COVER, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT WITH
WITH NO DAMAGE TO A COPYRIGHT,
RIGHT. NO LIABILITY. BUT YOU
KNOW, SO THAT'S THAT IS
SOMETHING TOTALLY OPEN TO THAT.
YEAH CAN I GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT? WE HAVE TO. WE'D HAVE TO.
I THINK IT'S A GIVEN. RIGHT.
IT'S A GIVEN. SO THE QUESTION TO
SENATOR WILK PRIOR TO YOUR CLOSE
IS, ARE YOU OPEN TO CONTINUE
WORKING ON THIS, TO ADDRESS SOME
OF THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD THIS
FIRST TIME? I'M HEARING FROM
THEM, BUT HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND
DISCUSS. OKAY YOU DO SEEM HAPPY.
OKAY. SENATOR. ANYTHING ELSE,
NO. I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE THAT
THE. I THINK WE'RE ALREADY
DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF
HAVING A PORTAL IF THE THAT'S IN
THE BILL, THAT'S IN THE BILL.
IT'S IN THE BILL. AND I JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT
THAT IT'S ALREADY IN THE BILL. I
APPRECIATE THAT IN THAT ASPECT.
YEP. ALL RIGHT. SO WITH YOUR
COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE WORKING
ON THIS IN WAYS THAT SATISFY
SOME OF THE CONCERNS, BUT WHILE
ALLOWING ADDITIONAL
TRANSPARENCY, FEEL FREE TO CLOSE
. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT
TRANSPARENCY. AND AS SENATOR
CHROBOG SAID, BUILDING BUILDING
TRUST. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU. I
DON'T TRUST ANYBODY ANYMORE.
WOW. I DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE I'M IN IT. I DON'T TRUST
IT. I DON'T TRUST THE MEDIA AND
SCHOOLS IS A IS A SHOULD BE A
SAFE PLACE WHERE THERE IS TRUST
AND EDUCATION GOING ON. PARENTS
HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY
IN THAT AND THEY SHOULD BE
PARTNERS AND NOT ENEMIES. AND I
JUST THINK HAVING TRANSPARENCY
AND ALLOWING PARENTS TO MAKE THE
DECISION FOR WHAT'S AGE
APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR CHILD JUST
IS COMMON SENSE AND GOOD
GOVERNANCE. AND WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
TO BOTH OF YOU. AND WITH THAT,
WE ARE SEEKING ANOTHER AUTHOR. I
GUESS I COULD DO ONE OF ONE OF
MINE. DO YOU DO YOU? I THINK I
APPRECIATE I'M GOING TO DO A
NON-CONTROVERSIAL BILL, AND I'M
GOING TO GIVE THE GAVEL TO MY
COLLEAGUE. WHERE ARE MY BINDERS
?
MADAM CHAIR. YES, SORRY.
WELCOME. SENATOR NEWMAN, YOU'RE
HERE TO PRESENT, SB 1080 1080.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE LESS,
CONVERSATION ONE. OKAY, SO,
MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SB 1080,
WHICH WOULD REQUIRE SCHOOL SITES
TO OFFER CULTURALLY, CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE HALAL OR KOSHER FOOD
OPTIONS AT ANY SCHOOL SITE WHERE
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE
STUDENT BODY ADHERES TO SUCH
PRACTICES. IN RECENT YEARS, AND
ESPECIALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE
INTENSE NEED ILLUMINATED BY THE
PANDEMIC, CALIFORNIA HAS MADE
SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN
ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AND
BARRIERS TO NUTRITION IN ITS
SCHOOLS. IN 2021, AS YOU KNOW,
CALIFORNIA BECAME THE FIRST
STATE IN THE NATION TO
PERMANENTLY PROVIDE FREE SCHOOL
MEALS TO ALL K THROUGH 12
STUDENTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF
HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND WE SHOULD
BE VERY PROUD OF THAT
ACHIEVEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR
STUDENTS WHOSE CREEDS ENTAIL THE
OBSERVANCE OF CERTAIN FOOD
PREPARATION PRACTICES,
CALIFORNIA'S CURRENT SCHOOLS,
SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL PROGRAM
DOES NOT INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR
HALAL OR KOSHER FOOD IN THEIR
EXISTING MEAL PLANS. AS A
CONSEQUENCE, THOUGH, EVERY
STUDENT IS NOW TECHNICALLY
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A FREE
SCHOOL LUNCH REGARDLESS OF
FAMILY INCOME. STUDENTS WHO HAVE
SPECIFIC DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
STILL FIND THEMSELVES LEFT OUT
OF THE PROGRAM. SB 1080 WILL
ENSURE THAT THESE STUDENTS CAN
MEET THEIR RELIGIOUS DIETARY
NEEDS BY REQUIRING QUALIFIED
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL SITES TO OFFER
APPROPRIATE SCHOOL MEAL OPTIONS
CONSISTENT WITH THEIR CULTURAL
PRACTICES. UNDER ITS PROVISIONS,
ANY SCHOOL SITE WHERE THE
STUDENT POPULATION INCLUDES A
SHARE OF 5% OR MORE OF STUDENTS
WHO OBSERVE EITHER HALAL OR
KOSHER DIETARY PRACTICES, WOULD
BE REQUIRED TO OFFER MEALS
CONSISTENT WITH THOSE PRACTICES.
IN SO DOING, SB 1080 WILL
IMPROVE NUTRITIOUS NUTRITION,
REDUCE STIGMA, PROMOTE CULTURAL
UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION,
AND GENERALLY BUILD A MORE
TOLERANT ENVIRONMENT THAT BREAKS
DOWN STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICES.
SB 1080, WHICH WOULD BE THE
FIRST STATEWIDE CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE SCHOOL NUTRITION
PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE
COUNTRY, OFFERING HALAL AND
KOSHER MEALS WILL ALLOW ALL
STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS AND ALLOW
EVERY STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF
RELIGION OR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
, TO FULLY ENGAGE IN SCHOOL AND
FEEL FULLY VALUED. INCLUDED IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES. WITH ME TO
TESTIFY ARE RABBI EVAN RUBIN,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE SACRAMENTO
BOARD OF RABBIS FROM THE
KNESSET, ISRAEL TORAH CENTER.
I'M LOOKING FOR A RABBI. DO WE
HAVE A RABBI IN THE HOUSE,
RABBI. WELCOME, YOU MAY HAVE
MORE THAN ONE, WE MIGHT, WE
MIGHT. AND ALSO WITH US IS ROSA
HAIDARI, A STUDENT FROM LAGUNA
CREEK HIGH SCHOOL IN ELK GROVE
WHO IS MUSLIM AND KEEPS HALAL.
WELCOME. SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOUR
AYE VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, NEWMAN AND RABBI RUBIN,
YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN?
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME ONE MORE
TIME. RABBI EVAN RUBIN,
PRESIDENT OF THE SACRAMENTO
BOARD OF RABBIS, MORNING,
SENATOR. MADAM CHAIR, OTHER
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AS SOMEONE
WHO, THROUGH PART OF MY, SCHOOL
CAREER, WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL
STUDENT AND NOW CURRENTLY HAVING
A DAUGHTER IN SAN JUAN UNIFIED,
I FEEL PARTICULARLY QUALIFIED TO
SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT, IT'S
COMPLICATED. ALTHOUGH
COMPLICATION WE'VE LIVED WITH
FOR ALL OUR LIVES TO NOT BE ABLE
TO RECEIVE SCHOOL LUNCH BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T FIT OUR DIETARY
NEEDS. AND SO, IT'S, REALLY
REFRESHING AND EXCITING, TO BE,
TO HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY, BY
SENATOR NEWMAN'S OFFICE THAT
THIS IS A GOAL IN K-12 SCHOOLS,
APPRECIATING THE FACT THAT THAT
NOT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THIS
AREA, WOULD WOULD RISE TO THE 5%
THAT, IS REQUIRED IN THE BILL, I
ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO
HAVE SOME SORT OF CRITICAL MASS
IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BILL VIABLE
, BUT NONETHELESS, HAVING THE
ABILITY TO NOT HAVE TO WORK
EITHER THE NIGHT BEFORE OR EARLY
IN THE MORNING TO PREPARE LUNCH
AND HAVING SOMETHING THAT IS
AVAILABLE TO BE EATEN ON SITE,
IS A TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGE,
CREATES LESS STRESS IN THE HOME
AND LESS ECONOMIC STRESS IN THE
HOME AS TO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE,
LUNCHES FOR OUR CHILDREN ON A
DAILY BASIS. SO WITH ALL THAT IN
MIND, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. RABBI
RUBIN. WELCOME, MISS HEIDARI.
HEY. THANK YOU. CHAIR, VICE
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
REZA HEIDARI. I'M A STUDENT AND
THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFGHAN
STUDENT ASSOCIATION AND THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE MUSLIM STUDENT
ASSOCIATION AT LAGUNA CREEK HIGH
SCHOOL, AS A STUDENT THAT EATS
ONLY HALAL FOODS, SB 1080 IS
EXTREMELY CRUCIAL AND IMPORTANT.
PERSONALLY THERE HAVE BEEN
VARIOUS TIMES WHERE AT SCHOOL I
HAD TO SKIP OUT ON EATING LUNCH
BECAUSE BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE
LUNCH LINE, EVERYTHING THAT I
COULD EAT WAS OUT. THUS,
OFFERING HALAL FOODS IS
SIGNIFICANT TO ENSURE RESPECT
FOR THE DIETARY NEEDS FOR MUSLIM
STUDENTS. IT CREATES AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL STUDENTS
FEEL VALUED, BUT ALSO PROMOTES
AND CELEBRATES THEIR RELIGIOUS
DIVERSITY IN OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, FOSTERING A SENSE OF
BELONGING AND EQUALITY.
ADDITIONALLY, PROVIDING OPTIONS
ENCOURAGES HEALTHY EATING HABITS
AND ACCOMMODATES STUDENTS NEEDS
CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR OVERALL
WELL-BEING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
PROVIDING HALAL OPTIONS SCHOOL
DEMONSTRATE RESPECT FOR STUDENTS
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND ENSURE
THAT THEY ARE THEY THAT THEY CAN
PRACTICE THEIR FAITH WHILE
PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES, THUS UPHOLDING THEIR
PRINCIPLES OF THE RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM OUTLINED IN THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. I REQUEST I REQUEST
THE COMMITTEE. JUST VOTE AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE AND TESTIFYING. NOW
WE WILL PROCEED WITH ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF 1080. IS
THE ME TO YOUR NAME AND
ORGANIZATION AND YOUR SUPPORT?
YEAH. GOOD MORNING, SAM NASH, ON
BEHALF OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
OFFICE OF EDUCATION, SUPPORT.
GOOD MORNING, GABBY DAVIDSON
WITH THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
OF FOOD BANKS AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT
SEEING NONE, WE'RE NOW GOING TO
PROCEED WITH OUR WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL. NHIÀU
LEAD OPPOSITION. ANY WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION, IN THE ROOM. THE.
ME TOO. SEEING NONE. WE'LL BRING
IT BACK TO THE DAIS. ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? JUST
HAPPY TO MOVE THE BILL. OH,
YEAH. WE KNOW WE STILL DON'T
HAVE. WE DON'T HAVE A SOMEDAY
WE'LL HAVE ONE SOON WHEN
APPROPRIATE. AND THANK THE
SENATOR FOR BRINGING THE BILL
FORWARD. THANK YOU. I DID ALL
THAT. AND SENATOR NEWMAN, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? YES SO THANK
YOU TO MY TWO WITNESSES. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. BUT MISS
HEIDARI WELL DONE. AND IT'S IT
IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE A YOUNG
PERSON COME AND ADVOCATE TO YOUR
GOVERNMENT. I'M GLAD TO HAVE
BROUGHT THIS BILL, WE SHOULD BE
VERY PROUD OF OFFERING SCHOOL
LUNCHES TO ALL STUDENTS, BUT THE
EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON ALL AND SO
THERE ARE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER
OF STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA
SCHOOLS WHO PRACTICE EITHER
HALAL OR KOSHER DIETARY
PRACTICES. THEY SHOULD BE
INCLUDED. WE'VE WE'VE ENDEAVORED
TO CREATE A THRESHOLD AT 5% THAT
WE THINK TO THE RABBI'S POINT
CONSTITUTES CRITICAL MASS.
THERE. THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES
AROUND THIS. WE'RE GLAD TO KEEP
WORKING ON IT, BUT I THINK THE
GOAL IS EMINENTLY DESIRABLE. I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
EVERYBODY TO GET THAT DONE. AND
I REQUEST WE ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN, AND WE'LL PLACE THAT
BILL ON HOLD FOR, UNTIL WE HAVE
A QUORUM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I GUESS I'LL JUST PROCEED THEN.
SENATOR NORTH, I ASK TWO MORE.
OH, DOES HE WANT TO? HE HAS TWO
MORE. OKAY WE COULD DO THAT,
TOO. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
AUTHORS IN THE ROOM THAT WE'RE
NOT SEEING? OKAY, I GUESS, ARE
YOU GOING TO GO AGAINST. OKAY.
LET'S DO. LET ME SEE. OKAY. SO
WHICH ONE? NUMBER NINE. SEVEN.
SEVEN. NUMBER NINE. SO WELCOME
AGAIN, SENATOR NEWMAN. YOU'RE
PRESENTING SB 1171. AND THANK
YOU AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR. AND
AGAIN, APOLOGIES, TO EVERYBODY
HERE TODAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A
QUORUM OR SORT OF A BETTER
PATHWAY TO GETTING THIS DONE IN
A PRODUCTIVE WAY, BUT HAVING
SAID THAT, I'M GLAD TO PRESENT
THE SB 1171, WHICH WOULD AFFORD
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY'S ADVANCED
ACADEMIC CURRICULUM THE SAME
STANDING IN THE CALIFORNIA
EDUCATION CODE AS OTHER
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
PROVIDERS OF ADVANCED ACADEMIC
PROGRAMS FOR K-12 SCHOOLS.
CAMBRIDGE IS A GLOBALLY
RECOGNIZED, WORLD RENOWNED
COLLEGE PREPARATION PROVIDER
PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE AND
ADAPTABLE K-12 EDUCATIONAL
FRAMEWORK KNOWN AS THE CAMBRIDGE
PATHWAY FOR SCHOOLS EMPLOYING
IT. THE CAMBRIDGE PATHWAY BEGINS
IN THE EARLY GRADES, AND AS YOU
MOVE INTO MIDDLE AND HIGH
SCHOOL, STUDENTS RECEIVE LESSONS
IN CRITICAL THINKING, PRACTICAL
SKILLS, AND A MASTERY OF
KNOWLEDGE IN OVER 50 SUBJECT
AREAS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT STUDENTS WHO
MATRICULATE AFTER TAKING
CAMBRIDGE PROGRAMS IN HIGH
SCHOOL ARE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL
PREPARED FOR MAKING THE
TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO
COLLEGE AND FOR THE RIGORS OF
COLLEGE COURSEWORK, AND FOR
SUCCEEDING IN COLLEGE AND
BEYOND. THE CAMBRIDGE
INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM IS HIGHLY
REGARDED BOTH ACROSS THE UNITED
STATES AND GLOBALLY, AND IN
THOSE JURISDICTIONS.
PARTICIPATING STUDENTS RECEIVE
RECOGNITION, PLACEMENT, OR
CREDIT FOR AS OR A LEVEL EXAMS.
THE CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL
PROGRAM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN
FIVE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, TWO OF WHICH ARE IN
MY SENATE DISTRICT FULLERTON
JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT, MONTEBELLO AND
MONTEBELLO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, INGLEWOOD UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT, PLACENTIA-YORBA
LINDA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT,
AND CANYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
DISTRICT AS CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
DISTRICT AS AS DISTRICTS IN
CALIFORNIA THAT PARTICIPATE IN
CAMBRIDGE CONTINUE TO EXPAND,
THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDABLE
INTEREST IN AFFORDING IT. THE
SAME RECOGNITION AND CREDIT THAT
TWO SIMILAR PROGRAMS WHICH DO
THOSE ARE THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT
OR AP PROGRAM, ABOUT WHICH MOST
OF US ARE FAMILIAR, AND THE
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
PROGRAM AS WELL. HOWEVER, THOUGH
CALIFORNIA'S HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS HAVE WIDELY
ACKNOWLEDGED THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL
SYSTEM IN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR
POST-SECONDARY STUDIES, THE
PROGRAM DOES NOT CURRENTLY ENJOY
THE SAME INCENTIVES OR STATUTORY
RECOGNITION IN CALIFORNIA AS THE
AP AND IB PROGRAMS. THIS
DISCREPANCY PLACES SCHOOLS AND
STUDENTS WHO HAVE EMBRACED THIS
DEMANDING AND REWARDING
EDUCATION PROGRAM AT A
DISADVANTAGE. SB 1171 ADDRESSES
THIS SHORTCOMING, AND AS THE
CAMBRIDGE PROGRAM TO THE
RELEVANT SECTIONS OF
CALIFORNIA'S ED CODE, WHICH
SPECIFICALLY REFERENCED ADVANCED
PLACEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE, THEREBY EXTENDING
THE BENEFITS OF THIS RIGOROUS
AND PROVEN CURRICULUM TO THE
SCHOOLS WHICH CURRENTLY OFFER
IT, AS WELL AS TO OTHERS WHO
MIGHT ALSO BENEFIT FROM IT
MOVING FORWARD. NOTHING IN THIS
BILL WILL INHIBIT OR DISCOURAGE
SCHOOLS FROM WORKING WITH OTHER
PROVIDERS IN THIS SPACE. NOR
WILL IT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE
ADMISSION OR CREDIT POLICIES OF
THE STATE'S COLLEGES OR
UNIVERSITIES. WITH ME TO TESTIFY
ARE STEVE MCLAUGHLIN,
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE FULLERTON
JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT, AND WILL MINSTER
PRINCIPAL AT TROY HIGH SCHOOL IN
FULLERTON. AND IN ADDITION, WE
HAVE SHERRY REACH HERE TO ASK
ANY ANSWER, ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS ON THE CAMBRIDGE
ASSESSMENT PROCESS. I AM
RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR AN AYE
VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN, AND WELCOME TO OUR
WITNESSES, MR. MCCLELLAN, MR.
MCLAUGHLIN AND MR. MINSTER, I'LL
GO AHEAD AND START. GOOD MORNING
. THANK YOU, SENATOR NEWMAN.
MADAM CHAIR, MY NAME IS STEVE
MCLAUGHLIN. PROUD SUPERINTENDENT
OF FULLERTON JOINT UNION HIGH
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT OF
THIS LEGISLATION, JUST A POINT
OF REFERENCE. FULLERTON JOINT
UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
13,000 STUDENTS, APPROXIMATELY,
SERVING THE CITIES OF LA HABRA,
FULLERTON, BUENA PARK, AND, AND
FULLERTON, BUENA PARK, LA HABRA,
AND A SMALL SLICE OF LOS
ANGELES. WE ALSO HAVE FOUR
FEEDER DISTRICTS WITH
APPROXIMATELY 33,000 PRE-K EIGHT
STUDENTS THAT WILL FEED INTO OUR
DISTRICT, OVERALL, OUR
PHILOSOPHY IN OUR DISTRICT FOR
DECADES HAS BEEN TO SEEK OUT
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO EXPAND
OFFERINGS FOR ALL OF OUR
STUDENTS. WE HAVE EXPANSIVE CTE,
ROP, WE HAVE LOCAL AND STATE
AWARD WINNING VPA PROGRAMS AND
ACCESS TO THE MOST RIGOROUS
COURSES AVAILABLE. AND SO FIVE
YEARS AGO, WHEN DOCTOR MINSTER
AND HIS TEAM AT TROY HIGH
SCHOOL, BROUGHT A CAMBRIDGE TO
OUR DISTRICT, WE FELT IT WAS A
NATURAL EXTENSION OF OUR OVERALL
DISTRICT VISION. THIS PROVIDES A
UNIQUE AND DISTINCT PATHWAY
UNDER DOCTOR MINSTER'S
LEADERSHIP. HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED AT TROY
HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'RE GETTING
READY TO GRADUATE OUR FIRST
GROUP OF CAMBRIDGE STUDENTS THIS
YEAR. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT. WE BELIEVE THIS WILL
CODIFY THE WORK THAT WE ARE
CURRENTLY DOING, AND WE SEE THIS
AS AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE
STATE AS DISTRICTS LOOK TO
ADVANCE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND
PROVIDE THE MOST RIGOROUS
CURRICULUM AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LEARN
AND GROW, BOTH LOCALLY,
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THEN
INTERNATIONALLY. AND GLOBALLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU, MR. MCLAUGHLIN. MISTER. MR.
MISTER. MR. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. THANK YOU. SEN. NEWMAN,
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
TROY HIGH SCHOOL IS A
COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL WITH A
MAGNET PROGRAM THAT SERVES ABOUT
70% OF THE STUDENTS, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BE IN A MAGNET PROGRAM,
THOUGH, TO TAKE THE EITHER AP OR
THE CAMBRIDGE OR IB. WE HAVE
OVER 2500 STUDENTS, ALMOST 2600
STUDENTS. THEY COME FROM ABOUT
125 DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOLS
FROM FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES SAN
BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE, ORANGE
AND LA. AND WE HAVE AT OUR
SCHOOL RIGHT NOW 39% FREE AND
REDUCED LUNCH OR
SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED,
ABOUT 4.5% ELL ENGLISH LEARNERS
AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ABOUT 6.8.
WE ARE A WELL KNOWN, HIGHLY
DECORATED SCHOOL. WE HAVE
NUMEROUS DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL
AWARDS, THE MOST RECENT IN 2021,
A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON. WE'RE
OFTEN RANKED IN THE TOP SCHOOLS
IN STATE IN THE NATION. I THINK
WE'RE LIKE NUMBER 28 IN THE
NATION RIGHT NOW. ON ONE OF THE
RANKING ENTITIES. NUMBER TWO IN
CALIFORNIA, ALSO, NUMBER 28 IN
CALIFORNIA, DEPENDING ON ANOTHER
RANKING ENTITY. BUT WE'RE WE'RE
A STRONG SCHOOL ACADEMICALLY. WE
OFFER A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
STUDENTS TO BE ENGAGED, WE HAVE
HAD ÁP AT OUR SCHOOL FROM THE
GET GO. WHEN THE SCHOOL BEGAN
BACK IN IN THE 1960S, WE BROUGHT
IN IB IN 1986, ALONG THE SAME
TIME, WE BROUGHT IN TROY TECH.
AND THEN FIVE YEARS AGO, WE
LEARNED OF CAMBRIDGE WHEN WE SAW
ON THE COMMON APP SOMETHING
CALLED ACE. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
IT WAS. SO WE DID SOME RESEARCH
AND WE LINKED IT AND UNDERSTOOD
IT. IT WAS CAMBRIDGE. AND THEN
WE SAW THE A LEVELS AND WE KNEW
WHAT A LEVELS WERE AND MANY IN
OUR COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT A LEVELS
ARE. ALSO PARENTS WHO'VE BEEN
THROUGH THAT SYSTEM IN OTHER
COUNTRIES. AND SO WE RESEARCHED
IT. WE SAW THAT IT WAS A GOOD
FIT FOR US. IT GAVE OUR STUDENTS
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO
WE BROUGHT IT IN WITH OUR FIRST
YEAR OF ACTUALLY TEACHING IT IN
2021. AND SO THAT WAS YEAR ONE.
WE GOT TO 21, 22. THAT WAS THE
FIRST YEAR ANY STUDENTS TESTED
AS SOPHOMORES AND THEN EVERY
YEAR THE NUMBER OF KIDS TESTING
HAS GONE UP. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW ACROSS THESE THREE
DIFFERENT, HIGH LEVEL PROGRAMS
THAT DO RECEIVE A COLLEGE CREDIT
AND ARE ANOTHER MEANS OF
STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY
WHAT THEY KNOW BEYOND JUST A
LETTER GRADE. THIS YEAR WE'RE
GOING TO GIVE AN ADVANCED
PLACEMENT. WE HAVE 1452 STUDENTS
TAKING 3774 TESTS. INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE WE HAVE 70
STUDENTS TAKING 212 TESTS. AND
IN CAMBRIDGE AND AS AND A-LEVEL
EXAMS, WE HAVE 169 STUDENTS
TAKING 306 TESTS. WE WILL HAVE
IN TERMS OF INTERNATIONAL
DIPLOMAS, 38 INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA GRADUATES,
THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY
THIS YEAR WITH THE SENIORS IN
CAMBRIDGE. WE HAVE 40, ACE
DIPLOMA GRADUATES. SO IT'S A
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR
STUDENTS. IT SERVES ALL STUDENTS
AGAIN WITHIN ÁP, 15% OF THE
STUDENTS ARE FREE AND REDUCED
LUNCH WITH AN IB, ABOUT 11% ARE
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH AND WITH
CAMBRIDGE, 10% ARE FREE AND
REDUCED LUNCH. SO IT'S SOMETHING
THAT'S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S ANOTHER THING THAT THEY CAN
PUT ON THEIR COLLEGE
APPLICATIONS AND IN THEIR
TRANSCRIPTS IT SAYS THEY ARE
READY FOR COLLEGE. THEY ARE
READY TO BE, FOR THAT NEXT LEVEL
FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER. SO
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. YOU WERE
RIGHT ABOUT I MEAN, TO CLOSE,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR
TESTIMONIES. NOW, WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE WITH ANY WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT OF 1171 HERE IN ROOM
2100. MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS. KEVIN
GORDON AND I'M REPRESENTING THE
MONTEBELLO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THE
INGLEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOTH
IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL. BOTH
HAVE PROGRAMS RUNNING AND VERY,
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE
ACCESSIBILITY, BOTH CULTURALLY
AND LINGUISTICALLY, TO HIRE
ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT
THIS OFFERS. SO WE URGE YOUR
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT HERRIMAN 2100. AARON
FRIDAY, ATTORNEY AND I SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. YOU HAVE ONE MORE.
RETIRED RETIRED TEACHER WHO'S
CONCERNED THAT CALIFORNIA IS
48TH IN THE NATION. I'M IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. CARA MARQUIS
, YOLO COUNTY I AM IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT,
WE'LL NOW CONTINUE WITH ANY LEAD
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO SB
1171 HAVING NONE. WE'LL NOW
CONTINUE TO ANY OTHER ME TWOS,
IN OPPOSITION TO SB 1171 HERE IN
ROOM 2100. SEEING NONE, WE'LL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. YES
THERE'S NOTHING HERE, I'M IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES. I, I, I
RESPECT OPTIONS AND CHOICES AND
FOR STUDENTS AS WE KNOW, WE'RE
ALL VERY UNIQUE. UNIQUE
INTEREST. AND I THINK THE MORE
OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, I THINK,
OVERALL, IT BENEFITS OUR
STUDENTS AND OUR WORKFORCE, OUR
FUTURE WORKFORCE. SO I'M IN FULL
SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY. AND, SENATOR NEWMAN,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? YES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO BOTH OF
MY WITNESSES. LET ME BRAG ON
BEHALF OF ONE OF MY HIGH
SCHOOLS. TROY HIGH SCHOOL IS THE
PRINCIPAL WAS MODEST. NOT TO
MENTION IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
DECORATED HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE
COUNTRY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.
AND SO I THINK IN, PRINCIPAL
MINSTER IN THE DISTRICT, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD
VALIDATOR FOR THE QUALITY OF
THIS PROGRAM. I WANT TO PUT ON
THE RECORD, THOUGH, YOU KNOW,
THIS OBVIOUSLY IS AN ADDITION TO
THE EXISTING TWO PROGRAMS THAT
ARE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED. WE ARE
WORKING DELIBERATELY WITH BOTH
OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
COLLEGE BOARD, TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ALIGN THESE PROGRAMS IN A WAY
THAT DOESN'T DISADVANTAGE
ANYBODY, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO
DO SO. BUT THIS IS, TO THE
POINTS MADE HAVE MADE. THIS IS A
WONDERFUL PROGRAM. THIS IS
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY'S PROGRAM,
VERY RIGOROUS, PROVEN, AND WILL
MAKE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO
CALIFORNIA'S HIGH SCHOOL
CURRICULUM. I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. SO
WE'LL PLACE THE BILL ON HOLD FOR
THE OTHER MEMBERS TO ARRIVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, SENATOR NEWMAN AND
YOU ARE HERE TO PRESENT SB 1263
1263, I'M REMINDED I'M FROM A
SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK,
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, AND
APPARENTLY THE BAND, THE POLICE,
WHEN THEY FIRST WENT ON TOUR,
PLAYED A WHOLE TOUR. AND THEY
CAME TO MY TOWN AND NOBODY
SHOWED UP, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
THEY WERE MISSING. THIS FEELS A
LITTLE LIKE THAT. SO, I AM
PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT SB 1263, WHICH WOULD
ELIMINATE THE EXISTING
REQUIREMENT FOR TEACHER
CANDIDATES IN CALIFORNIA TO
UNDERGO A FORMAL TEACHER
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT, ALSO
REFERRED TO AS ATPA. CURRENTLY,
AS A CONDITION BEING AWARDED A
PRELIMINARY TEACHING CREDENTIAL,
ALL TEACHER CANDIDATES IN
CALIFORNIA ARE REQUIRED TO
FULFILL A SERIES OF
REQUIREMENTS. THESE INCLUDE
SUBJECT MATTER PROFICIENCY,
TEACHER PREPARATION, COURSE
REQUIREMENTS, READING
INSTRUCTION COMPETENCY, SIX 600
HOURS OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, AND
THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A
TEACHER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT.
ON TOP OF ALL THOSE OTHER
REQUIREMENTS, AND AGAINST ALL OF
THE OTHER STRESSES WHICH
ASPIRING TEACHERS ARE FORCED TO
NAVIGATE IN THIS VERY EXPENSIVE,
VERY COMPLICATED STATE, THE TPPA
HAS BECOME BOTH UNDULY ONEROUS
AND ESSENTIALLY REDUNDANT.
MOREOVER THE DEMANDS IT PLACES
UPON TEACHING CANDIDATES HAVE
THE NET IMPACT OF DETRACTING ON
APPLYING THE CONCEPTS AND SKILLS
OF TEACHER PREPARATION
COURSEWORK DONE IN REAL
CLASSROOMS AND OVERSEEN. EXCUSE
ME BY MENTOR TEACHERS DURING
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE.
DESPITE ITS WELL-INTENTIONED
PURPOSE, THE DEMANDS ASSOCIATED
WITH PREPARING FOR THE TPA HAVE
ACTUALLY HAD THE PERVERSE IMPACT
OF REDUCING THE OVERALL QUALITY
OF TEACHER PREPARATION BY
UNDERMINING THE CAPACITY OF
TEACHER CANDIDATES TO FOCUS ON
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, WHICH IS
THEIR CLINICAL PRACTICE. DESPITE
ALL OF THE GOOD INTENTIONS
BEHIND IT, THE TPA MAY MAY IN
FACT BE DISPROPORTIONATELY
DISCOURAGING. TEACHERS OF COLOR
AND THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO THE
RECENT TREND OF CONTINUED
REDUCTION IN DIVERSITY WITHIN
THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN
CALIFORNIA, RECENT STUDIES HAVE
SHOWN THAT ASPIRING TEACHERS OF
COLOR PERCEIVE THE CURRENT
TEACHER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
SYSTEM AS RACIALLY BIASED, AND
FEEL THAT ITS DEMANDS POSE A
MAJOR BARRIER TO COMPLETING THE
CREDENTIAL AND ENTERING THE
TEACHING PROFESSION. IT'S BY NOW
WELL KNOWN THAT CALIFORNIA HAS
AN ONGOING TEACHER SHORTAGE,
THAT IT NEEDS TO DEVELOP. PLANS
TO ADDRESS FOR THE 20 2324
SCHOOL YEAR, COUNTIES REPORTED
THAT NEARLY 25,000 TEACHERS WERE
NEEDED TO FILL NEW OR VACATED
POSITIONS. THE 2022 2023
COMMISSION ON TEACHER
CREDENTIALING REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE NOTES THAT THE
NUMBER OF NEW CREDENTIALS ISSUED
WERE THE LOWEST IN THE HISTORY
OF THAT REPORT, ONE OF MANY
CLEAR INDICATIONS THAT THE
CURRENT EDUCATOR PIPELINE IS
INSUFFICIENT TO MEET FORECASTED
DEMAND FOR TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY
AGAINST THE AGING OF THE CURRENT
EDUCATED WORKFORCE AND THE STEEP
RISE IN ATTRITION, WHICH WE SAW
IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC. IN
LIGHT OF THOSE FACTS AND
CONSIDERING THE BROADER
CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH
EXPANDING AND IMPROVING
CALIFORNIA'S EDUCATED WORKFORCE,
PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO
DIVERSITY, THE DISCONTINUANCE OF
THE TPA IS PROVIDED FOR BY SB
1263. MAKES GOOD SENSE. THIS
WOULD BE A CHANGE THAT WOULD BE
MORE THAN OFFSET BY A RENEWED
EMPHASIS ON THE VALUE OF
CLINICAL PRACTICE. SUCH A CHANGE
WILL ULTIMATELY SUPPORT THE
GROWTH OF A BETTER PREPARED,
MORE DIVERSE TEACHING WORKFORCE
HERE, WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT OF SB 1263 IS DOCTOR
MANDY REDFERN FROM THE
CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
AND DOCTOR NICK HENNING FROM THE
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION.
I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR
YOUR VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, WELCOME. PLEASE STATE
YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION
YOU'RE REPRESENTING AND PROCEED
WHEN YOU'RE READY. GOOD MORNING,
MANDY REDFERN AND I AM IN
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. MY NAME IS
DOCTOR MANDY REDFERN, AND I AM
THE ELECTED CHAIR OF CTA'S
CREDENTIALS AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT STATE COUNSEL
COMMITTEE. OVER THE PAST 20
YEARS, THE TPA OR THE TEACHER
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT HAS
EVOLVED INTO A HIGH STAKES TIME
CONSUMING, COSTLY BARRIER FOR
ASPIRING TEACHERS. THE CURRENT
ITERATION OF THE TPA HAS BEEN
PROVEN TO BE INEFFECTIVE AT
PREPARING EDUCATORS FOR THE
REALITIES OF THE CLASSROOM. THE
CTC'S DATA SHOWS THAT TPA'S
DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM ASPIRING
BIPOC EDUCATORS, CREATING AN
UNNECESSARY BARRIER TO A MORE
DIVERSE EDUCATOR WORKFORCE. AND
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION
TO AN EXAMPLE FROM THE CARE ED
CFA LETTER THAT LOOKS AT THAT
DATA FROM THE CTC FROM 2018 TO
2023. THE EDTPA VÀ. THE AVERAGE
PASS RATE FOR ALL CANDIDATES IS
74.72, WHILE THE AVERAGE PASS
RATE FOR BLACK CANDIDATES IS
59.63% AND THEN, RESPECTIVELY IN
THE CAL TPA, THE AVERAGE PASS
RATE FOR BLACK TEST TAKERS WAS
66, COMPARED TO 77% OF AN
OVERALL PASS RATE. THE CTC'S
ANNUAL TEACHER SUPPLY REPORT
FROM 2223, RELEASED LAST WEEK,
AND THE DATA HERE IS CONCERNING
THE FEWEST NUMBER OF CREDENTIAL
CANDIDATES WERE ISSUED IN OVER
25 YEARS. THERE'S ALSO AN 11.7%
DECREASE OF NEW CANDIDATES
ENTERING INTO CREDENTIAL
PROGRAMS. CTA SURVEY OF MORE
THAN 1200 CURRENT EDUCATORS WHO
PASSED THE TPA FOUND THAT 78% OF
TEACHERS SURVEYED SAID THE TPA
DID NOT PREPARE THEM TO MEET
STUDENTS NEEDS. 81% BELIEVE THAT
TPA SHOULD BE ELIMINATED AND 89%
RESPONDED THAT THE TPA HAD A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR
PERSONAL LIVES. AND HERE'S ONE
SUCH EXAMPLE. THIS PERSON SAID
THE TPA COSTS SO MUCH ADDITIONAL
STRESS AND ANXIETY THAT I HAD TO
RECONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT I
TRULY WANTED TO PURSUE THE
PROFESSION. IT DROVE AWAY MY
PASSION FOR EDUCATION, AND I
EVENTUALLY HAD TO SEEK MENTAL
HEALTH CARE. IN LESS THAN TWO
WEEKS, 1500 PASSIONATE EDUCATORS
HAVE SENT LETTERS CALLING FOR AN
END TO THE TPA. CTA FULLY
SUPPORTS THE HIGH QUALITY
PROGRAM STANDARDS AND THE
REVISED TEACHING PERFORMANCE
EXPECTATIONS THAT SB 488 BROUGHT
TO THE PROFESSION. THESE
STANDARDS EFFECTIVELY IMPROVE
TEACHER PREPARATION THROUGH
COURSEWORK. CLINICAL PRACTICE
CTA IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH
THE CTC TO ENSURE ALL TEACHER
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS,
INCLUDING THE LITERACY. TPS ARE
EFFECTIVELY MEASURED THROUGH
CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND THE
INDUCTION PROGRAM. TPA'S
UNNECESSARILY HARM OUR TEACHER
CANDIDATES. OUR STATE SHOULD BE
FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING CANDIDATES
WITH LEARNING ACTIVITIES
EMBEDDED IN THEIR TEACHER
PREPARATION PROGRAMS THAT
UNEQUIVOCALLY BENEFIT THEIR
DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPERTISE
THEY NEED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU, DOCTOR REDFERN. HI SO MY
NAME IS DOCTOR NICK HENNING, AND
I'M A PROFESSOR OF SECONDARY
EDUCATION AT CAL STATE FULLERTON
. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
BOTH THE CALIFORNIA FACULTY
ASSOCIATION'S TEACHER EDUCATION
CAUCUS, OF WHICH I AM A TRY
CHAIR, AND CARE ED, WHICH IS A
COLLABORATIVE OF SCHOLARS WHO
COLLECT RESEARCH ON TOPICS LIKE
THESE IN SUPPORT OF SB 1263,
WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, WOULD
ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR
TEACHER CANDIDATES IN CALIFORNIA
TO UNDERGO A TEACHER PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT OR TPA. I AM ALSO
HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY
STUDENTS PAST, PRESENT AND
FUTURE WHO I PROMISED I WOULD
SHARE THEIR STORIES AS WELL AS
MINE. I'VE BEEN A UNIVERSITY
BASED TEACHER EDUCATOR IN
CALIFORNIA FOR 23 YEARS AT UCLA,
CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY,
AND CAL STATE FULLERTON FOR THE
LAST 15 YEARS AND FOR ALMOST ALL
THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
SCORING OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF
TPAS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY
CALIFORNIA FOR HUNDREDS OF
CANDIDATES FROM THE BEGINNING,
WHEN IT WAS JUST A PILOT AND IN
AND INCONSEQUENTIAL NOT
INCONSEQUENTIAL
NON-CONSEQUENTIAL UNTIL NOW THAT
IS IN ITS OFFICIAL AND HIGH
STAKES FORM TODAY, THE RESEARCH
IS CLEARER THAN EVER. HIGH
STAKES TPAS DO NOT IMPROVE
EDUCATION FOR K THROUGH 12
STUDENTS OR FOR THEIR TEACHERS.
INSTEAD, THEY WIDEN LONG
STANDING INEQUITIES, PLACE
UNNECESSARY AND DEMORALIZING
BURDENS ON TEACHER CANDIDATES
AND THOSE THAT SUPPORT AND TRAIN
THEM AND UNNECESSARILY DUPLICATE
BOTH INFORMAL AND FORMAL
ASSESSMENTS. ALREADY AN OFFICIAL
PART OF AN ACCREDITED TEACHER
PREPARATION PROGRAMS, MY OWN
EXPERIENCES IN SCHOLARSHIP
CONFIRM THIS. NOW, YOU MAY ASK
IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TPAS,
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? WELL,
CALIFORNIA ALREADY HAS VERY
RIGOROUS STANDARDS CALLED THE
TEACHER PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
. IT'S DIFFERENT FROM TPA.
THEY'RE CALLED TPS. JUST TO
CLARIFY THAT NOW INCLUSIVE OF
THE NEW LITERACY TPA, WHICH IS
OUR SEVENTH SET OF TPS, WHICH
ALL PROGRAMS AT THIS MOMENT,
INCLUDING MY OWN, ARE RESPONDING
TO AND IMPLEMENTING IN THEIR
PROGRAMS, IF NOT RIGHT NOW, FOR
SURE BY NEXT YEAR WHEN IT'S
REQUIRED AND ALSO HAS A THOROUGH
AND DEMANDING ACCREDITATION
PROCESS THAT EVALUATES WHETHER A
PROGRAM'S CANDIDATES ARE MEETING
THOSE STANDARDS. AS PART OF THAT
PROCESS, CREDENTIALING REQUIRES
EXTENSIVE A CONTINUOUS
ASSESSMENT OF CANDIDATES ENDING
THE TPA MANDATE DOES NOT MEAN
THAT OUR CLASSROOMS WILL
SUDDENLY BE FLOODED WITH
UNTRAINED, INCAPABLE NOVICE
TEACHERS. TO BECOME A TEACHER IN
CALIFORNIA, CANDIDATES MUST
COMPLETE AN UNPAID
POST-BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM OF
STUDY, INCLUDING A MINIMUM OF
600 HOURS OF STUDENT TEACHING
WITH DAILY OBSERVATIONS BY
MENTOR TEACHERS AND REGULAR
OBSERVATIONS BY UNIVERSITY
SUPERVISORS. COURSES THAT THEY
TAKE MUST DOCUMENT HOW THEY
ADDRESS THE TBIS, AND DURING
STUDENT TEACHING, CANDIDATES ARE
FORMALLY EVALUATED MULTIPLE
TIMES REGARDING THESE TPS
PROFESSORS LIKE ME. SUPERVISORS
AND CREDENTIALED MENTORS ARE ALL
INVOLVED IN EVALUATING
CANDIDATES. A TPA IS SIMPLY
UNNECESSARY, SO PLEASE END THE
MANDATED USE OF TPAS IN
CALIFORNIA'S TEACHER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS. SUPPORT OUR
INSTITUTIONS IN DEVELOPING AND
IMPLEMENTING THEIR OWN MORE
HOLISTIC ASSESSMENTS. AND PLEASE
REAFFIRM, REAFFIRM CALIFORNIA'S
COMMITMENT TO AND TRUST IN HIGH
STANDARDS AND A RIGOROUS
ACCREDITATION PROCESS. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. SO WE WANT TO THANK BOTH
OF OUR WITNESSES FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. WE'LL NOW OPEN IT UP TO
ANY WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF SB
1263. IN ROOM 2000, 100. STEVE
TRIMBLE, VALVERDE TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT
OF THIS PROPOSITION, THIS BILL.
RENE PENA MERCED CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT SPECIAL EDUCATOR IN
SUPPORT RENATA SANCHEZ,
NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED
TEACHER, TEACHER, MENTOR AND TPA
SCORER IN SUPPORT. JENNIFER
LAFFERTY, FIRST GRADE TEACHER IN
FREMONT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN SUPPORT. HI. YOLANDA MUNOZ IN
SUPPORT. PASADENA UNIFIED THIRD
GRADE TEACHER AND MENTOR, LEAD
INDUCTION TEACHER JOANNE
JOHNSON, GLENDORA UNIFIED
VIRTUAL EDUCATOR IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. I'M ALSO A MENTOR,
TEACHER. LENORA GERBER, THIRD
GRADE TEACHER, SALIDA UNION
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT AARON
GITHENS, ORANGE COUNTY TEACHER
OF FIFTH GRADE, RECENT TPA TAKER
IN SUPPORT. ADRIAN MIOTTI IRVINE
UNIFIED TEACHER, RECENT TPA
TAKER IN SUPPORT ELIZABETH
PHILIP ELIZABETH PHILLIPS,
MERCED UNITED HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT, HIGH SCHOOL ART
TEACHER AND RECENT TPA TAKER.
MORNING MITCH STEIGER WITH CFT
ALSO IN SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING,
MAGALI, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT.
KIMBERLY ROSENBERGER WITH
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL
UNION IN SUPPORT SÐNG LARA WITH
THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. SAM
NASHER, WITH THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION IN
SUPPORT. LAURA BOWLING,
RIVERSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT SECOND GRADE TEACHER IN
SUPPORT. MICHELLE PEARSON,
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
TEACHER, ELK GROVE UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT, CURRENT MENTOR,
TEACHER IN SUPPORT. MONIQUE
BARRETT, SAN DIEGO EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHER IN SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, BARRETT SNYDER, SMALL
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION IN
SUPPORT. THANKS GOOD MORNING.
TERESA TANO, PROFESSOR, CAL
STATE NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA.
FACULTY ASSOCIATION AND BOARD
MEMBER FOR LÀ C IN SUPPORT.
GOOD MORNING, STEPHEN. FILLING
PROFESSOR AT STANISLAUS STATE,
IN SUPPORT, ERROL GARNETT, HIGH
SCHOOL MATH TEACHER. ALVORD
UNIFIED, RIVERSIDE IN SUPPORT.
MONNING BRIAN HOWE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE A PROUD CO-SPONSORS. THANK
YOU. MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
JONATHAN HOWARD WITH THE
CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON TEACHER
CREDENTIALING COMMISSION IS
MEETING LATER THIS WEEK, AND
THIS ITEM WILL BE A TOPIC ON OUR
AGENDA. WHILE THE COMMISSION HAS
NOT TAKEN A POSITION ON THE
BILL, THE CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR HAVE SENT A LETTER
EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERNS WITH
THE BILL IN ITS CURRENT STATE,
TÊ IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR
ENSURING TEACHER CANDIDATES ARE
PREPARED TO ENTER THE CLASSROOM
AND THE ONLY MEASURE OF A
CANDIDATE'S ABILITY TO TEACH
REAL STUDENTS IN A REAL
CLASSROOM PRIOR TO EARNING A
CREDENTIAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. SEEING NO OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF SB 1263
WILL NOT CONTINUE TO, ARE WITH
OUR WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
THE SB 1263. WE HAVE MR. BRIAN
RIVAS, SENIOR DIRECTOR FROM
EDUCATION TRUST WEST. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, I'M
BRIAN RIVAS. I'M SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THE EDUCATION TRUST
WEST, RESPECTFULLY, IN
OPPOSITION TO THE SENATOR'S
BILL, I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE
OF THINGS. I THINK WE AGREE THAT
WE NEED TO BE EXAMINING THE
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A TEACHER
AND EARN A CREDENTIAL,
APPRECIATE THE SENATOR LIFTING
UP THE NEED TO DIVERSIFY THE
EDUCATOR WORKFORCE. WE SUPPORT
THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO
REMOVE THE BASIC SKILLS
REQUIREMENT BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT
THE RESEARCH AND WE FOUND THAT
THE RESEARCH DIDN'T CONCLUDE
THAT THERE WAS A VALUE ADD TO
TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS BY MAKING
CREDENTIAL CANDIDATES COMPLETE
THAT REQUIREMENT. WHERE WE
DISAGREE IS IN OUR
INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE
RESEARCH TELLS US ABOUT TEACHING
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS. WE
CONCLUDED WHEN WE REVIEWED THE
RESEARCH THAT TEACHING
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS ARE THE
BEST AVAILABLE MEASURE OF
TEACHER PREPAREDNESS, AND
WHETHER OR NOT A CANDIDATE IS
PREPARED TO ENTER A CLASSROOM.
WE THINK, AND I THINK YOUR
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS ALLUDES TO
THIS, THAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT THERE'S, AT THE VERY LEAST,
AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IMPROVED
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND PASSING
THE TEACHING PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT. I THINK YOUR
ANALYSIS SAYS THAT THERE'S A
SLIGHT CONNECTION. WE THINK IT'S
STRONGER THAN THAT. AND, AND
THEN FINALLY WE THINK THE
TEACHING PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
IS NEEDED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
THAT CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENT OR
CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS CAN VARY IN
QUALITY. THE TEACHING
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT GIVES US
A COMMON STANDARD TO MEASURE HOW
WELL THOSE PROGRAMS ARE
PREPARING TEACHER CANDIDATES.
CGRTS. LASTLY, I WOULD SAY, ON
BALANCE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS TO LOW INCOME
STUDENTS OF COLOR IF YOU REMOVE
THE TEACHING PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT. THESE STUDENTS ARE
ALREADY TAUGHT DISPROPORTION BY
NEW NOVICE TEACHERS. WE THINK
THAT THIS IS GOING TO EXACERBATE
THE CHALLENGES THAT THOSE
STUDENTS ARE FACING IN ACCESSING
A FULLY PREPARED, PROPERLY
ASSIGNED TEACHER. SO FOR THOSE
REASONS AND THEN LASTLY, SORRY,
I FORGOT TO MENTION THE CTC
ADJUSTED THE SCORING TO RELAX
THE SCORING REQUIREMENTS. SO NOW
THAT IF A CANDIDATE IS WITHIN
ONE STANDARD ERROR OF THE
PASSING SCORE, THE CREDENTIAL
PROGRAM CAN LOOK AT OTHER
EVIDENCE THAT WOULD INDICATE
THAT A CANDIDATE IS PREPARED TO
ENTER THE CLASSROOM. WE THINK
REFORMS LIKE THAT MAY BE A
PREFERRED APPROACH TO RELAXING
THE REQUIREMENT, MODIFYING IT.
BUT WE DISAGREE WITH REMOVING IT
ENTIRELY. SO FOR THOSE REASONS,
WE'RE OPPOSED. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, MR.
RIVAS, WOULD YOU LIKE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND? I THINK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER POSITION?
OH. I'M SORRY. YES. DO WE HAVE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
HERE? IN 12, IN ROOM 1263? I AM
SORRY, IN ROOM 2100 FOR BILL SB
1263. IN OPPOSITION. SORRY I'M
GLAD WE DID THAT. OKAY, SO YOU
ASKED ME TO RESPOND. I'D ASK MY
WITNESSES ALSO TO JOIN IN. SO I
WILL SAY THE TEST, THE QUESTION
IS, YOU KNOW, IS THE TEST
NECESSARY? I THINK THE CONSENSUS
IS THAT IT'S IN FACT REDUNDANT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE DEGREE
TO WHICH THE TEST IS EITHER
ENCOURAGING OR DISCOURAGING
PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS FROM MAKING
THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS. I
THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT IT IS
NOT ONLY DISCOURAGING THOSE
TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF BECOMING EDUCATORS. IT
PROBABLY IS ALSO TRUE THAT IT'S
DISCOURAGING PEOPLE WHO
OTHERWISE MIGHT CONSIDER IT, WHO
WATCH WHAT THEIR FRIENDS AND
PEERS GO THROUGH. AND I THINK
THAT'S IMPORTANT. I WILL SAY
THERE ARE MULTIPLE MEASURES THAT
WE USE CURRENTLY TO BRING
TEACHERS ALONG THE CONTINUUM
TOWARD PROFICIENCY. WE CAN
IMPROVE THOSE MEASURES. I THINK
THERE IS A CONSENSUS THAT WE
NEED TO, BUT REMOVING THE TPA
WILL ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO DO
THAT SMARTLY, WHILE ENSURING
THAT THERE'S NO IMPEDIMENT
GETTING IN THE WAY OF PRECISELY
THE KINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
WE WANT TO ENTER THE PROFESSION.
MOST SPECIFICALLY, DIVERSITY, SO
THAT THEY ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE
STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE TEACHING.
THERE'S A TON OF RESEARCH THAT
SHOWS THAT A BIPOC STUDENT WITH
A BIPOC TEACHER IS FAR MORE
LIKELY TO SUCCEED THAN SOME
OTHER SCENARIO, AND I WOULD ASK
MY WITNESSES TO COMMENT BRIEFLY
ON THAT. YES. THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK I DO I
APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT BEHIND,
WHAT MR. RIVAS IS SAYING AND
TRUST WEST ARE SAYING THEY'VE
ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCES OF ALL STUDENTS AND
ESPECIALLY, LOW INCOME AND LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BUT I
THINK BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE
WRONG ON THIS AND THEY'RE WRONG
ON THIS BECAUSE, THERE IS SOME I
DID LOOK AT THE OPPOSITION
LETTER AND THERE IS SOME, SOME
MENTION THAT THERE ARE THERE IS
RESEARCH SHOWING THAT CAL TPA
EDTPA IMPACT THE DIFFERENT FORMS
OF TPA THAT WE UTILIZE IN THIS
STATE, ARE SOME GUARANTEER OF
TEACHER QUALITY, WE ACTUALLY
DON'T HAVE THAT RESEARCH. SO ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS
SURPRISED ME ABOUT THIS DEBATE
ABOUT TEACHER PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT IS THAT THOSE WHO ARE
IN SUPPORT OF IT IN A CONTINUING
ANOTHER DECADE, SAY THAT, WELL,
IT'S IT GUARANTEES TEACHER
QUALITY, AND WE ACTUALLY DON'T
HAVE THAT RESEARCH. SO THAT FOR
ME, FIRST IS A VERY DIFFICULT
THING TO ARGUE AGAINST BECAUSE
THAT RESEARCH DOESN'T EXIST.
I'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS ISSUE
FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. I'VE
DONE MY OWN RESEARCH. I'VE
PUBLISHED NUMEROUS ARTICLES ON
MY OWN EXPERIENCES AND TEACHER
EDUCATORS EXPERIENCES AND SORT
OF LOOKING AT THAT EXISTING
RESEARCH. AND SO THAT DOESN'T
EXIST. SO THAT JUST LEAVING THAT
ASIDE, I THINK IT ALSO IS
INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT THE
CTC'S RESPONSE AND SAYING THAT
WE ARE WILLING TO LOWER WE WERE
WILLING TO LET SOMEONE GO
THROUGH WHO HAS A LOWER SCORE
THAN PASSING ON TPA. IF WE USE
OTHER EVIDENCE. SO THEN WE HAVE
TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT IS
THAT OTHER EVIDENCE? IT'S NOT
EVIDENCE SUBMITTED TO THE CTC.
IT'S THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED TO
US. AS TEACHER EDUCATORS, WE'VE
ALREADY EVALUATED, OBSERVED AND
TAUGHT THESE TEACHER CANDIDATES.
THEY'VE SET THEY'VE BEEN IN
FRONT OF STUDENTS. THEY'VE HAD
FULL, ALMOST FULL RESPONSES FOR
THE TEACHING OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR
A SEMESTER, IF NOT LONGER.
RIGHT. THAT'S THE EVIDENCE THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AND
THEY'RE GOING TO ASK US. SO I
GUESS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS
THAT CALIFORNIA FOLLOWS THE
EXAMPLE OF FIVE OTHER STATES,
LIKE US, INCLUDING GEORGIA AND
WISCONSIN, AND TRUST TEACHER
EDUCATION. WE ARE, WE ARE WE ARE
UNDER INTENSE ACCREDITATION BY
THE STATE AND THE CTC. IT IS
VERY THOROUGH. WE FOLLOW ALL THE
DIFFERENT GUIDELINES. WE DO
EVERYTHING. AND THEN AT THE END
OF IT, OUR STUDENTS HAVE THIS
HIGH STAKES TEST. WHAT IT
ACTUALLY DOES. THE RESEARCH
ACTUALLY IS REALLY STRONG ON
THIS POINT. IS THAT WHAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENS IS THAT THE
QUALITY OF TEACHER EDUCATION IS
ACTUALLY DEGRADED BECAUSE OF THE
TPA. WE ALL KNOW THIS PHENOMENA
OF TEACHING TO THE TEST. RIGHT?
AND THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT ENTERS INTO THE DEBATES
ABOUT ALL HIGH STAKES TESTS, IS
THAT EVENTUALLY IF, IF A TEST IS
THE ONLY WAY THAT A SCHOOL IS
RATED AND IN THIS CASE THE ONLY
WAY THAT A CANDIDATE CAN BECOME
A TEACHER, WE KNOW AS TEACHER
EDUCATORS THAT WE HAVE TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. SO WE
BEGIN TO CRAFT AND SHAPE OUR
PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
CAN PLAY THE GAME. BECAUSE IN MY
EXPERIENCE OF DOING THIS FOR 20
YEARS IS IT'S A GAME. IN THE
END, IT'S A GAME. IF SOMEONE
COULD PASS, IF SOMEONE COULD
JUST PASS THE TPA, AND THAT'S
THE BEST GUARANTEE OF TEACHER
QUALITY, WELL THEN JUST HAVE
THEM DO THE TEST FIRST AND NOT
DO THE 600 PLUS HOURS OF
ACTUALLY BEING FUN IN FRONT OF
YOUNG PEOPLE IN AN UNPAID
CAPACITY. JUST GO TO THAT END
POINT. BUT WE DON'T BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT THAT ACTUAL WORK WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE AND BEING AND BEING
EVALUATED AND DIRECTED AND
TAUGHT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE
CREDENTIALED, PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN THEIR WELFARE,
ACTUALLY IS THE BEST GUARANTEE.
SO THAT'S THOSE ARE A COUPLE
ISSUES THAT I WOULD DRAW
ATTENTION TO ON THAT. THANK YOU.
I THINK I WOULD JUST ADD, IF
POSSIBLE, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF
THE TPA ACTUALLY TAKES
APPROXIMATELY 100 HOURS OR MORE
FOR A CANDIDATE TO COMPLETE, AND
DURING THAT TIME IT'S DETRACTING
FROM THEIR ACTUAL WORK IN
PRACTICAL CLASSROOMS. AND IN
ADDITION TO THAT, THE FEEDBACK
THAT THEY ARE GIVEN BY THEIR
UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS OR THEIR
MENTORS WHILE THEY'RE DOING
THOSE 600 HOURS OR MORE OF
PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE, SINCE THEY
ARE GETTING IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK
AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE
CHANGES TO THEIR PRACTICES
IMMEDIATELY AND BECOME MORE
EFFECTIVE, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE
TPA CAN TAKE MONTHS BEFORE THEY
GET THAT FEEDBACK, AND IT'S
TYPICALLY MINIMAL AT BEST. AND
SO IN IN ABLE TO INFORM
PRACTICE, WE KNOW THE BEST
PRACTICE IS TO HAVE IMMEDIATE
FEEDBACK, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE
GETTING FROM THESE PROGRAMS,
FROM OUR CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS,
WHICH ARE ACCREDITED AND FROM
OUR INTERN OR OUR MENTOR
PROGRAMS. WHEN THEY GO INTO
INDUCTION. PERFECT. WELL, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. SO I GUESS WE'LL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. DO WE
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS
FROM THE DAIS? DO WE HAVE A
QUORUM? YEAH, WE DO HAVE A
QUORUM, SO MAYBE WE SHOULD DO
THAT. YEAH, I ACTUALLY
APPRECIATED THIS. I LEARNED I
LEARNED A LOT TODAY, AND I. I'M
NOW SWITCHING MY POSITION. SO
GOOD JOB. THE BENEFITS OF
ATTENDING A HEARING. NICE TO
HEAR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE FOR THE RECORD, I GET IT
AND SAID FOR THE RECORD, SENATOR
WILK HAS BEEN HERE THROUGHOUT.
YES, WELL, LET'S ESTABLISH A
QUORUM, MADAM. YEAH, LET'S
ESTABLISH A QUORUM. NEWMAN.
HERE. NEWMAN HERE. OTOBO.
PRESENT OTOBO. PRESENT. CORTEZ.
GLAZER. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ.
GONZALEZ. HERE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS WILK. PRESENT. WILK.
PRESENT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND
WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED A QUORUM. SO NOW,
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS,
BY OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I DO
HAVE A QUESTION. AS FAR AS HAS
THERE BEEN, I'M SURPRISED THAT
WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA YET TO
TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THAT IS
THE CASE, BUT JUST A CURIOSITY,
HAVE WE TAKEN ANY DATA THAT THAT
SHOWS US AS TO WHY WE HAVE
DEFICIENCIES IN OUR BLACK AND
BROWN POPULATIONS, IN ABLE TO
PASS SUCCESSFULLY OR SCORE
HIGHER IN, IN THESE IN THESE
EXAMS AS A WHOLE. SO THAT'S A
REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION. IT
WAS ACTUALLY, THAT WAS A
QUESTION ASKED BY A STAFF
MEMBER. AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION IN THAT THIS IDEA OF
WHY IN THESE TYPES OF
ASSESSMENTS, RACIAL
DISPROPORTIONALITY, SORT OF
FAILURE. RIGHT, OR LOWER RATES
OF PASSING. WE ACTUALLY THERE'S
PROBABLY TEN DIFFERENT, TEN
DIFFERENT THEORIES FOR, FOR
EXACTLY WHY THAT IS. BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT
WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS, WE
ACTUALLY SAID, WE ACTUALLY HAD
TWO, TEACHERS OF COLOR THAT WERE
PART OF OUR, OUR, OUR LOBBYING
GROUP THAT WERE THERE AS PART OF
OUR TEAM. AND THEY ACTUALLY
TALKED ABOUT, THEIR
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR
STUDENTS, STUDENTS THAT LOOK
LIKE THEM, STUDENTS THAT WERE
SEEKING MENTORS, SEEING
THEMSELVES AS HAVING CERTAIN
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDINGS THAT
THEY FELT WERE REALLY HELPFUL TO
THEM AS A TEACHER. AND SO
ACTUALLY, THE WAY THAT WE
ANSWERED IT WAS TO SAY, THERE'S
ACTUALLY A COUPLE ANSWERS. ONE
IS TO ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT
IS THE INCREDIBLE BENEFIT THAT
EDUCATORS OF COLOR BRING TO A
CLASSROOM WHERE THEY HAVE
STUDENTS THAT LOOK LIKE THEM,
AND I KNOW THAT DOESN'T ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE THERE ARE
TEN DIFFERENT ANSWERS, AND
THERE'S NOT REALLY A DEFINITE
RESEARCH BASED ANSWER TO THAT.
OKAY. BUT, BUT AND I KNOW THAT'S
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT I
THINK BUT I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS
THAT THIS GOES, AGAIN TO THE
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF A
TEST LIKE THE TPA, WHICH IS THAT
IF WE ARE A STANDARDIZED TEST,
IF WE ARE SOMETHING THAT HAS
RELIABILITY, RELIABILITY AND
VALIDITY OF VALIDITY, THAT WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE THESE RACIALLY
DISPROPORTIONATE SCORES, WE
SHOULDN'T. THAT IS THAT THAT IS
A THAT IS AN ULTIMATE TEST THAT
REGARDLESS. RIGHT. FOLKS THAT
ARE TAKING THIS, WE SHOULDN'T
HAVE WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE
PREDICTABILITY THAT WE DO IN
TERMS OF THAT. SO AS WE LOOK
THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS
THAT WE ASK TEACHERS TO DO IN
TERMS OF STANDARDIZED TESTS,
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE'RE
GOING TO SEE THAT PATTERN. WE
ARE GOING TO SEE THAT PATTERN,
AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY,
BUT WE KNOW THAT IT EXISTS. AND
THAT QUESTIONS THAT ASSESSMENT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I JUST
RECOMMEND THAT WE DO LOOK AT THE
SYSTEM AS TO WHY THAT IS,
BECAUSE I THINK IS, IS BEFITTING
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW,
ALLOWS EVERYONE TO PERFORM AT
THE SAME LEVEL. AGREED. SO
AGREED. SENATOR. AGREED. I I, I
WOULD ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO DO
THE RESEARCH, I THINK WE HAVE
SOMEONE FROM THE CTC WHO'D LIKE
TO SPEAK, PLEASE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. WE HAVE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, MARY VIXIE. SANDY
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
COMMISSION ON TEACHER
CREDENTIALING, AND WE I, I HAVE
SOME OF THE DATA FROM OUR MOST
RECENT REPORT, AND THERE ARE
DISPARITIES ON FIRST ATTEMPT
ACROSS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT GROUPS
. BUT ULTIMATELY ON, WE HAVE HAD
MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS PASSED THIS
ASSESSMENT FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN,
73% FIRST TIME PASS RATES, 95.
ULTIMATE PASS RATES, WHICH IS
RIGHT WITHIN THE NORM AND
AVERAGE FOR THE WHOLE POPULATION
OF TEACHERS WHO'VE TAKEN IT. SO
THAT'S ON THE CAL EPA. VERY
SIMILAR RESULTS FROM THE EDTPA.
THERE'S A RECENT OR A PENDING
REPORT COMING OUT FROM THE
LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTE, WHICH
I WISH WAS PUBLISHED ALREADY
TODAY. I'VE SHARED A PRELIMINARY
COPY WITH YOUR STAFF, BUT WHAT
IS WHAT IT LOOKS AT IS THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PREPARATION
AND PASS RATES AND THE WAYS IN
WHICH PREPARATION SUPPORTS THE
PASS RATES OF CANDIDATES ACROSS
THE BOARD AND I'D JUST LIKE TO
READ ONE OF THEIR KEY FINDINGS
FOR YOU, WITH YOUR PERMISSION.
THE PASS RATES DO VARY ACROSS
PREPARATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE
263 PREPARATION PROGRAMS THAT
THEY STUDIED IN CALIFORNIA,
NEARLY TWO THIRDS, OR MORE THAN
90% OF THEIR TESTED CANDIDATES
PASS THE TPA AND 23% OF ALL
THEIR CANDIDATES, AND HAD 23% OF
ALL OF THEIR CANDIDATES PASSED
THE TPA. IN CONTRAST, 35
PROGRAMS, OR 13, HAD PASSING
RATES UNDER 80, INCLUDING 14
PROGRAMS THAT PASS WITH BELOW
67. WHAT THIS DATA SUGGESTS AND
INFORMS IS THAT THERE'S
VARIATION ACROSS PREPARATION. WE
HAVE MORE THAN 80 INSTITUTIONS
IN THIS IN THIS STATE THAT WE
ACCREDIT AND HUNDREDS OF
DIFFERENT PREPARATION PATHWAYS.
AND MANY, MANY, MANY FACULTY,
GRADUATE STUDENTS AND OTHERS WHO
ARE SUPERVISING STUDENT TEACHERS
AND PRACTICE WELL, I SUPPORT THE
QUALITY AND THE INTENTION OF OUR
FACULTY TO DO REALLY WELL AT
THIS, AND OUR PROGRAMS TO DO
REALLY WELL AT THIS. THE TPA
GIVES US A LOOK AT HOW EVERYBODY
AND HOW EVERY PROGRAM IS DOING
THIS. THE OTHER KEY PART OF THIS
FINDING, FROM THE LEARNING
POLICY INSTITUTE IS THIS WHILE
THERE WERE DISPARITIES IN PASS
RATES BY CANDIDATE, RACE AND
ETHNICITY AMONG THE LOWEST
PERFORMING PROGRAMS AMONG
PROGRAMS WITH PASSING RATES
ABOVE 90, THERE WERE NO
STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES IN PASS RATES BY
RACE AND ETHNICITY. SO A KEY
INGREDIENT TO ENSURING THAT WE
HAVE EQUITABLE PREPARATION IS
THAT WE HAVE WELL-PREPARED
TEACHERS WHO ARE PREPARED TO DO
AND PERFORM WELL ON THE TPA. AND
ONE LAST THING IS THAT THE TASKS
INCLUDED IN PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENTS ARE THE VERY TASKS
THAT CANDIDATES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMPLETE DURING STUDENT TEACHING
AND CLINICAL PRACTICE. THE FACT
THAT THERE'S REDUNDANCY IS A
GOOD NEWS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WHAT THE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
GIVES US IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
LOOK AT THAT ACROSS PROGRAMS AND
ACROSS THE STATE, AND GET THE
KINDS OF INSIGHTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST WITH THAT
QUESTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
YEAH, I THINK THE MAIN CONCERN,
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL. I'LL
BE SUPPORT WRITING THE BILL
TODAY, BUT TWO THINGS Þ ANY
OTHER COMMENTS FROM. NO. OKAY.
SO JUST, REAL QUICK. IT'S
INTERESTING. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE
DESIGNED THE TPA AND WE PASSED
LEGISLATION HERE, WHICH ALL OF
YOU FOLKS WERE SUPPORTIVE OF,
AND YOU SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE
NEED. WE PASS IT IN IN, YOU
KNOW, IN 2021, THE QUESTION LIES
AS TO, WELL, WHO DESIGNED IT IN
THE FIRST PLACE. AND YOU KNOW,
WAS IT NOT TESTED BECAUSE THEY
UNDERSTAND I WAS UNDER THE
IMPRESSION THAT THERE HAD BEEN A
PILOT PROGRAM FIRST, AND THEN IT
WAS, PLACED INTO LAW IN 2021.
WAS THIS ONLY THREE YEARS AGO,
TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS AGO, TWO
YEARS AGO, THE TPA, THE TPA, IN
GENERAL, IT'S THE TPA MAY HAVE
BEEN MODIFIED, BUT IT'S
CERTAINLY BEEN IN PLACE FOR MUCH
LONGER THAN THAT Þ OVER 20
YEARS. OKAY. SO NÓ IN 20. I'M
SORRY. LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
LET'S IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST
TO CLARIFY SOME CLARIFICATION
FROM THE CTC, I'M HAPPY TO HELP
WITH THIS. SO THIS WAS INITIALLY
THE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT WAS
INITIALLY PLACED IN STATUTE IN
1998. AND WAS PILOTED FOR MANY
YEARS. IT BECAME A REQUIREMENT
FOR A CREDENTIAL IN 2008. IT'S
BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED
ALMOST EVERY YEAR THAT WE HAVE
IMPLEMENTED IT FOR 20 YEARS.
THAT'S IT IS BASED IN A
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL.
IT'S DEVELOPED BY FACULTY AND
PRACTITIONERS WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER AND WORKING
TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT, THE
LITERACY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT,
HOWEVER, IS A REPLACEMENT FOR
THE RECA WAS WAS PASSED IN 2021
AS PART OF SENATE BILL 488, AND
THAT REQUIRED THAT WE ELIMINATE
THE STANDARDIZED READING
INSTRUCTION COMPETENCE
ASSESSMENT, RECA AND REPLACE IT
WITH A PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
THAT WOULD BE EMBEDDED IN TPAS
THAT'S BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND
I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT IT HAS
BEEN INFORMED BY THE SURVEY THAT
THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION CONDUCTED AND THE
RESULTS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO OUR
COMMISSION. OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE TAKEN,
THE FINDINGS, THE FEELINGS, THE
EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF
CANDIDATES TAKING THIS INTO
CONSIDERATION AND HAVE MADE
SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS IN THE
LITERACY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
THAT WILL COMB THROUGH ALL THE
REST OF THE PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENTS AS WE GO. SO WE
STILL HAVE A COMPONENT FOR
LITERACY. WELL THAT THE LITERACY
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT THAT
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON UNDER SB
488 WOULD GO AWAY WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, AND WE
WOULD REVERT TO THE RECA
STANDARD SIZED TEST. THAT HAS
BEEN A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER,
ESPECIALLY FOR CANDIDATES OF
COLOR. FOR 20 YEARS. SO WE'RE
GOING BACK TO RECA. THIS BILL
DOES NOT DO THAT. THIS THIS BILL
SIMPLY ENDEAVORS TO ELIMINATE
THE DIÆN TPA. YEAH. SO JUST TO
THINK ABOUT IT, FROM THE TEACHER
EDUCATION PROGRAM POINT OF VIEW,
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK TO
ELIMINATE THE RECA AND, AND WE
HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN IN SUPPORT
OF THAT, AND SO, IN TERMS OF THE
LITERACY, TPA, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY
WANTING TO BE ABLE TO DO IS WORK
IN PARTNERSHIP, TO DEVELOP TO
DEVELOP SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN
THAT, THAT ISN'T THROUGH THAT
TPA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE
TEACHER EDUCATION POINT OF VIEW
IS THAT WHAT WE THERE ARE MANY
THINGS THAT STILL REMAIN FROM SB
48, ONE OF WHICH IS ALREADY
BEING IMPLEMENTED BY PROGRAMS
RIGHT NOW, NOT IN AN OFFICIAL
CAPACITY, BUT WILL BE NEXT YEAR,
WHICH IS THE WHICH IS THAT
SEVENTH SET OF TPS, WHICH ARE
ALL ABOUT LITERACY, WHICH
CONTAIN EVERYTHING THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN MEASURED, SUPPOSEDLY
BY THE LITERACY TPA, WHICH OF
COURSE IS UNTESTED, WOULD HAVE
BEEN IN PILOT MODE. BUT ALL
PROGRAMS RIGHT IN THIS MOMENT,
INCLUDING MY OWN COLLEAGUES
ACTUALLY TODAY, ARE REVISING
MEMORANDUMS, MEMORANDUMS OF
UNDERSTANDING. WE ARE WE ARE
LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE COURSE
THAT WE TEACH. WE'RE LOOKING AT
EVERY SINGLE WAY THAT WE
EVALUATE CANDIDATES ACCORDING TO
THOSE TPS. THAT IS THAT IS THE
BIGGEST RESPONSE THAT THE STATE
WILL GET AND CTC WILL GET IS
AROUND WHAT THEY DO AROUND TPS,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO
CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT A PROGRAM
AND EVEN BEFORE A PROGRAM, SO
THAT WILL STILL REMAIN. AND I
AND I WANT AND I'M HOPING THAT
ALL OF YOU SITTING HERE CAN BE
CONFIDENT THAT, THAT ALL THOSE
DIFFERENT REFORMS THAT WERE
FOUGHT FOR SO HARD ARE ALREADY
BEING IMPLEMENTED IN PROGRAMS
AND FOR SURE WILL BE BY NEXT
YEAR. AND, AND OUR PROGRAMS ARE
CHANGING BECAUSE OF THAT IN OUR
EVALUATION. SO THE SAME
ROBUSTNESS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS
OF EVALUATION THAT WE HAVE IN
TERMS OF TEACHING THAT HAPPENS
BEFORE THIS WILL CONTINUE. SO WE
ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT. AND WE
ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE MOVING
FORWARD VERY QUICKLY, LIKE I
SAID, MY LAST DEPARTMENT MEETING
WAS ALL ABOUT THAT. AND WE'RE
EXCITED ABOUT A LOT OF THE
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE
INCLUDED THERE. THANK YOU, SO
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE
DAIS? NO. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION
TO, MOVE THE BILL, SENATOR
NEWMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
I WOULD THANK YOU, SIR. THANK
YOU TO MY WITNESSES. THANK YOU,
BY THE WAY, TO THE FOLKS FROM
THE CTC FOR THEIR INPUT, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S A THEME TODAY,
STARTING WITH SENATOR
ARCHULETA'S BILL OF SORT OF
GOING BACK AND RETHINKING, YOU
KNOW, AGAINST THE LAYERS OF
REQUIREMENTS OR REPORTS THAT WE
HAVE IN CALIFORNIA. ARE THEY ALL
WORKING? DO THEY WORK, SORT OF
IN TANDEM, AND I WOULD POINT,
YOU KNOW, THE GOAL HERE IS TO
MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO
BECOME A TEACHER, NOT EASIER,
NOT EASIER, BUT BUT MORE
PRACTICALLY ATTAINABLE. IT IS
REALLY HARD TO BECOME A TEACHER
IN CALIFORNIA. YOU HEARD SOME OF
THE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING 600
HOURS OF NON-PAID WORK IN THE
CLASSROOM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU
DO THAT MATH. THAT'S THAT'S A
LOT. ADD TO THAT THE BURDEN OF
SIMULTANEOUSLY PREPARING FOR A
TEST THAT IS VERY HIGH STAKES.
IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO
US THAT THOSE WHO ARE MOST
CHALLENGED ARE PROBABLY THOSE
WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO VEER FROM
THAT PATH, OR MAYBE NOT TAKE
THAT PATH IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE
HAD A HEARING LAST MARCH ABOUT
THE STATE OF THE EDUCATOR
WORKFORCE, AND IT IS CHALLENGED,
AND IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND
IT WILL BE A HARD PROBLEM TO
SOLVE. SO WHAT WE'RE ENDEAVORING
TO DO HERE IS TO ELIMINATE ONE
OF THE BARRIERS, ONE OF THE
FRICTION POINTS. BUT WITHOUT
DIMINISHING QUALITY. I THINK YOU
HEARD THAT VERY CLEARLY FROM MY
WITNESSES. AND I WOULD SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE USEFUL
MOVING FORWARD TO HAVE SOME
ASSESSMENT OF TEACHERS THAT
GIVES US INSIGHT INTO THE
QUALITY OF THE PROFESSION OR OR
THE QUALITY OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE
PREPARING TEACHERS. BUT IT
PROBABLY MAKES SENSE AT THIS
POINT NOT TO MAKE THAT A
CREDENTIALING TEST, BECAUSE OF
THE ADVERSE EFFECTS IT'S HAVING.
I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY WORTH
NOTING THAT IF GOING THREE HOURS
AGO OR SO IN THE MID TWOS CAME
UP, THAT THERE WERE BOTH
WITNESSES THAT WERE TEACHERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS FROM BOTH CHARTER
SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO
THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT
SORT OF THE CONSENSUS AND
MOMENTUM HERE, SO WITH THAT,
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS, YOU
KNOW, AGAINST THAT SORT OF
LARGER NOTION OF ADDITION BY
SUBTRACTION, LET'S SUBTRACT THIS
ONEROUS FEATURE. LET'S ENSURE,
AS WE DO THAT, WE PROVIDE ALL OF
THE QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND
ASSESSMENT AND MENTORSHIP TO
ASPIRING TEACHERS. AND IN SO
DOING, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL
INCREASE THE QUALITY AND THE
QUANTITY OF THOSE TEACHERS,
ESPECIALLY IN THOSE COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE MOST IN NEED. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. SENATOR NEWMAN, WE
HAVE A MOTION BY SENATOR
GONZALEZ. MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL FOR ITEM
TEN. SB 1263. NEWMAN MOTION IS
DUE. PASS THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN. OH SORRY. ALL RIGHT.
NEWMAN. AYE, AYE. CORTEZ.
GLAZER. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ. AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. WILK THANK
YOU. OKAY THANK YOU. THEN I
GUESS I SHOULD JUST GO.
OKAY, SO WE ARE GOING TO RECESS
BRIEFLY. I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO
GO TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE ACROSS
THE WAY AND PRESENT A BILL WHEN
SENATOR OCHOA COMES BACK, WE
WILL RECONVENE, AND I THINK WE
DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH LEFT. AND
THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET TO IT
AND THEN VOTE ON THE REMAINING
ITEMS.
THIS. ON AGAIN. OFF AGAIN.
HEARING WILL BE ON AGAIN. AND WE
WILL CONTINUE OUR AGENDA WITH
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, SB
1445 FROM SENATOR CORTEZ,
SENATOR CORTEZ, WELCOME. PLEASE
PROCEED. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND COLLEAGUES, I'D LIKE TO
THANK THE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
FOR WORKING WITH ME ON THIS
BILL. SINCERELY. I'LL BE
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS. AND EVERYTHING WE'VE
GOTTEN BACK FROM THE COMMITTEE
HAS BEEN HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT SB 1445.
THIS BILL WOULD ENABLE SCHOOL
GOVERNING BOARDS TO ALLOW THEIR
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS TO PROVIDE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LARGER
BOARD BEFORE THEY GO INTO
EXPULSION HEARINGS. EXISTING LAW
ALLOWS STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS TO
PARTICIPATE IN ALL SCHOOL BOARD
MEETINGS, EXCEPT CLOSED SESSION
MEETINGS. THESE MEETINGS ARE
HELD TO DISCUSS SENSITIVE AND
CONFIDENTIAL TOPICS SUCH AS
LITIGATION, COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING, EMPLOYEE
EVALUATIONS, AND, OF COURSE,
EXPULSION CASES. ALTHOUGH
CALIFORNIA HAS MADE STRIDES IN
RECENT YEARS TO ADDRESS OVERLY
PUNITIVE ACTIONS IN SCHOOLS, LOW
INCOME STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, AND STUDENTS OF
COLOR ARE STILL EXPELLED AT
HIGHER RATES COMPARED TO THEIR
PEERS. THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION DATA SHOWS THAT
EXPULSION TRENDS ARE RETURNING
TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. IN THE
20 2223 SCHOOL YEAR, 4718
STUDENTS WERE EXPELLED IN
CALIFORNIA. OF THOSE STUDENTS,
88% WERE CONSIDERED LOW INCOME.
EVEN MORE TROUBLING, A QUARTER
OF THOSE EXPELLED WERE STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES, NEARLY TWICE
AS MANY AS THE PRIOR YEAR.
DESPITE THAT. DESPITE BLACK
STUDENTS ACCOUNTING FOR 4.7% OF
CALIFORNIA'S STUDENT POPULATION,
THERE WERE 12% OF ALL STUDENTS
EXPELLED, EXCLUDING STUDENT
BOARD MEMBERS, FROM COMMENTING
ON THE EXPULSION HEARING
PROCESS. PRIOR TO THOSE BOARD
MEMBERS GOING INTO THAT CLOSED
SESSION TO DEPRIVE STUDENTS OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS, BE IT ADVOCATE
OR OTHER ADVOCATE ADVOCACY OR
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEIR
PEERS, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
ALTERNATIVES ARE NECESSARY TO
PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE
STUDENT POPULATIONS BY ENSURING
THEY REMAIN IN SCHOOL, WHILE
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF
COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY
INVOLVED. CONFLICT RESOLUTION,
WHILE IT CERTAINLY IS NOT,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS CERTAINLY
NOT APPLICABLE TO EVERY
SITUATION AND MAYBE NOT EVEN
MOST SITUATIONS, THERE IS A
HISTORY OF SUCCESS WITH IT IN
CERTAIN FACT PATTERNS OR
SITUATIONS, I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH ONE OF
THE FIRST PEER COURTS IN ANY
MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA IN SANTA
CLARA COUNTY SOME YEARS AGO,
WHICH USED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
TO DEAL WITH THE CRIMINAL SIDE,
NOT THE EDUCATION CODE SIDE. IF
YOU WILL. BUT THE PENAL CODE
SIDE OF THINGS HAS BEEN A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS, AGAIN, NOT
FOR EVERYONE, NOT APPLIED TO ALL
CASES, IN FACT, ONLY APPLIED TO
VOLUNTARY CASES LIKE THIS BILL
WOULD WOULD CALL FOR WHERE
PARENTS AND STUDENTS GIVE
PERMISSION FOR PARENTS AND
JUVENILES, GIVE PERMISSION, TO
GO FORWARD AND ALLOW OTHER YOUNG
PEOPLE TO MAKE COMMENTS HERE TO
TESTIFY. WE HAVE LAWRENCE KIM
AND GARRETT SUE FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
STUDENT COUNCILS. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR AYE VOTE, AND I'LL TURN IT
BACK OVER TO YOU NOW. THANK YOU,
MR. KIM. MR. HSU, WELCOME,
PLEASE PROCEED. EITHER OF YOU,
MR. ZHOU. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR, AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
GARRETT HSU AND I AM THE SERVING
VICE PRESIDENT OF REGION TWO
WITH THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
OF STUDENT COUNCILS, OR CASC.
ESTABLISHED IN 1947, CASC IS A
STUDENT LED, NONPROFIT DEDICATED
TO AMPLIFYING STUDENT VOICES AND
DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS. THE
STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD OF
LEGISLATION IN EDUCATION TABLE
IS A CASC PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS
ANNUALLY GATHER TO DEVELOP
PROPOSALS OF LEGISLATION AND
PRESENT THOSE TO THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEES. SO SB 1445 IS BASED
ON A POLICY PROPOSAL BY STUDENT
BRIAN RODRIGUEZ FROM WATTS, LOS
ANGELES, AND HIS GROUP DEVELOPED
DURING STATES ABLE TO ADVANCE A
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SOLUTION FOR
STUDENTS, SPECIFICALLY THOSE
FACING EXPULSION, PUNITIVE
ACTIONS IN SCHOOLS
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT LOW
INCOME STUDENTS. STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, AND STUDENTS OF
COLOR. HIGHER RATES COMPARED TO
THEIR PEERS AND HISTORICALLY
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES LIKE
WATTS. IN LOS ANGELES, WHERE
BRIAN CURRENTLY RESIDES,
STUDENTS ENCOUNTER VARIOUS FORMS
OF DISCRIMINATION STEMMING FROM
INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM, AND
THIS PERVASIVE ISSUE MANIFESTS
IN COMMUNITY WIDE PROBLEMS AND
ALSO TO A SCHOOLS LACKING
ADEQUATE FUNDING AND STUDENTS
FACING THE EFFECTS AND
CONSEQUENCES OF GROWING UP IN
SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT RESULT IN
PURSUING AN EDUCATION. A LACK OF
SUPPORT IN PURSUING EDUCATION.
THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL SYSTEMS,
AND INCARCERATION, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN
LOOKING AT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
IN IN SUCH SETTINGS, AND OFTEN
THROUGH PEERS DEALING WITH
EXPULSION FROM MINOR
DISCRETIONS. NO FURTHER MEASURES
ARE TAKEN TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE
THEMSELVES OR SUPPORT THEM IN
FINDING ANOTHER PATHWAY TO
ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND
THEM, AND THOSE EFFECTS THAT THE
EXPULSION MAY HAVE HAD ON THEIR
SITUATION. NOW, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE ALTERNATIVES ARE
NECESSARY TO PROTECT OUR MOST
VULNERABLE STUDENTS, POPULATION
BY ENSURING THEY REMAIN IN
SCHOOL WHILE EMPHASIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVED. CONFLICT
RESOLUTION SB 1445 ALLOWS SCHOOL
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS TO RECEIVE
LIMITED EXPULSION CASE
INFORMATION OF COURSE, WITH THE
CONSENT OF THE STUDENT FACING
EXPULSION AND THEIR PARENTS OR
GUARDIAN, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PROVIDING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LARGER
BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IN THEIR
CLOSED SESSION MEETING. AND WE
BELIEVE THAT ALLOWING THE
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE AND PEER
SUPPORT WILL DIVERSIFY THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS TO
ENSURE THEIR APPROACH TO SCHOOL
PUNISHMENT KEEPS RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IN MIND. WE APPRECIATE
SENATOR CORTEZ'S LEADERSHIP AND
AUTHORING SB 1444 1445 AND
SUPPORTING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PRACTICES AND STUDENT VOICES. SO
WE ASK FOR YOUR VOTE ON THE BILL
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. KIM
PERSING. ALL RIGHT, GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS, MY
NAME IS LAWRENCE KIM, AND I'M
THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
STUDENT COUNCILS, WOULD IT BE
ALL RIGHT IF I MADE A STATEMENT
ON BEHALF OF ANNA OTERO, WHO IS
ON THE FAIRFIELD-SUISUN UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD
TRUSTEE FOR AREA SIX? WITHIN
YOUR TIME? ABSOLUTELY. THANK
YOU. ACCORDING TO ANNA, WHILE
TEACHERS HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE
OF EDUCATING STUDENTS, MOST ONLY
HAVE THEM IN CLASS FOR AN ENTIRE
YEAR. CONVERSELY, STUDENTS GROW
WITH EACH OTHER IN SCHOOL AND
SCHOOL BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.
THEY ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER
DURING RECESS, LUNCH, AND
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES,
GIVING THEM UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO
ONE ANOTHER'S LIVES,
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, PERSONAL
REYES, AND CHARACTER. THEREFORE,
WHEN DISCIPLINARY ACTION IS
CONCERNED, STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS
PROVIDE A PERSPECTIVE DIFFERENT
FROM ADULTS AND OUGHT TO BE
INCLUDED IN ADDRESSING THE
DISCIPLINARY ACTION ON BEHALF OF
THEIR PEERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION OF SB 1445, AND I
REQUEST YOUR I VOTE ON THE BILL.
THANK YOU, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEASURE? IF SO, PLEASE COME
FORWARD, SEEING NONE, IS THERE
ANY OPPOSITION TO THIS MEASURE
HERE IN THE COMMITTEE HEARING
ROOM? AND YOU MAY ACT AS A LEAD
OPPOSITION WITNESS, IF YOU
PREFER, IN WHICH CASE YOU CAN
COME TO THE TABLE. I'M HERE FOR
SUPPORT. YOU'RE HERE FOR SUPPORT
. I'M SORRY I RUSHED YOU. PLEASE
HELLO. MY NAME IS JENNIFER ABDON
FROM SCHOOL, SACRAMENTO SCHOOL
DISTRICT, SENATE DISTRICT EIGHT.
AND I AM ON BEHALF AS WELL FOR
CAST IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL
1445. THANK YOU AGAIN. IS THERE
ANYBODY HERE IN OPPOSITION TO
THE MEASURE, SEEING NONE COME
BACK TO THE DAIS HERE,
COLLEAGUE. SINGULAR. ANY
QUESTIONS OR FOR THE AUTHOR? NO,
I THINK, WELL, JUST FOR THE
RECORD, CONCERNS WITH REQUIRE,
WITH, WITH THE AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE SHARED
WITH OUR STUDENTS. FOR THE
RECORD, I THINK IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO STATE AS WELL AS,
CLARIFICATION AS TO WHETHER OR
NOT STUDENTS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO
ATTEND THE CLOSED, MEETING. AND
UNDER THIS BILL, THEY WOULD NOT
BE ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY ENTER IN
OR PARTICIPATE IN THE CLOSED
SESSION ITSELF. THEY THEY CANNOT
BE IN THE ROOM. THEY CAN
PREPARE, COMMENT BEFORE EITHER,
GOING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION
THAT WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE
TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND
THEN UTILIZE IT, YOU KNOW,
HOWEVER THEY WANT BASICALLY, SO
THAT'S THE ANSWER TO THAT PART
OF THE QUESTION. THE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION IS, SOMETHING I
BECOME AWARE OF IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS THAT WE MIGHT
WANT TO PUT, WE DEFINITELY WANT
TO EXPLORE AND WE MIGHT WANT TO
PUT SOME, SOME RESTRICTIONS OR
GUARDRAILS ON, INFORMATION
GOING. YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH
PARENTAL PERMISSION, EVEN WITH
THE PUPILS, THE ACCUSED
PERMISSION, TO NOT ALLOW THE
SCHOOL BOARDS TO INCLUDE CERTAIN
THINGS IN THE IN THE BATCH OF
INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE GIVEN
TO, TO THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER,
FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK ARGUABLY
AND I DON'T MAKE A COMMITMENT ON
THIS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I IN
THE EARLY PROCESS OF GATHERING
INFORMATION ON THIS. BUT AS A
FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LIKE
YOURSELF, I THINK YOU WERE ONE.
AM I CORRECT? YOU GET STUDENTS
TRANSCRIPTS IN, IN THAT SETTING
INSIDE THE ACTUAL CLOSED
SESSION, AND THEY OFTEN BECOME
PART OF THE DIALOG WITH, WITH
FAMILY, I'M NOT SURE THE
STUDENTS NEED THAT INFORMATION
TO HELP WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY NEED THE
FACT PATTERN OF WHAT HAPPENED.
SOMEBODY DID SOME PROPERTY
DAMAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THIS IS WHAT'S RECOMMENDED,
PROBABLY DOESN'T. THEY CAN
PROBABLY LEAVE, YOU KNOW, A
COUPLE OF ITEMS OF THAT PACKET
TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ITSELF. BUT
WE WILL KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY COMMITMENT ON
THAT. AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO
THAT ISSUE. WE'VE HAD SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBERS EARLY ON SAY THEY
SHOULDN'T BE INSIDE THE ROOM,
NOT BECAUSE THERE'S A DISTRUST
OF THE STUDENTS, WHICH SEEMS
LIKE THE OBVIOUS REASON WHY YOU
KNOW, SOMEONE MIGHT COME UP WITH
THAT. WELL, HOW CAN WE TRUST THE
STUDENT TO MAINTAIN
CONFIDENTIALITY AND ALL THAT?
NOT THAT, BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT
WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO BE
INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE MORE
INTIMATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
THAT OFTENTIMES SCHOOL BOARD
MEMBERS HAVE FOR MEMBERS OF THE
FAMILY WHO ARE THERE TO SUPPORT
THE STUDENT FOR EXAMPLE, IN
TERMS OF THEIR DOMESTIC
SITUATION AND SO FORTH, THERE
WERE JUST CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
AND WE THOUGHT, WE DON'T NEED TO
PUT THEM IN THE ROOM. WE CAN LET
THEM JUST PROVIDE A REPORT
BASICALLY, AS TO AS PART OF THE
LARGER REPORT THAT GOES THERE.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA WITH THAT.
AND, FOR THE RECORD, TWO LAST
THINGS. I WILL STILL STUDENT
BOARD MEMBERS BE TRAINED AND IN
WHAT, CAPACITY WILL THE VICTIM
BE INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS?
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE
TRAINED IN BROWN ACT, BECAUSE
THE BROWN ACT, PART OF THE
TRAINING IS NOT JUST THE OPEN
MEETING SIDE OF IT, BUT THE
CLOSED MEETING SIDE OF IT. AND
WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE CASES IS
MUCH LIKE OTHER REPORTS THAT ARE
PROVIDED INTO CLOSED SESSION BY
THIRD PARTIES, BY OUTSIDE
PARTIES, THE CLOSED SESSION
PRIVILEGE EXTENDS OUT TO THEM.
RIGHT. THOSE REPORTS ARE
CONFIDENTIAL AND THAT NEEDS TO
BE THE CASE WHERE WE'RE TRYING
TO LEAVE AS MUCH TO LOCAL
CONTROL AS POSSIBLE. SO THOSE
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS CAN DECIDE
BASED ON HOW THEY FUNCTION, YOU
KNOW, EXACTLY WHAT TO DO IN
TERMS OF TRAINING OR HOW MUCH
TRAINING TO ADD ON TO WHAT
THEY'RE ALREADY DOING WITH THE
BOARD MEMBERS. BUT WE'RE VERY
OPEN TO, AGAIN, PUTTING SOME
MORE GUARDRAILS IN OR GUIDANCE
IN TERMS OF THAT, WHAT MINIMUM
TRAINING SHOULD BE, FOR EXAMPLE?
WELL THANK YOU. WELL, I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING THE FINAL. I'M
GOING TO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT
THE BILL TODAY. BUT I DO RESERVE
MY RIGHT TO SEE THE FINAL
LANGUAGE AND CHANGE MY VOTE ON
THE SENATE FLOOR. BUT THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS MEASURE
FORWARD. AND THANK YOU TO OUR
STUDENT ADVOCATES FOR BEING
HERE. WE'D LOVE TO SEE OUR YOUTH
ENGAGE IN THE IN, LEGISLATION
AND IDEAS. THANK YOU. AND SO,
WITH RESPECT TO THE BROWN ACT,
THAT THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS
ARE ALREADY TRAINED ON THEIR
BROWN ACT RESPONSIBILITIES,
CORRECT. THEY'RE NOT THE
LEGISLATION THAT WE PASSED
RECENTLY. I KNOW YOU AND ALL OF
US HERE, AT LEAST THREE OUT OF
FOUR OF US WERE HERE WHEN WE
PASSED THE LEGISLATION. EXCLUDES
THEM COMPLETELY FROM CLOSED
SESSION. NO, THAT'S NOT THE
ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW,
IF YOU'RE A STUDENT MEMBER OF A
BOARD FOR THOSE BOARDS THAT HAVE
STUDENT MEMBERS, THEY DO GET
TRAINING ON BROWN ACT MATTERS.
THEY JUST DON'T PARTICIPATE IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION, NOR WOULD
THEY HERE. CORRECT. I JUST WANT
TO MAKE CLEAR THAT'S NOT A
THAT'S NOT A NEW ELEMENT. THE
QUESTION HERE IS WHETHER OR NOT
THEY'D PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN A
CLOSED SESSION. YOUR ANSWER IS
OBVIOUS. THEY WOULDN'T, BUT THEY
WOULD PROVIDE INPUT BY WAY OF
PEER PROVIDED RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE RECOMMENDATIONS. RIGHT.
THAT'S THE GIST OF THE BILL.
RIGHT OKAY. YOU'RE YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, MR. CHAIR. AND
CLEARLY I SHOULDN'T SAY
OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE YOU MAKE A
GREAT POINT THERE IN ORDER TO
JUST BE PART OF THE OPEN SESSION
PROCEEDINGS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO
BE TRAINED IN THE BROWN ACT JUST
LIKE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. SO
THEY THEY KNOW THAT SECTION OF
THE CODE AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY
CAN AND CANNOT DO OUT THERE IN
TERMS OF OPEN MEETING RULES.
RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, SO FOR
THOSE BOARDS THAT HAVE STUDENT
MEMBERS, THAT'S NOT A NEW THING.
DON'T YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT
CLEAR? THEY'RE ALREADY AFFORDED
THAT THAT TRAINING AND THAT KIND
OF THAT RESPECT AS A MEMBER. I
LIKE THIS BILL. AND I THINK FOR
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, IF YOU
RECALL, THIS ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF
THE, IDEAS THAT WAS PRESENTED TO
US AS PART OF THE SABL HEARING
THAT WE DO ONCE A YEAR. SO THIS
IS ACTUALLY QUITE COOL. THIS
THIS BILL WAS OBVIOUSLY GOOD
ENOUGH TO KIND OF MAKE IT
THROUGH TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES, AS
THEY SAY. BUT I THINK IT'S I
THINK IT'S A IT'S A VERY VALID,
VERY COMPELLING IDEA, WITH
RESPECT TO DISCIPLINARY MATTERS,
PEERS DO HAVE INSIGHT AND IN
FACT, A UNIQUE LEVEL OF INSIGHT
TO THE CONDITIONS AND
MOTIVATIONS OF AN INCIDENT THAT
MIGHT LEAD TO AN EXPULSION
RECOMMENDATION. SO I COMMEND YOU
FOR THE IDEA, AND I COMMEND THE
AUTHOR FOR BRINGING IT TO US.
GLAD TO SUPPORT IT, DO I HAVE A
MOTION OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO
COMMENT? I'M SORRY. NO, I HAD A
QUESTION. THANK YOU. AND I. AND
I'M SORRY I MISSED SOME OF THE
DIALOG. SO FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS
IF THIS IS REPETITIVE. I WANTED
TO JUST GET A SENSE. I KNOW THAT
WHEN A STUDENT IS IN IN THIS
ROLE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE BEING
PRIORITIZED AND CENTERED HERE,
BUT DOES THE WHO GIVES THE
STUDENT THE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE INCIDENT? IS IT THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND IS THAT INFORMATION
FULLY PROVIDED TO THE STUDENTS?
DO THE STUDENTS HAVE ALL OF THE
INFORMATION? CAN THE DOES THE
DISTRICT LIMIT WHAT THEY KNOW
ABOUT THE ACTUAL BEALL, ISSUE OR
INCIDENT THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED?
GREAT GREAT QUESTION. SO AS THE
BILL IS WRITTEN, WE'VE LEFT THAT
TO THE ORDINARY PROCESSES AND
DISCRETION OF THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT. THEY WOULD HAVE AN
EXPULSION PACKET PUT TOGETHER
AND THE THOUGHT WAS IF THE
PARENT AND, THE ACCUSED STUDENT
ARE SIGNING OFF ON HAVING THAT
INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE STUDENT
BOARD MEMBER FOR PURPOSES OF
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THAT PACKET
WOULD BE TURNED OVER, WERE OPEN,
AND I JUST ANSWERED, SENATOR
OKOBOJI EARLIER, BECAUSE WE'VE
BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT THE
LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, IN PART
BECAUSE OF SOME INQUIRIES FROM
COLLEAGUES. IN MY OWN EXPERIENCE
AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. YOU
KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S A COUPLE OF
ITEMS IN THERE THAT CAN BE
EXCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD PUT IN
THE BILL AND NOT LEAVE
COMPLETELY TO LOCAL CONTROL. I,
I'M NOT SURE OF HOW IMPORTANT
THAT IS. AND I WANT TO THINK
THINK THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT
MORE. BUT I USE THE EXAMPLE OF
TRANSCRIPTS. I'M NOT SURE THE
STUDENT MEMBER NEEDS TO HAVE THE
TRANSCRIPTS OF THE OTHER STUDENT
TO MAKE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
RECOMMENDATIONS. ALTHOUGH IT
SOMETIMES DOES PROMPT QUESTIONS
LIKE HOW COME YOUR GRADES WERE
GREAT? SEMESTER ONE, TWO, THREE,
AND FOUR? AND THEN THEY DROPPED
ALL OF A SUDDEN AND IN THAT
DIALOG, WE'RE EXPECTING DIALOG
TO OCCUR HERE. YOU KNOW, THE
ACCUSED STUDENT MIGHT HAVE SOME
GREAT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BULLIED, I GOT
CUT FROM THE BASKETBALL TEAM,
AND I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH
THE WRONG CROWD. YOU KNOW, YOU
HEAR THOSE KIND OF THINGS. SO WE
HAVE TO THINK THROUGH THAT. I
DON'T THINK THERE'S HARM
NECESSARILY IN GIVING IT TO
THEM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE BOUND
BY CONFIDENTIALITY. BUT I, I AM
WILLING TO PUT SOME ADDITIONAL
RESTRAINTS ON THE BILL AS IT
GOES FORWARD. IF, IF THERE'S
COMPELLING REASONS TO DO SO.
OKAY. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASN'T EVER
AN EFFORT WHERE THE DISTRICT WAS
TRYING TO SWAY, THE
RECOMMENDATIONS IN ANY WAY, AND
THEREFORE LIMIT AND NOT JUST
SORT OF CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION, BUT JUST ELEMENTS
OF, OF THE PACKET, SORT OF
ARBITRARILY. SO I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PROCESS
WHERE THOSE STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE ARE FULLY
RESPECTED, THAT THEY HAVE ALL OF
THE COMPLETE INFORMATION THAT'S
NEEDED TO HAVE A VIABLE AND,
AND, IMPACTFUL RECOMMENDATION
THAT THAT SIDE OF THE ISSUE IS
COMPELLING TO. I UNDERSTAND YOUR
YOUR POINT BETTER. AND I THINK
THE IDEA OF WHAT'S IN THAT
PACKET, IS IT EXACTLY IDENTICAL
AS TO WHAT THE BOARD MEMBERS
GET, THE ADULT BOARD MEMBERS OR,
IS THERE SOME REASON TO KEEP,
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S
PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE OUT? I
THINK EVERYTHING ABOUT WE WOULD
NEVER I CAN TELL YOU AS AN
AUTHOR, I WOULD NEVER TAKE
ANYTHING OUT OR WANT TO TAKE
ANYTHING OUT. BE WILLING TO TAKE
ANYTHING OUT OF THE BILL THAT,
WOULD WOULD LIMIT THE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FACT
PATTERN ITSELF AND, AND THE
YOUTH'S HISTORY, YOU KNOW, IN
TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE THEIR
BEHAVIOR IN THE EDUCATION
SYSTEM, IT'S WHAT WE SEE IN PEER
COURT. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO ASK
THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS. HAVE
YOU BEEN IN TROUBLE LIKE THIS
BEFORE? AND IF THE PERSON SAYS
NO AND THE PEERS KNOW IT'S
THAT'S NOT TRUE. IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR THEM TO CHALLENGE THE
STUDENT ON THAT. BUT WAIT, THE
PACKET SAYS YOU WERE SMOKING ON
CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO
OR WHATEVER THE EXAMPLE IS, AND
FORCE THEM TO BE CANDID AND
HONEST AND SO THAT THEY CAN HELP
THEM SO THEY CAN HELP, YOU KNOW,
DEVISE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. SO
WE'LL BE I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO
GRANULAR AND RIGHT. WE GOT ALL
THIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUT THERE
THAT FEEL THEY WANT TO DO SCHOOL
BASED AND DISTRICT BASED
DECISION MAKING, OF COURSE, AND
I RESPECT THAT. BUT WE'LL BE,
CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT PIECE
OF IT AS WE GO FORWARD. THANK
YOU. I PLAN TO SUPPORT THE BILL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON
THAT AND COMMITTED TO IT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, OKAY. AGAIN, I'M
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, AND I'M
IMPRESSED BY THESE TWO YOUNG
MEN, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? TO
MOVE THE BILL. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE, PLEASE? YEAH AGAIN. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. THAT MEANS EVERYTHING.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID AT THE
OUTSET, THE HELP FROM THE
COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF GUIDING
THIS AND SUGGESTING AMENDMENTS
AND SO FORTH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WILL CONTINUE TO BE
IMPORTANT, THAT KIND OF ANALYSIS
ALONG THE WAY. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU. MADAM CONSULTANT,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL WHILE ITEM
SEVEN SB 1445 CORTEZ MOTION IS
DUE. PASS AS AMENDED. NEWMAN
NEWMAN I OKOBOJI. OKOBOJI I
CORTEZ I CORTEZ I GLASER.
GONZALEZ SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I WILK. THAT
MEASURE HAS FOUR VOTES. WE'LL
LEAVE IT ON CALL. I NOW HAVE TO
GO PRESENT MY FIFTH BILL OF THE
MORNING. I'M SORRY, SENATOR
BOGUE. I'LL BE BACK AS SOON AS I
CAN. AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE
GAVEL WITH SENATOR CORTEZ, WHO
WILL CHAIR IN MY ABSENCE AS
SENATOR CHOBOQ. PRESENTS YOUR
BILL. SORRY. I'M SORRY
.
OKAY. THE VICE CHAIR WOULD
NORMALLY BE PRESIDING THE
ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR. EXCEPT IN
THIS CASE, THE VICE CHAIR IS
ITEM SIX, SB 1435. AND SHE'S
GOING TO BE PRESENTING INSTEAD
OF CHAIRING. JUST FYI, HERE'S
THE WITNESS OR WITNESSES. I
APPRECIATE IT
.
SENATOR, YOU MAY PROCEED WHEN
READY. THANK YOU
.
WHAT'S YOUR WEALTH OF
INFORMATION
?
JUST MAKING SURE WE'VE HAD SO
MUCH PROGRESS. Þ ON HIS WAY.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBER. LAST YEAR, I BEGAN A
CONVERSATION ABOUT AGE
APPROPRIATENESS AND CONTENT OF
SCHOOLS, CONTENT FOUND IN
SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, I INTRODUCED
SB 1435 TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND
TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PROTECTION
OF CHILDREN FROM MATERIAL THAT
IS OBJECTIVELY HARMFUL TO
MINORS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE LAWS
PERTAINING TO THE ADOPTION OF
TEXTBOOKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS
AND CLASSROOMS, THERE IS A LACK
OF STATE GUIDELINES. SPECIFIC
FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AT ANY
GRADE LEVEL. IN FACT, THE LAST
UPDATE TO OUR STATE'S EDUCATION
CODE REGARDING CONTENT IN SCHOOL
LIBRARIES WAS IN 1990, AND THAT
ONLY PERMITTED LOCAL SCHOOL
BOARDS TO REMOVE MATERIAL THAT
IS POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS IN
NATURE. NO ONE DISAGREES THAT
IT'S NECESSARY THAT TO PROTECT
OUR CHILDREN FROM SEXUALLY
EXPLICIT MATERIAL. HOWEVER AS
THIS MATERIAL BECOMES MORE
READILY AVAILABLE THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA, MOVIES, BOOKS, AND OTHER
DIGITAL MEDIUMS, THE STATE
LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN SLOW TO
PROVIDE THE NECESSARY OVERSIGHT,
AND AS A RESULT, THESE MATERIALS
HAVE SLOWLY CREPT INTO OUR
SCHOOLS. THIS YEAR WE HAVE,
SENATOR WAHAB, WHO'S INTRODUCED
A BILL ADDRESSING I IN THE
MAKING OF IMAGES WITH REGARDS TO
OBSCENE MATERIAL, AND PROTECTING
AND USING CHILDREN IMAGES.
ALTHOUGH LOCAL CHALLENGES TO
READING MATERIALS ARE RARE WHEN
THE MATERIAL IS BROUGHT TO THE
PUBLIC ATTENTION, SCHOOL BOARD
MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES ARE
OFTEN SHOCKED BY THE CONTENT
FOUND IN THESE BOOKS. FOR
EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR IN THIS
COMMITTEE, WE HEARD TESTIMONY
FROM A PARENT WHO BROUGHT A BOOK
FOUND IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. IN A
MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY. SHE READ
ALOUD THE BOOK'S INSTRUCTIONS ON
HOW CHILDREN CAN SIGN UP FOR
APPS DESIGNED TO FIND SEXUAL
PARTNERS AND HOW TO GIVE ORAL
SEX. WHEN THESE TYPES OF BOOKS
ARE CALLED INTO QUESTION BY
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS AND BROUGHT
BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR
REVIEW, THE MATERIALS ARE
CENSORED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE
VIEWING AUDIENCE. THIS IS A THIS
IS BECAUSE EXISTING FCC
REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE
BROADCASTING OF OBSCENE MATERIAL
ON TELEVISION AND RADIO. THE
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA PASSED AN
ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRED THE
BLINDERS BE PLACED IN FRONT OF
MATERIALS DISPLAYED IN PUBLIC
THAT ARE CONSIDERED, QUOTE
UNQUOTE, HARMFUL MATTER AS
DEFINED BY PENAL CODE 313 IN
BARRY VERSUS THE CITY OF SANTA
BARBARA IN 1995, THE ORDINANCE
WAS DEEMED CONSTITUTIONAL,
DECLARING THAT THE SUPREME COURT
HAD CONSISTENTLY HELD THAT
STATES AND MUNICIPALITIES HAVE A
COMPELLING INTEREST IN
PROTECTING THE WELFARE OF MINORS
AND Ã, SPECIFICALLY IN
PREVENTING MINORS FROM GAINING
ACCESS TO MATERIALS DEEMED
OBSCENE TO THEM. IT WAS FOUND
THAT THE ORDINANCE DID NOT
VIOLATE FREE SPEECH, AND THAT
PRESS PROVISION OF THE AND PRESS
PROVISIONS OF THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. SO SB 1435 IS NOT
ABOUT CENSORSHIP, UNLIKE AB
1078, WHICH UPDATED STANDARDS
FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS. SB 1435 IS ABOUT
UPDATING SCHOOL LIBRARY
STANDARDS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
OVER 30 YEARS. THE BILL ENSURES
THAT THE CONTENT THAT IS
OBJECTIVELY HARMFUL TO CHILDREN
AND HAS NO SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC,
ARTISTIC OR LITERARY PURPOSE IS
NOT FOUND IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
THE APRIL 8TH AMENDMENTS WOULD
REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF CONTENT
THAT IS SPECIFICALLY HARMFUL TO
CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES,
SERVING PUPILS IN PRESCHOOL
THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. BY NEXT
SCHOOL YEAR. THESE AMENDMENTS
ALSO PROTECT BOOKS AND MATERIALS
THAT SERVE LEGITIMATE SCIENTIFIC
OR LITERARY PURPOSES. THE
AMENDMENTS ALSO REMOVE ALL
CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR FAILING
TO REMOVE A BOOK OR MATERIAL
THAT IS HARMFUL TO CHILDREN FROM
SCHOOL LIBRARIES BY JULY 31ST,
2025. INSTEAD, IT ALLOWS PARENTS
AND GUARDIANS TO FILE A CIVIL
INJUNCTION. JOINING ME IN
SUPPORT IS LANCE CHRISTENSEN,
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION
POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
FOR THE CALIFORNIA POLICY CENTER
, AND AARON FRIDAY, ATTORNEY AND
CO-LEAD OF OUR DUTY USA. CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE. THANKS FOR HAVING US
HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS LANCE
CHRISTENSEN, THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE CALIFORNIA POLICY CENTER.
I'M ALSO A FATHER OF FIVE
CHILDREN, ALL WHO HAVE GONE
THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
, SB 1435 IS SIMPLE. IT'S AND
IT'S COMMON SENSICAL. AND OVER
THE 20 YEARS THAT I SPENT
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
LEGISLATURE, IT SEEMS LIKE A NO
BRAINER. THE BILL SIMPLY DOES
THIS. IF YOU CAN'T WATCH IT ON
BROADCAST TELEVISION OR LISTEN
TO IT OVER THE AIRWAVES, OR HEAR
IT IN A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, IT
SHOULDN'T BE IN OUR YOUNG
CHILDREN'S PUBLIC SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES. WE'RE
ASKING THE LEGISLATURE TO CODIFY
SOME VERSION OF THESE FCC
OBSCENITY STANDARDS, WHICH WERE
REFERENCED EARLIER, SOMETHING
THAT CONGRESS HAS DONE FOR OVER
50 YEARS. MILL, THE MILLER TEST,
WHICH IS BASED UPON, CONFIRMS
THAT OBSCENE CONTENT ISN'T DOES
NOT HAVE PROTECTION IN THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. AND THE SUPREME COURT
HAS BEEN CONSISTENT ON THAT FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS. HOW CAN A BILL
SET TO ESTABLISH EIGHT
APPROPRIATE, AGE APPROPRIATE
STANDARDS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL,
CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES UP
UNTIL THE EIGHTH GRADE HAVE
SERIOUS OPPOSITION. MANY OF THE
OBJECTIONABLE BOOKS IN OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND
LIBRARIES ARE NOT LITERARY
MASTERPIECES OR COMING OF AGE
STORIES, AND APPEAL TO PRURIENT
INTERESTS ASSAIL KIDS WITH
ENOUGH VULGAR AND OBSCENE
CONTENT AND IT WILL BECOME
DESENSITIZED, LOCKED AND LOADED
FOR LIFE OF SUPERFICIALITY AND
OBJECTIFICATION. THE STATE DOES
NOT HAVE A SALIENT PROCESS FOR
PROHIBITING OR REMOVING OBSCENE
OR HARMFUL MATTER, THAT IS, AGE
INAPPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES. WE'RE
NOT PURSUING THIS BILL
UNDERNEATH THE DISJOINTED AND
SOMETIMES UNINTELLIGIBLE PIMCO'S
STANDARD. IF THIS BILL IS NOT
SUFFICIENT, WE WOULD ASK THAT
THE LEGISLATURE SPEND TIME
TALKING ABOUT WHERE IS THE LINE?
CAN SCHOOLS DRAW A LINE ON WHAT
IS OBSCENE, HARMFUL MATTER OR
VULGAR FOR OUR KIDS? THIS BILL
SEEKS TO DRAW THAT SIMPLE LINE
FROM PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE
THAT THE FCC DID YEARS AGO AND
ASKED FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON,
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT TO
APOLOGIZE FOR BEING VULGAR. MY
NAME IS AARON FRIDAY. I'M A
DEMOCRAT AND A LEAD OF OUR DUTY.
A GROUP WITH GAY MEMBERS. IT'S
ALARMING THAT WE NEED THIS BILL,
BUT SCHOOLS, DESPITE CLAIMING
THAT THEY ARE SAFE SPACES, ARE
SHELVING HARMFUL MATERIAL AKA
OBSCENE MATERIALS AS THEY RELATE
TO KIDS. THERE IS NOTHING
TRANSPHOBIC, HOMOPHOBIC OR
RACIST ABOUT THIS BILL. IT
MERELY ALIGNS AN EXISTING LAW
THAT PROHIBITS THE DISTRIBUTION
OF HARMFUL MATERIAL TO KIDS. IT
DOESN'T ADD ANY CRIMINAL
PUNISHMENTS. MEETING ALL THREE
PRONGS OF HARMFUL MATTER IS AN
EXTREMELY HIGH BAR, SO ONLY THE
MOST OFFENSIVE BOOKS WILL BE
REMOVED. THE BOOK THIS IS GAY IS
FOUND IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. THE
GLOSSARY DEFINES GLORY HOLE, A
HOLE IN A WALL OR PARTITION
THROUGH WHICH A MAN POKES HIS
PENIS PENIS RIMMING, LICKING THE
BOTTOM, SCAT EATING POOP. THE
BOOK. THIS BOOK FLAMER HAS BOYS
EJACULATING INTO A BOTTLE AND
WHOEVER DOESN'T DO IT MUST DRINK
IT. THE BOOK LET'S TALK ABOUT IT
ENCOURAGES KIDS TO EXPLORE,
THEIR KINKS AS WELL AS. IT HAS
CARTOON DEPICTIONS OF DIFFERENT
SEX ACTS, SCHOOLS ENCOURAGING
YOUNG KIDS TO VIEW IS DANGEROUS
AS IT ENCOURAGES SEXUAL
BEHAVIOR. IN CHILDREN UNDER 14,
WHICH NATURALLY RESULTS IN
PREGNANCIES AND STDS. THE NEW
YORK TIMES OVER THE WEEKEND
FEATURED AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW
AFFECTS CHILDREN. IT'S CAUSING
THE YOUTH TO BELIEVE THAT
CHOKING IS NOW A NORMAL PART OF
SEX. GIRLS, OF COURSE, ARE ON
THE RECEIVING END, AND
ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND BRAIN
INJURIES RESULT. SO IF YOU DON'T
VOTE YES ON THIS BILL, YOU WILL
BE ON RECORD THAT YOU BELIEVE
THAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE EXPOSED
TO THE TYPE OF HARMFUL MATTER
THAT I JUST PRESENTED. THERE CAN
BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION.
THÀNH THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. ARE THERE OTHERS IN
THE COMMITTEE ROOM WHO WISH TO
COME FORWARD AND EXPRESS A
SUPPORT POSITION AT THIS TIME?
YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND
SUPPORT IS WHAT'S ALLOWED DURING
THIS METOO PROCESS. THANK YOU.
OKAY. MY NAME IS DALIA SHEHATA.
AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE COPTIC
ORTHODOX CHURCH, I AM HONORED TO
SERVE AS A TELEVISION TALK SHOW
HOST FOR LOGOS. CAN'T TESTIFY.
YOU CAN ONLY SAY YOUR NAME, YOUR
AFFILIATION AND SUPPORT UNDER
THIS PART OF THE AGENDA, WE'RE
LIMITED TO TWO PEOPLE TESTIFYING
. I THINK THAT I AM GETTING IT,
OKAY. I'M GETTING IT'S A LITTLE
BIT LONG. YEAH, I'M ALMOST
THERE, SO. OKAY, I AM HERE TO
REPRESENT THE ARAB COMMUNITY OF
CALIFORNIA WITH THE BLESSING OF
POPE TAWADROS AND METROPOLITAN
SERAPION HERE TO SUPPORT SB
1435. I RESPECTFULLY SEEK YOUR
AYE VOTE ON SB 1435. THANK YOU.
YOU DID THAT PERFECTLY WELL.
THANK YOU. MARGARET RADER,
MOTHER OF A SIXTH GRADER IN
SUPPORT. CHARLOTTE JOHNSON,
CONCERNED PARENT. DON'T LET THEM
TELL YOU THIS IS BOOK BANNING.
IT IS NOT. MIMI MCMAHON,
GRANDMOTHER, RETIRED TEACHER AT.
AND I REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT TO
PROTECT OUR KIDS FROM THIS.
BRINA SHEEHY, REPRESENTING
PROTECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL
RIGHTS OF KIDS. ADVOCACY IN
SUPPORT. CYNTHIA CRAVENS, LONG
TIME DEMOCRAT AND FORMER
CANDIDATE FOR CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE DISTRICT 11. I SUPPORT
THIS BILL. THANK YOU. NICOLE
YOUNG, PLACER COUNTY CHAPTER,
MOMS FOR LIBERTY IN STRONG
SUPPORT. MIKE MURRAY, FATHER OF
TWO YOUNG CHILDREN REPRESENTING
THE AMERICAN COUNCIL IN SUPPORT
OF THIS BILL. ARE NGUYEN FUNK
WITH CHICO PARENTS AGAINST
SEXUAL ABUSE BY SCHOOLS WITH. I
SUPPORT THIS BILL. CAROL
MARQUIS, YOLO COUNTY MOMS FOR
LIBERTY I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
BILL. BETH MORAN, YOLO COUNTY
LIFELONG DEMOCRAT I STRONGLY
SUPPORT THIS BILL. ANNA FAHEEM
I'M A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. I
SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU. WE
APPRECIATE ALL THE TESTIMONY. DO
WE HAVE, I BELIEVE WE DO LEAD
OPPOSITION WITNESSES. IF SO,
PLEASE COME UP AT THIS TIME,
WE'LL HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE TO AT
LEAST MOVE OVER OR YOU CAN STAY
UP HERE IN CASE THERE'S
QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE MAKE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE
OTHER TWO WITNESSES. THAT'S.
THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. SHOULD I
BEGIN? MISTER, PLEASE GO AHEAD
AND SELF-IDENTIFY. YOU HAVE A
COUPLE MINUTES EACH, IN WHATEVER
ORDER YOU DECIDE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
SENATORS SETH BRAMBLE, SPEAKING
TODAY ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN
300,000 EDUCATORS, THE MEMBERS
OF THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION RESPECTFULLY IN
OPPOSITION AS EDUCATORS, WE
INSPIRE THE NATURAL CURIOSITY OF
OUR STUDENTS. BUT THIS BILL
OPENS THE DOOR TO REMOVING BOOKS
FROM OUR SCHOOLS SIMPLY BECAUSE
SOME INDIVIDUALS DON'T LIKE THE
VIEWS IN THOSE BOOKS. THE SCHOOL
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN
PREPARING OUR STUDENTS TO LIVE
AND LEARN IN A WORLD OF
INFORMATION, A WORLD WITH
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. BUT WE
DO NEED TO CALL THIS BILL WHAT
IT IS. DESPITE WHAT THOSE WHO
TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT SAID, THIS
BILL IS THE BOOK BANNED MOVEMENT
COMING TO CALIFORNIA. THIS BILL
IS VERY MUCH ABOUT CENSORSHIP.
THIS BILL IS ABOUT TAKING BOOKS
OUT OF OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, THE
PROPOSAL SEEKS TO FUEL FEAR AND
DISTRUST IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
LIBRARIES AND IN OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM, DISRUPTING THE
WORK THAT TEACHERS DO TO TRY AND
GROW THE NEXT GENERATION OF
INVENTORS. THE BILL ALSO EXPOSES
OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO
TREMENDOUS LITIGATION. AS A
RESULT, ONE PARENT, ONE
COMPLAINT CAN REMOVE A PIECE OF
LITERATURE FOR ALL THE STUDENTS
ON THAT SCHOOL CAMPUS. UNDER
THIS BILL, ANY RESIDENT, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO HAVE KIDS AT THE
SCHOOL CAN BRING THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT TO COURT. BASICALLY
BECAUSE THEY DISAGREED WITH THE
DECISION BY A SCHOOL BOARD TO
KEEP A BOOK ON THE BOOKSHELF.
THIS THREAT CERTAINLY WILL HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT CHILLING EFFECT ON
ACCESS TO THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. IT
UNDERMINES THE BASIC ROLE THAT
SCHOOL LIBRARIES PLAY. YES, WE
WANT OUR KIDS TO BE SAFE, AND
YES, WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE
SUPPORTED. WE WANT TO CELEBRATE
THEIR DIVERSITY IN AN INCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENT. BUT GIVING STUDENTS
ACCESS TO A RANGE OF IDEAS
PREPARES THEM TO, PARTICIPATE IN
AN OFTEN CONTENTIOUS SOCIETY, A
WORLD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SOON
BE ADULTS IN. SO WE'RE ASKING
TODAY AND URGING YOU TO ENSURE
THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FREE. FREE
TO INQUIRE, FREE TO STUDY, FREE
TO EVALUATE, AT A FREE EXCHANGE
OF IDEAS AND TO URGES. YOUR NO
VOTE. NEXT WITNESS. YES HELLO.
MY NAME IS ALLISON LEE AND I AM
HERE IN OPPOSITION TO SB 1435,
WHICH MAKE NO MISTAKE, THREATENS
CALIFORNIA'S LONG STANDING
COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING OUR
STUDENTS RIGHTS TO FREELY LEARN
AND ACCESS INFORMATION AT SCHOOL
. THIS BILL IS OF GREAT CONCERN
TO ME AND THE ORGANIZATION I
REPRESENT. THE LITERARY AND FREE
EXPRESSION NONPROFIT PEN
AMERICA. YESTERDAY, PEN AMERICA
PUBLISHED OUR MOST RECENT
REPORT, TRACKING BOOK BANS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND THE
NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING. OVER
4000 INSTANCES OF BOOK BANS IN
THE FIRST HALF OF THE CURRENT
SCHOOL YEAR, MORE THAN WE
TRACKED IN THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL
YEAR. AS A WHOLE. FOR THREE
YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN A COORDINATED
CAMPAIGN, WHICH HAS PLAYED OUT
IN STATE AFTER STATE, WITH A
COMMON PURPOSE TO BAN BOOKS, TO
CENSOR WHAT STUDENTS CAN READ IN
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES. AND
DESPITE WHAT THOSE IN SUPPORT OF
SB 1435 SAY, THIS BILL WILL PUT
CALIFORNIA IN THE SAME CATEGORY
AS UTAH, MISSOURI, IOWA. IN
FLORIDA, STATES WHERE LAWS ARE
ALREADY BEING USED TO FORCE
SCHOOLS TO REMOVE BOOKS WITH
SEXUAL CONTENT, BOOKS ABOUT RACE
AND RACISM, BOOKS ABOUT LGBTQ
LIVES. THIS BILL WILL GIVE
INDIVIDUAL PARENTS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT
BOOKS COUNT AS OBSCENE OR
INDECENT, RATHER THAN TRUSTING
THE CURATORIAL PROCESS TO
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND
LIBRARIANS, WE HAVE SEEN WHAT
HAPPENS NEXT. SB 1435 WILL
TARGET WORKS WITH LGBTQ
CHARACTERS, BOOKS THAT TEACH
YOUNG WOMEN ESSENTIAL LESSONS
ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND
CONSENT, EVEN BOOKS ABOUT
ANATOMY OR POTTY TRAINING THAT
JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE ANATOMICALLY
CORRECT ILLUSTRATIONS. BOOK
BANNING LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE
SEEN ACROSS THE NATION HASN'T
COME TO CALIFORNIA YET. LET'S
PROTECT OUR STUDENTS RIGHTS TO
READ AND KEEP IT THAT WAY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. ARE THERE OTHERS IN
OPPOSITION WHO WOULD LIKE TO
COME FORWARD AND EXPRESS NAME,
AFFILIATION AND OPPOSITION?
PLEASE DO SO. THANK YOU. MEMBERS
TRISTAN BROWN OF CFT, UNION OF
EDUCATORS OF CLASSIFIED
PROFESSIONALS HERE IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. DIANA VU,
ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. HELLO,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS RACHEL BHAGWAT
WITH ACLU CALIFORNIA ACTION IN
OPPOSITION. CRAIG PULSIPHER, ON
BEHALF OF EQUALITY CALIFORNIA.
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. RENE PENA
, SPECIAL EDUCATOR, MIDDLE
SCHOOL AND ON BEHALF OF TEACHER
LIBRARIANS ACROSS OUR STATE IN
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU. THIS IS WHERE
WE BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. I'M GOING TO TURN IT
OVER TO THE CHAIR WHO HAS
RETURNED. THANK YOU, SENATOR
CORTEZ, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I
KNOW, SENATOR GONZALEZ, YOU HAD
YOU HAD SOME COMMENT. PLEASE
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND, THANK
YOU TO THE AUTHOR FOR COMING TO
MY OFFICE AND TALKING TO ME
ABOUT THIS BILL, YOU KNOW, ON
THE FACE OF IT, AS WE DESCRIBE,
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE BILL DOES, IT
WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH THIS BILL
WOULD BE PROTECTING CHILDREN AND
ALLOWING PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO JUST, YOU KNOW, CASUALLY
PROVIDE SOME, SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHAT,
THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN THEIR
CHILDREN'S SCHOOL LIBRARIES. BUT
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE BILL
ACTUALLY DOES. I THINK, AS HAS
BEEN ALLUDED TO BY OUR
REPRESENTATIVE FROM CTA, THE
BILL VERY SPECIFICALLY GRANTS A
PARENT, GUARDIAN OR RESIDENT ANY
RESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL,
REGARDLESS IF THEY, IF THEY'RE
CHILDREN OR THEY HAVE NO
CHILDREN, ATTEND THE SCHOOL. THE
RIGHT TO BRING A CIVIL ACTION IN
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND IF THEY
FAIL TO DO SO, TO, WELL, FAILS
TO REMOVE A BOOK THAT THEY VIEW
AS HARMFUL. SO I KNOW WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT I KNOW
YOU'VE PROVIDED BOOKS, BUT WHAT?
HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THIS AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CENSOR GOOD
MATERIALS? AND WE TALKED ABOUT
THIS IN TERMS OF SEXUAL
EDUCATION, POTTY TRAINING,
BEING, YOU KNOW, I'M THE I'M NOT
JUST A SENATOR. I'M THE MOTHER
OF A YOUNG CHILD AS WELL. AND
I'M JUST VERY CURIOUS AS TO HOW
YOU PERCEIVE THIS AS NOT BEING A
CENSORSHIP, EVEN PARTIALLY.
ABSOLUTELY. SO SO IN LOOKING AS
TO THE CONVERSATION AS TO AGE
APPROPRIATENESS, WE WENT TO
LEGAL COUNSEL AND WE ASKED, YOU
KNOW, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN TERMS
OF AGE APPROPRIATENESS WHEN IT
COMES TO MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS?
AND WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS
NOTHING IN STATUTE, NOTHING IN
CODE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
IN OUR EDUCATIONAL CODE THAT
STATED ANYTHING WITH REGARDS TO,
AGE APPROPRIATENESS. SO THEN WE
LOOKED, WE EXPLAINED WHAT THE
GOAL WAS, WAS IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD
UP UNTIL THIS POINT, BROUGHT TO
OUR ATTENTION CERTAIN MATERIALS
THAT WAS TRULY NOT WORTH, BEING
IN SCHOOLS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW,
THE BOOK THAT WAS MENTIONED LAST
YEAR AND OTHERS THAT LITERALLY
SHOW SEXUAL POSITIONS, YOU KNOW,
INQUIRING AND I THINK WE HAVE
EXAMPLES OR, IN THAT PARTICULAR
CASE, HOW TO DOWNLOAD AN APP TO
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE,
COULD BE SEXUAL PARTNERS. SO THE
QUESTION THEN WAS, HOW IS IT
THAT THESE BOOKS ARE COMING INTO
OUR LIBRARIES IN, IN, IN
CALIFORNIA, IN OUR STATE? WELL,
HAVING NO GUIDANCE AND NO AND
NO, NO STATUTE IN PLACE
PROTECTING OR ADDRESSING THIS
ISSUE, THEN WE WENT OUTSIDE AND
TRIED TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHAT
ELSE DO WE HAVE IN PLACE? AND IT
WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY
LEGAL COUNSEL THAT WE HAD A
PENAL CODE, 313 THAT
SPECIFICALLY STATED AND DEFINED
WHAT HARMFUL MATTER WAS TO OUR
STUDENTS OR TO STUDENTS TO, TO,
TO CHILDREN, AND IT WAS THE
PENAL CODE THAT WAS ACTUALLY
USED OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL TO
PROTECT KIDS FROM MATERIAL THAT,
OCCURRED ACCORDING TO THE
LANGUAGE. IT DEFINES HARMFUL
MATTER AS, AS Tð. THE BILL SAYS,
DEFINING AS BETTER IS TAKEN AS A
WHOLE, WHICH THE AVERAGE PERSON
APPLYING CONTEMPORARY STATEWIDE
STANDARDS APPEALS TO THE
PRURIENT INTEREST AND IS A
MATTER OF WHICH, TAKEN AS A
WHOLE, DEPICTS OR DESCRIBES IN A
PATENTLY OFFENSIVE WAY THE
SEXUAL CONDUCT IN WHICH, TAKEN
AS A WHOLE, LACKS SERIOUS
LITERARY, ARTISTIC, POLITICAL
AND SCIENTIFIC VALUE FOR
CHILDREN THAT IS THE PENAL CODE,
AND THAT IS WHAT I'M READING
FROM THE ACTUAL BILL. IT HAS TO
HAVE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE,
REQUIREMENT IN THERE, IN
ADDITION, AS I MENTIONED IN MY
OPENING STATEMENT. WITH REGARDS
TO THE BRINGING CRIMINAL CODE,
LET'S SEE. AND YES, PARENTS AND
ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY COULD
COME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND
ACTUALLY, APPLY FOR, OBTAIN AN
APPROPRIATE INJUNCTIVE,
INJUNCTIVE AND DECLARATORY
RELIEF FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS
SECTION AFTER THE GOVERNING
BOARD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S
REFUSAL TO REMOVE ANY HARMFUL
MATTER. THAT'S ONLY AN ALTERNATE
A IF IT HAPPENS TO GO INTO AND
IT'S FOUND IN THERE, THEN THEN
THEN THE CHALLENGE CAN COME
THROUGH. IT'S IN THE BILL. IT'S
IN CODE, I'M TRYING TO FIND
SOMETHING I'M GOING TO GIVE,
WELL, I GUESS MY, MY JUST TO
BUILD OFF OF THAT, I THINK JUST
THE ISSUE TOO IS, IT OPENS THE
DOOR TO MANY LAWSUITS AGAINST
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AS WE KNOW
, AND THEN POTENTIAL, NOT JUST
CIVIL, ISSUES, BUT CRIMINAL
PROSECUTION, IS WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE. YOUR BILL ABSOLUTELY DOES.
AND THAT COULD BE ANY RANDOM
PARENT OR ANY RESIDENT IN THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT JUST SEEMS
TO BELIEVE THAT A BOOK THAT JUST
REFERENCES LGBTQ PLUS
INDIVIDUALS OR ANYTHING OF THAT
SORT COULD BE COMPLETELY
CENSORED. THAT'S WHAT IT LENDS
ITSELF TO, IT SEEMS TO ME, SO I
WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JUST TALK
ABOUT THAT. BUT FOR THOSE
REASONS AND MORE, I'M NOT GOING
TO BE SUPPORTING THE BILL. AND I
DO THANK YOU FOR COMING INTO MY
OFFICE AND TALKING TO ME ABOUT
IT, BECAUSE THIS IS GOOD
CONVERSATION, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY
DOES LEND ITSELF TO BANNING
BOOKS AS BEEN MENTIONED BY THE
OPPOSITION. SO I LOOK RIGHT NOW
ON THE BOOKS, WE HAVE PENAL CODE
313, AND THIS DEFINES HARMFUL
MATTERS AS IT RELATES TO
CHILDREN. SO IN THE ADULT WORLD
IT'S CALLED OBSCENITY. FOR
CHILDREN IT'S CALLED HARMFUL
MATTERS BECAUSE THERE'S A
DIFFERENT STANDARD. SO UNDER OUR
SUPREME COURT, OBSCENE MATTERS
WOULD NOT INCLUDE. BUT AS TO
CHILDREN, IT'S A HARMFUL MATTER.
SO YOU SEE HOW THAT WORKS FOR
SOMETHING TO BE DETERMINED AS A
HARMFUL MATTER, IT MUST MEET
THREE PRONGS. AS THE SENATOR
SAID, IT MUST, APPEAL TO THE
PRURIENT INTEREST MUST BE
PATENTLY OFFENSIVE. SEXUAL
CONDUCT, AND LACK ANY SERIOUS
LITERARY, LITERARY, ARTISTIC,
POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFIC VALUE
FOR MINORS. SO IT MUST ALREADY
MEET THOSE THREE PRONGS. IF IT
DOESN'T MEET THOSE THREE PRONGS
AND THERE IS NO CRIMINAL ACTION.
PERIOD. ZERO. NONE THIS IS
ALREADY THE LAW. SO IF A TEACHER
BROUGHT IN, LET'S SAY, AN
X-RATED FILM AND PLAYED IT TO
KIDS, THAT TEACHER COULD BE
CRIMINALIZED UNDER OUR CURRENT
CODE. THAT'S CURRENT LAW. THE
ONLY THING THAT THIS BILL DOES
IS IT NOW PUTS IT INTO THE
EDUCATION CODE. SO THAT WE COULD
GET THESE BOOKS OUT AND JUST
THESE BOOKS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT
GOING TO TALK ABOUT LGBT C¯. IT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. IT
HAS TO DO WITH, DOES IT DOES
THIS BOOK MEET THESE THREE
PRONGS TEACHING AN 11 YEAR OLD
WHAT A GLORY HOLE IS? WOULD MEET
THESE THREE PRONGS, TEACHING
BOYS THAT THEY ALL SHOULD
TOGETHER AND PUT THEIR LIQUID
INTO A BOTTLE. AND IF YOU DON'T
DO IT, YOU MUST DRINK IT WOULD
MEET THESE THREE PRONGS. HAVE
HAVING A BOOK THAT IS TELLING A
CHILD HOW TO, HOW TO USE A
BATHROOM, HOW TO INSERT A SORRY,
HOW TO USE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS
WOULD NOT MEET THOSE THREE
PRONGS. ONLY THE MOST EGREGIOUS
BOOKS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
ASKING FOR, IS TO GET THESE
BOOKS. THIS BOOK TELLS KIDS HOW
TO FIND LOVERS ON THE LINE,
PERIOD. HOW TO UPLOAD A PICTURE,
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND THAT
LOVER, WHAT DO YOU WHAT YOU DO
WHEN YOU MEET THAT LOVER IN THE
PARK. THIS ISN'T A HOMOPHOBIC.
THIS ISN'T HOMOPHOBIC. THIS IS
NOT TELLING. SAFEGUARDING OUR
CHILDREN UNDER A EIGHTH GRADE,
UNDER THE AGE OF 14, THAT THEY
SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS. THEY
SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT. THEY
SHOULD NOT BE UPLOADING THEIR
PICTURES ONTO TO GRINDR OR ANY
OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA SITE. PERIOD.
THIS IS SO SIMPLE. ALL THE LAWS
ALREADY EXIST. AND AS TO THE
INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, AS THE
SENATOR SAID, THE PARENT OR
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC GOES TO THE
SCHOOL BOARD AND SAYS THIS BOOK
IS INAPPROPRIATE. IF THE SCHOOL
BOARD SAYS NO, IT'S NOT, WE LIKE
IT, THEN THEY CAN FILE AN
INJUNCTIVE ACTION, AND THAT'S AN
INJUNCTION IS JUST THE COURT
SAYING, YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT BOOK
OR YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT BOOK.
THERE'S NO DAMAGES, NO PUNITIVE
IS NO MONEY CHANGING HANDS.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS. AND WHEN
THERE IS A CLAIM AGAINST A
SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL ALSO HAS
ANOTHER 45 DAYS BECAUSE THERE'S
THE GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES
THAT NOTICE 45 DAYS TO GET THIS
TYPE OF BOOK OUT OF OUR
CLASSROOMS. SO IF YOU'RE GOING
TO VOTE NO ON THIS, THEN YOU
THINK IT'S AN IT'S APPROPRIATE
FOR 11 YEAR OLDS TO LEARN HOW TO
EAT POOP, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
THIS BOOK SAYS. SCAT EATING,
POOP RIM EATING, THE BOTTOM. YOU
WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO READ THIS?
I DON'T THINK SO. JUST RESPOND
BRIEFLY, I THINK I HEARD A LOT
OF ALARM AND A LOT OF PANIC AND
REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO INVOKE, YOU
KNOW, FEAR AND DISTRUST IN OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I JUST
WANT TO READ WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES,
LIBRARIANS, SCHOOL BOARDS,
EDUCATORS ARE FILLING THESE
LIBRARIES WITH AGE APPROPRIATE
BOOKS. BUT WHAT THIS BILL TRULY
ESTABLISHES, AND TO THE HEART OF
YOUR QUESTION, IS A LEGAL
STANDARD THAT CAN BE INVOKED TO
REMOVE A BOOK AND DENY ACCESS TO
THE STUDENTS IN THAT SCHOOL.
SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE AN
ATTORNEY, SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS
DON'T, AND SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER
TO BE SAFE. I THINK THE ANALYSIS
REFERS TO THAT. AND JUST, YOU
KNOW, I GOT A COMPLAINT. I'M
GOING TO PUT THIS BOOK IN A
CLOSET SOMEWHERE WHERE NO ONE
SEES IT. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE
THREAT OF LITIGATION, AND IN
OTHER SITUATIONS WE'VE SEEN IN
OTHER STATES WHERE YOU GET A
SERIES OF COMPLAINTS THAT COME
FORWARD, AND THEN MAYBE IT TAKES
YOU A YEAR TO FIGURE OUT, DOES
THAT COMPLAINT MEET THE STANDARD
THAT WE'VE SET HERE THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DESCRIBE? I'M JUST
INVESTIGATING THAT PROCESS HOLDS
BOOKS OFF SHELVES. SO WE GET
THIS SERIES OF INVESTIGATIONS
AND THEN COMPLAINTS, THAT REALLY
, RESULT IN, IN THIS BOOK BAN
MOVEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
CALIFORNIA'S EDUCATORS DON'T
WELCOME THIS DESTRUCTIVE
PRACTICE. AND WE URGE YOUR
OPPOSITION. CAN WE BORROW YOUR
BOOK FOR A SECOND? OKAY YOU
BROUGHT THAT UP. THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY THAT'S FINE. SHE'S SHOWN
THE BOOKS IN SEVENTH GRADE. OKAY
SO JUST REAL QUICK, THE REASON
WHY WE DON'T NEED MORE LAWS OR
NEW LAWS IS BECAUSE WE ALREADY
HAVE FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS THAT
ARE PROHIBITED NG OBSCENE
MATERIALS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO
MINORS, AND TO SUGGEST. I THINK
IT'S SO INTERESTING BECAUSE TO
SUGGEST THAT THIS IS JUST ABOUT
OBSCENITY, THIS ISN'T ABOUT
PREVENTING LGBTQ MATERIALS FOR
MAKING IT INTO OUR LIBRARIES AND
THEN TO BRING KHÔNG. THE BOOKS
ARE ENTIRELY ABOUT LGBTQ STORIES
. THESE ARE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS,
YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS,
MEMOIRS. GRAPHIC NOVELS ARE
MEANT TO ENGAGE RELUCTANT
READERS AND TO ALLOW YOUNG ADULT
AUDIENCES, LIBRARIANS AND
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS ALREADY
CURATE KNOW WHAT IS APPROPRIATE
FOR THEIR AUDIENCES. WE TRUST
OUR LIBRARIANS. THERE IS NOT IN
OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY AND FOR THESE
INDIVIDUALS TO CREATE FEAR AND
TO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS
OBSCENITY. OBSCENITY LAWS
ALREADY. STOP IT. THIS IS NOT
DRAWING THE LINE ABOUT WHAT THIS
IS CREATING THE LINE ABOUT WHO
GETS TO DECIDE WHAT IS HARMFUL
BASED ON WHAT UPSETS THEM. AND
THAT IS NOT FREEDOM TO READ. AND
THAT IS NOT WHAT DEMOCRACY IS
BASED ON. SENATOR GONZALEZ, ANY
MORE? NO. I THANK BOTH SIDES FOR
THE DEBATE. BUT WHOLEHEARTEDLY
BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A BAN. AND,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO SCARE
PARENTS AND, CALIFORNIA AND
CALIFORNIANS AND THINKING THAT
THIS IS NOT A BAN, THAT THERE'S
SOME SORT OF MYSTERIOUS AND, YOU
KNOW, EGREGIOUS UNDERLYING THING
GOING ON AT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
WHICH IS NOT TRUE. ABSOLUTELY
NOT TRUE. SO THANK YOU, CAN I
RESPOND? WE'RE NOT IMPLYING THIS
IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A
POLITICAL DEBATE ON EITHER SIDE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE TEAM
THAT IS WORKING ON THE LANGUAGE
FOR THIS PARTICULAR BILL IS
LITERALLY A LANGUAGE THAT'S
BROUGHT FORTH WITH PEOPLE ON THE
DEMOCRAT AND THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE. IT'S BOTH SIDES, INCLUDING
PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, REPRESENT
LGBTQ COMMUNITIES, STATE LAW,
STATUTE ALREADY PROHIBITS ANY
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANY
PROTECTED CLASS. THAT IS THE
LAW. YOU CAN'T BAN A BOOK AND
PARENTS CANNOT GO INTO A SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND TRY TO BAN A BOOK
BASED ON A PROTECTED CLASS. YOU
CANNOT. IT'S ILLEGAL. IT'S
STATUTE THAT CANNOT HAPPEN. SO
THIS FEAR THAT SHE FOLKS ARE
PUTTING IN THERE, THAT IT'S A
BANNING OF BOOKS BASED ON ON A
PROTECTED CLASS THAT IS NOT THE
CASE. OR BECAUSE THAT'S ILLEGAL
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT
CANNOT HAPPEN. WHAT IS ALSO
ACTUALLY TRUE IS THE FACT THAT
WE HAVE PENAL CODE 313 THAT
DEFINES WHAT HARMFUL MATTER IS
FOR CHILDREN. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE
IS ACTUAL EDUCATIONAL CODE THAT
DIRECTS AS TO WHAT IS HARMFUL
WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WITHIN
OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THERE'S
ABSOLUTELY NO GUIDANCE IN
STATUTE. SO ALL WE WOULD BE
DOING IS LITERALLY BRINGING WHAT
WE HAVE ALREADY OUTSIDE OF OUR
SCHOOLS AS LITERALLY A
PROTECTION FOR OUR CHILDREN
THROUGH PENAL CODE 313 THAT
DEFINES EXACTLY WHAT PENAL WHAT
HARMFUL MATTER IS TO ALIGN WITH
EDUCATIONAL CODE THAT DIRECTS
AND GUIDES AND GIVES GUIDELINES
TO OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES TO SAY
THIS IS WHAT'S HARMFUL MATTER
SPECIFIC DEFINITION AS TO WHAT
THE LAW STATES. KNOWING THAT
THERE'S ALREADY STATUTE THAT YOU
CAN'T DISCRIMINATE BASED ON A
PROTECTED CLASS, BUT GIVES US
THE ABILITY TO HAVE GUIDANCE AS
TO WHAT HARMFUL MATTER IS PER
THE PENAL CODE, PER HOW IT'S
BEEN ALREADY. PROVEN IN COURT
THROUGH THE CASE OF BARRY VERSUS
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, 1995. IT
IS NOT PROTECTED BY FREE SPEECH.
IT IS NOT. IT'S ALREADY IN CODE.
SO THIS NOTION THAT THIS IS
DISCRIMINATORY? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IT'S GIVING DEFINITION. WHAT'S
GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR
THE GANDER. WE'RE BRINGING PENAL
CODE ALREADY PROTECTING OUR
CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM, WHICH IS ONLY LOGICAL,
SENSIBLE, REASONABLE TO BRING
THAT INTO CODE IN EDUCATION.
THAT IS ALL THIS IS DOING THE
LANGUAGE IS CLEAR, CLEAR STATUTE
. SHOOT. NO DISCRIMINATION
ALREADY EXISTS. REGARDLESS OF
ANY PROTECTED CLASS. NOTHING.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE IS PROTECTION.
AS FAR AS WHAT HARMFUL MATTER IS
WITHIN OUR SCHOOL CODE. THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS BILL.
ALL RIGHT. SENATOR, CLEARLY PUT
SENATOR SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS, THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND, WE ALREADY
PASSED AB 1078 LAST YEAR. WE'VE
HAD THIS DEBATE. WE'VE HAD THIS
CONVERSATION. THERE ARE SO MANY
SPACES FOR PARENTS TO INTERVENE
AND TO ENGAGE IN THE
CONVERSATION. AND I APPRECIATE
YOU REACHING OUT AND US HAVING A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. AND I
AND I REALLY RESPECT YOUR
PASSION ON THIS, BUT I ALSO SEE
THIS AS A FORM OF CENSORSHIP. I
THINK IT ALSO ROBS THE
ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES THAT HAVE
BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR PARENTS TO
HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH
THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND
CERTAINLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS
LIKE PROP 209, EVERYONE HAS THE
RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER TO, TO SUE
AND TO MAKE THE CASE, ON THE
MERITS OF WHATEVER THE COMPLAINT
IS, IS I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO
BRING OUR PENAL CODES INTO OUR
EDUCATION CODES. AND I THINK
THAT THIS IS, AND QUITE FRANKLY,
AN OVERREACH AND WHAT THE LAW
IS, I, AGREE WITH MY GOOD
SENATOR FROM FROM LONG BEACH ON
THIS, ON THIS TOPIC. AND, YOU
KNOW, I, I, I'M CURIOUS, YOU
KNOW, ABOUT WHY DO YOU THINK WE
AS THE STATE. BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY, THIS IS THIS IS THE
STATE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE
BACKSTOP FOR THIS PROPOSAL THAT
YOU HAVE BEFORE US. WHY SHOULD
WE ALLOCATE SO MUCH TIME AND
MONEY ON LITIGATION WHEN WE JUST
WANT TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN
EDUCATED IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT,
IN A SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR,
HUNDREDS OF YEARS HAVE BEEN
SUPPORTING, THE DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR CHILDREN, MY CHILDREN ARE IN
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THEY LOVE
THEIR LIBRARY. THÀNH, MRS.
SMITH, ALWAYS MADE SURE HER
CREDENTIALS WERE UP TO SPEED,
THAT SHE GOT THE EDUCATION
ENRICHMENT THAT SHE PARTICIPATED
IN PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS TO
REALLY MAKE SURE THAT HER
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE
SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
THAT IN HER, HER STUDY GROUP OF
LIBRARIANS THAT THAT SHE HELPED
TO CONVENE, THAT THEY WERE
PREPARED AND DOING THE BEST THAT
THEY COULD TO PROTECT OUR
CHILDREN. SO I, I'M JUST CURIOUS
, WHY ARE WE SPENDING WHY ARE
YOU PROPOSING A BILL THAT WOULD,
SPEND MONEY ON LITIGATION WHEN
WE'RE IN A DEFICIT AND WE REALLY
NEED TO BE SPENDING MONEY ON
INVESTING, CLOSING THE GAPS AND
MAKING SURE WE'RE LIFTING UP OUR
STUDENTS. EXCELLENT QUESTION.
SCHOLARSHIP AND ACADEMICS. WHY
IS IT NECESSARY? BECAUSE AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE BOOKS THAT ARE DEPICTING
LITERALLY OBSCENE MATERIAL,
HARMFUL MATERIAL IN OUR
LIBRARIES GAVE THE QUESTION AS
TO HOW DID THIS HAPPEN AND HOW
DID THE SYSTEM FAIL, THAT WE
ENDED UP WITH BOOKS OF SUCH
MATERIAL THAT, HAD IT NOT BEEN
BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE
PARENTS AND PUBLIC, WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN THERE. IT BEGGED THE
QUESTION, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
HOW DID IT HAPPEN? BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE STATE STATUTE WITH
GUIDING, WITH GUIDELINES. NONE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE DEFINITION OF
WHAT HARMFUL MATTER IS OR OR
WHAT IS OBSCENE. IN ORDER FOR A
BOOK NOT TO BE IN IN OUR SCHOOL
LIBRARIES. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING
HERE? WHY? BECAUSE BECAUSE WE
WOULDN'T HAVE ALL THE CONTENTION
IN OUR SCHOOL BOARDS WITH
PARENTS DISTRUSTING THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM, DISTRUSTING THEIR
SCHOOL, THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. IF WE HAD GUIDELINES
IN STATUTE DEFINING EXACTLY WHAT
HARMFUL MATTER IS, WHAT WHAT
OBSCENE MATTER IS. AND SO THIS
IS ACTUALLY A PROTECTION FOR A
SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO
SAY, OKAY, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH IF WE
HAD GUIDELINES IN STATUTE
ALREADY, WHICH WE DON'T. WE
DON'T HAVE IT IN OUR EDUCATION
CODE, NO GUIDELINES, NOTHING.
BUT YET WE HAVE A PENAL CODE
SYSTEM THAT DOES PROTECT OUR
KIDS AND THE FACT AS FAR AS
CENSORSHIP, ONCE AGAIN, BERRY
VERSUS CITY OF SANTA BARBARA,
1995. SPECIFICALLY, STATES IN
THIS STUDY OR IN THIS STUDY IN
THE IN THE FINDINGS OF THE COURT
THAT IT DOESN'T VIOLATE THE FREE
SPEECH AND PRESS PROVISIONS OF
THE FIRST AMENDMENT. IT DOESN'T
THE PENAL CODE DOES NOT.
OTHERWISE IT WOULDN'T BE IN THE
BOOKS RIGHT NOW. AND ALL WE'RE
DOING IS BRINGING THAT. AND TO
THE POINT OF THE PENAL CODE
COMING INTO AN EDUCATION CODE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. THIS IS
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS DONE
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE MANY A
TIMES. WE BRING THE PENAL CODE
INTO THE EDUCATIONAL CODE TO
BRING ALIGNMENT. THIS IS WHAT
WE'RE DOING IN THIS PARTICULAR
BILL, BRINGING ALIGNMENT BETWEEN
WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE OUTSIDE TO
LITERALLY GIVE US GUIDANCE INTO
WHAT WE HAVE IN EDUCATIONAL CODE
. AS FAR AS THE LITIGATION,
THERE WON'T BE LITIGATION. THERE
WILL BE LESS LITIGATION BECAUSE
WE'LL HAVE GUIDELINES THAT
ACTUALLY TELL US WHAT CAN AND
CANNOT GO INTO OUR SCHOOL BASED
ON WHAT'S OBSCENE OR HARMFUL
MATERIALS. IT WON'T BE IF THAT I
HOLD ON, LET ME FINISH MY
THOUGHT. LET ME FINISH MY
THOUGHT. YES. SO FOR ANY BOOK TO
GO TO THAT EXTREME, IT WOULD BE
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO
THAT EXTREME BECAUSE THEY WOULD
HAVE HAD TO PASS THE THREE PRONG
TEST BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT
POINT. SO IT ACTUALLY LOWERS THE
POSSIBILITY OF THAT HAPPENING. I
UNDERSTAND THE POINT THAT YOU'RE
MAKING, AND AGAIN, ALL OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND SYSTEMS AND,
STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT FOR
PARENTS TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION WITH THEIR SCHOOL
DISTRICT. YOU ARE THIS BILL
PROPOSES TO GO AROUND THAT WHICH
I THINK IS A VERY DEMOCRATIC
PROCESS, AS A PROCESS THAT
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND
PARENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS,
ENGAGE IN EVERY DAY. THIS BILL
GOES AROUND THAT PROCESS TO THE
COURTS, AND, AND REMOVES THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO
REALLY HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
AND THAT'S WHY I CANNOT SUPPORT
THAT'S WHY I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS
BILL TODAY. SO THROUGH THE
CHAIR, LET ME RESPOND TO THAT
BRIEFLY, BECAUSE WE SEEM TO BE
GETTING A LITTLE BIT REPETITIVE
HERE. BUT PLEASE, SO TO THAT
POINT IS THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY
OVER OVERREACHING OVER THE
RIGHTS OF THE PARENTS TO HAVE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AS WE, AS YOU
HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, RIGHT
NOW, THERE COULD BE COMMUNITY
GROUPS TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS,
WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE OR
NOT. INTO THE LIBRARY. YOU
MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THERE
WERE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT YOU
COULD ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, THAT PARENTS
COULD ACTUALLY COME IN AND HAVE
THAT DISCUSSION AS TO WHAT BOOKS
COULD OR COULD NOT BE IN THE
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL AND SCHOOL
BOARDS AND SCHOOL. EXACTLY TO
THAT POINT. EXACTLY. SO YOU
COULD HAVE PEOPLE FROM OPPOSING
PERSPECTIVES COME INTO THOSE
GROUPS AND SAY, WELL, I BELIEVE
THAT THIS BOOK SHOULD BE HERE,
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOOK
SHOULD BE HERE ON OPPOSING SIDES
WITH NO ACTUALLY UMBRELLA OF
GUIDANCE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE VERY
CONTENTIOUS BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE IT IN STATUTE. WE DON'T
HAVE A CODE IN EDUCATION CODE
THAT ACTUALLY SAYS I DON'T NEED
THE STATE'S GUIDANCE TO TELL ME
HOW I FEEL ABOUT WHAT MY
CHILDREN ARE DOING. I DON'T NEED
THE STATE'S GUIDANCE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT IS WHY I'M OPPOSING THIS
BILL. AND I UNDERSTAND THE
ARGUMENT. THAT'S WHY I OPPOSE.
BUT OUR EDUCATIONAL CODE IS WHAT
GUIDES OUR EDUCATION IN OUR
SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. OKAY, COLLEEN,
I THINK WE'RE GETTING OH, AND
THEN AND BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE 20
MINUTES BEFORE THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON BANKING HAS TO COME
IN. SO I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF
THAT. I THINK YOU YOU BOTH HAVE
A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF EACH
OTHER'S SORT OF THINKING AND
INTENTIONS. SENATOR WILK, I KNOW
YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO
ADD, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M
STARVING. SO I'M GOING TO
HOPEFULLY BE PRETTY QUICK. SO I
GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR.
BRAMBLE. SO YOU TALKED ABOUT A
NUMBER OF TIMES YOU MENTIONED IN
THE INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY THAT
WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THAT WITH
OUR STUDENTS. AND I'VE LOOKED UP
ON THE INTERNET AND I DON'T
KNOW, I DON'T TRUST IT BECAUSE I
DON'T TRUST ANYTHING, BUT ARE
THERE CURRENTLY ANY BOOKS THAT
ARE BANNED IN CALIFORNIA
SCHOOLS? AND IF SO, WHAT ARE
THOSE? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I FEEL
LIKE WE'RE ON THIS THEME NOW
ABOUT BECAUSE I DON'T WHAT GOTTA
LET ME RESPOND. SENATOR, I'M
GOING TO LET YOU YOU RUN THIS
PLACE THOUGH. DON'T WORRY. DON'T
WORRY ABOUT ME, I APPRECIATE YOU
. I CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT. SHE'S
TALKING ABOUT AGE
APPROPRIATENESS, NOT BANNING
BOOKS. SO I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU
IF YOU KNOW WHAT BOOKS. HAVE WE
ALREADY BANNED? YEAH. AND I
GUESS WHAT I KEEP HEARING, FROM
YOU AND FROM THE AUTHOR THIS
FIRST TIME I'VE TALKED. SO YOU
HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM ME?
I'M. I'M JUST I'M JUST
EXPRESSING A THEME THAT I'M
HEARING, WHICH IS THAT WE SHOULD
HAVE DISTRUST IN WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
LIBRARIES. AND I WANT TO SAY
AGAIN, THOSE ARE TALKING POINTS.
YOU'VE SAID IT LIKE SIX TIMES
NOW, SENATOR, SENATOR WILK, ALL
I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU DON'T
KNOW, DON'T KNOW. HAVE WE BANNED
BOOKS AND IF SO, WHAT ARE THEY?
THAT'S THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION.
LET LET US, MR. BRAMBLE, ANSWER
THAT QUESTION AND LET'S RETURN
TO CIVILITY HERE. I'LL JUST I'LL
JUST ANSWER WITH A QUOTE FROM
OUR FIRST PARTNER. OKAY OKAY.
WE'RE DONE. NO NO NO NO NO,
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ADDING
SENATOR WILK. NO. LET HIM ANSWER
. MR. CHAIR. WE WANT TO
CERTAINLY HOLD IT. WE WANT TO
GET OUT. WE WANT TO GET OUT OF
HERE. AND JUST. HE'S WASTING
EVERYBODY'S TIME. I DO HAVE ONE
QUESTION FOR MISS FRIDAY. WELL,
I'M CHAIRING THIS MEETING. SO,
MISS BRAMBLE, BRIEFLY QUOTE, OUR
FIRST PARTNER BOOK BANS HARM ALL
CHILDREN AND YOUTH. DIMINISHING
COMMUNAL EMPATHY AND SERVING TO
FURTHER ENGENDER INTOLERANCE AND
DIVISION ACROSS SOCIETY. WE
CALIFORNIANS BELIEVE ALL
CHILDREN MUST HAVE THE FREEDOM
TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND
THEM. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
BANNING BOOKS IN CALIFORNIA,
WE'RE URGING, YOU KNOW, AND
THAT'S NOT THE CALIFORNIA WAY.
ALL RIGHT. SENATOR WILK, NO, I
JUST ASKED YOUR QUESTION. YOU
SAID YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION
FOR THE WITNESS, AND THE ANSWER
IS NO. OKAY GOOD. THEN THAT'S
FINE. YOU JUST HAD TO SAY NO.
SURE SORRY. SO PLEASE GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD, MISS LEE. SO SO I KNOW
YOU DON'T TRUST ANYBODY BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY. YEAH, SO
WE'VE NEVER MET, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE A FUN TIME HERE BECAUSE IT
DEPENDS HOW YOU DEFINE SOME
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, NO,
THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS
BOOKS BEING BANNED BECAUSE THEY
STILL EXIST IN LIBRARIES. SO LET
ME DO A LITTLE THING HERE.
RIGHT. THAT'S A GOOD THAT'S
GOOD. SO LET'S LET'S DO THIS. SO
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW PEN
AMERICA DEFINES A BAN OKAY. SO
IF YOU CAN WALK INTO A LIBRARY
ON A MONDAY AND YOU CAN CHECK
OUT A BOOK, BUT THEN SOMEBODY
COMES AND THEY SAY I OBJECT TO
THAT BOOK. AND THAT BOOK IS HELD
TO REMOVE FROM THE SHELVES.
MAYBE PENDING REVIEW. THAT
REVIEW CAN TAKE A DAY. THAT
REVIEW CAN TAKE A MONTH, THAT
CAN REVIEW CAN TAKE SIX MONTHS
TO A YEAR. BUT THAT BOOK, WHILE
IT'S UNDER REVIEW, NOBODY CAN
ACCESS IT. WE CALL THAT A BAN
BECAUSE YOU WERE FREELY READY TO
YOU COULD ACCESS IT, BUT NOW YOU
CAN'T ACCESS IT. NOW YOU STILL
CAN GET IT ON AMAZON AND YOU CAN
STILL GET IT IN A BOOKSTORE. SO
SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT'S
NOT A BAN BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL
GET THE BOOK SOMEWHERE. BUT
GUESS WHAT? A KID WHO MAY BE THE
ONLY SOURCE OF A BOOK THEY CAN
GET IS THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARY.
THEY CAN'T GET TO THAT BOOK.
RIGHT? SO WE CALL THAT A BAN,
RIGHT? OKAY. SO YOU GET WHAT I'M
SAYING HERE, RIGHT. SO THE
SCHOOLS SO IN CALIFORNIA,
WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL LIBRARY OR
A PUBLIC LIBRARY, THERE HAVE
BEEN INSTANCES OF BOOKS BEING
CHALLENGED ANYWHERE BETWEEN, YOU
KNOW, LIKE IN HUNTINGTON BEACH
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED
FROM THE SHELF BECAUSE OF A CITY
ORDINANCE PASSED THERE. AND
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY BEING HELD UNDER
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. RIGHT
NOW. AND THIS ORDINANCE, SB
1435, IS A LOT LIKE THAT.
ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW. THIS BOOK,
EVERYBODY POOPS IS ONE OF THOSE
BOOKS BECAUSE IT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE CONSIDERED
OBSCENE BECAUSE ON ITS PAGES IT
HAS ANATOMICALLY CORRECT TUSHES
ON IT. RIGHT BECAUSE IT COULD BE
OBSCENE. SO THIS IS MEET THE
THREE PRONG PILLAR STANDARD. IT
PROBABLY DOESN'T. SO PROBABLY
DOESN'T. IT PROBABLY DOES. SO
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
AVOID HERE. PEOPLE WHO GETS TO
DECIDE WHAT WE THIS COMMITTEE
GET TO DECIDE VIA VOTE WHICH
WILL HOPEFULLY OKAY. SO ALL
THOSE I'M HAPPY I'M HAPPY WITH
THOSE ANSWERS BECAUSE I JUST
PULLED UP SOMETHING ON THE
INTERNET. BUT AGAIN, I DON'T
TRUST THE INTERNET AND THAT'S
WHY I DIDN'T MENTION THEY'RE ALL
BOOKS THAT I READ WHEN I WAS IN
SCHOOL THAT NOW ALLEGEDLY ARE
BANNED, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF
THAT'S TRUE. SO I GOT A QUESTION
FOR YOU, MISS FRIDAY, BECAUSE
CLEARLY THIS BILL IS NOT GETTING
OUT TODAY. SO ALL THIS BILL DOES
IS BRING THE HARMFUL STANDARD
AND TAKE IT FROM THE PENAL CODE
CODE TO THE EDUCATION CODE. WHAT
WOULD STOP PARENTS OR ANYBODY
FROM APPLYING THE PENAL CODE NOW
TO A SCHOOL? BECAUSE PARENTS
DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE A
CRIMINAL CLAIM AGAINST A
TEACHER. ONLY THE DA'S DO. SO
PARENTS DO GO TO SCHOOL BOARDS
AND THEY DO READ THESE BOOKS
ALOUD, AND THEY ARE CENSORED AT
THE SCHOOL BOARD. THEY TURN OFF
THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE THE BOOKS
CONTAIN SUCH OFFENSIVE MATERIAL,
BUT THEY ARE LEFT IN OUR SCHOOL
LIBRARIES FOR OUR CHILDREN TO
LOOK AT WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS
KNOWLEDGE. AND, WE'RE NOT
CHANGING ANY STANDARDS. AGAIN,
HARMFUL MATERIALS HAVE BEEN IN
OUR LAWS FOR 30 SOME YEARS. THIS
DESCRIPTION WE'RE JUST MOVING IT
INTO THE EDUCATION CODE. SO THE
MOST EGREGIOUS BOOKS, THE BOOKS
THAT I BROUGHT WILL NOT BE
AVAILABLE TO TENDER AGE CHILDREN
. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I APPRECIATE
THAT ANSWER. AND WITH THAT, SIR,
I'M DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND I WILL MOVE THE BILL. THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, LET ME
JUST TO CLOSE THIS OUT. TO CLOSE
THIS OUT, WE. YEAH. I'M SORRY,
SENATOR CORTEZ, YOU PLEASE DO. I
WANT TO PREEMPT YOU CONCLUDING,
MAKING CONCLUDING REMARKS. I
WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
REACHING OUT, WORKING SO HARD ON
THE BILL, OFFERING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, TO
OFFER AMENDMENTS. ALTHOUGH
ALTHOUGH I THINK THE DISCUSSION
WAS, YOU KNOW, IN THE BUSIEST
PART OF THE YEAR. AND SO JUST
VERY RECENTLY. SO I DIDN'T HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, I, I,
I THINK I ACTUALLY THINK THAT
THERE'S A VERY, VERY NARROWED
VERSION OF MAKING AN ED CODE
STANDARD, THE SAME AS A FEDERAL
STANDARD. BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO GET ME TO GIVE PEOPLE A
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION TO, TO
BRING CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST A
TEACHER OR FOR THAT MATTER, YOU
KNOW, TO SEEK DECLARATORY RELIEF
FOR VIOLATIONS. THOSE ARE SOME
OF THE THINGS IN THE BILL THAT I
WOULD IN THE ANALYSIS THAT I
WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, OBJECTED
TO OR SAID IF A SIT DOWN MEETING
DURING INTERIM RECESS OR TWO
MONTHS AGO MAY BE OFFERED AS
SUGGESTIONS. AS A FORMER SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBER, THE PROBLEM WITH
THE DEFINITIONS THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO APPLY TO THESE
INDIVIDUAL BOOKS IS THAT EVEN
THE COURT THAT SET FORTH THE
DEFINITION ITSELF, FAMOUSLY,
SAID THAT IT'S SUBJECTIVE, THAT,
YOU KNOW, POTTER STEWART'S
JUSTICE POTTER STEWART'S FAMOUS
LINE, I CAN'T I CAN'T DEFINE ANY
FURTHER THAN THIS STANDARD THAT
EVERYONE'S BEEN REPEATING, WHICH
WHICH MATERIALS ARE AND WHICH
AREN'T, BUT I WOULD KNOW IT WHEN
I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT. THAT
MEANS EACH ONE HAS TO BE TAKEN
INDIVIDUALLY. AND WE'RE HERE
BEFORE A BODY IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TRYING TO APPLY ON A
FEW EXAMPLES, YOU KNOW, THIS,
THIS BROAD DEFINITION, THERE ARE
OTHER WAYS TO REMEDY THESE
SITUATIONS. YEARS AGO, AS AN
EAST SIDE UNION HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER LARGE HIGH
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, WE HAD THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER AND BROUGHT BEFORE US
CONTENTIOUS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
WE SHOULD BAN THE BOOK.
HUCKLEBERRY FINN, BECAUSE KIDS
WERE BEING TOLD TO READ IT OUT
LOUD, INCLUDING THE RACIAL SLURS
IN THAT BOOK, PARTICULARLY THE N
WORD BAN OR DON'T BAN, BAN OR
DON'T BAN. WE CAME OUT WITH AN
OPT OUT POLICY. PARENTAL RIGHTS.
IF A PARENT WANTS THEIR CHILDREN
NOT TO BE IN THAT CLASSROOM, NOT
TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ORAL
READING OF THAT BOOK, THEY
COULD, BUT THE BOOK STILL REMAIN
IN THE LIBRARY. THERE ARE WAYS
MORE, I THINK, SURGICAL, NARROW,
NUANCED WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE
ISSUE. AGAIN TIME BEING
CONSTRAINED TODAY. IT'S BEEN AN
INTERESTING DISCUSSION. I JUST
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE AUTHOR
FOR TACKLING AN ISSUE. I THINK
THERE'S AN ISSUE OUT THERE THAT
CONTINUES TO NEED TO BE TACKLED,
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO TACKLE IT.
I JUST CAN'T TODAY SUPPORT, SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE
BILL IN TERMS OF THE REMEDIES
THAT ARE INVOLVED HERE, LEGAL
REMEDIES, FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
THEY GO TOO FAR FOR ME. SO THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I'LL
TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. OF
COURSE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, SENATOR CRUZ. YOU
ACTUALLY TOUCHED ON A NUMBER OF
POINTS THAT I'LL MAKE. I'LL MAKE
THEM BRIEFLY. SO THE I ACTUALLY
AGREE I THINK THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. SO I
WILL NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THANK
THE AUTHOR FOR BEING
COLLABORATIVE AND COLLEGIAL, BUT
BUT TO BOTH MISS FRIDAY AND
SENATOR OKUBO, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR YOUR
INTENT IS HONORABLE HERE, RIGHT?
THAT AND BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF
A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT WILL
GO ON WELL PAST THIS BILL,
IRRESPECTIVE OF THE VOTE. AND I
THINK I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE IT RIGHT. AND I
THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE IT
IN THIS FORUM, AS IN OTHER
PLACES, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THIS
FORUM. SO, YOU KNOW, THE
QUESTION AT ISSUE HERE IS DO WE
NEED A STATE STATUTE, THAT
GOVERNS, YOU KNOW,
APPROPRIATENESS? AND I THINK
THERE'S THE FIRST QUESTION YOU
ASK AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS,
WOULD SUCH A STATUTE DO MORE
GOOD THAN HARM? I THINK SOME OF
THE WITNESSES HERE FAIRLY
CONVINCINGLY ARGUED TO THE
CONTRARY, THAT THERE WOULD BE
COROLLARY EFFECTS THAT PROBABLY
SHOULD BE REALLY CONCERNING AND
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, THE FIRST
IS THE INVITATION OF LITIGATION.
NO SMALL THING, ESPECIALLY GIVEN
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY. AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, DEBATABLE. BUT AGAIN, THE
PROSPECT OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY,
WHICH IF NOTHING ELSE, WILL HAVE
A CHILLING EFFECT ON ON
LIBRARIANS AND OTHERS WHO MAKE
DECISIONS AROUND TEXTBOOKS IN
SCHOOLS. AND AGAIN, TO BE CLEAR,
THIS IS ABOUT SCHOOLS AND NOT
LIBRARIES IN GENERAL. BUT I WAS
YOU KNOW, I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THE
MATERIALS CITED BY MISS FRIDAY
WOULD OBVIOUSLY STRIKE MANY AS
BOTH OFFENSIVE AND
INAPPROPRIATE. BUT YOU KNOW,
THERE'S THE LARGER QUESTION IS,
ARE THEY THE EXCEPTION, DO THEY
JUSTIFY A NEW RULE AND AGAINST
THAT, OUR EXISTING PROCESSES ARE
NOT SUFFICIENT. AND IF NOT, WHAT
DO WE BELIEVE IS THE SOLUTION,
ESPECIALLY IF WE BELIEVE IN
LOCAL CONTROL? RIGHT. YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE PROVISIONS AT THE
SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL, TO REMOVE
INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS FROM
SOME SCHOOLS IN PLACE NOW. AND
SO, AGAIN, I COMMEND YOU FOR,
YOU KNOW, INSTIGATING THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY AND FOR YOUR
WORK PRIOR TO IT. I'M GOING TO
ABSTAIN ON THE BILL, SIMPLY
BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE
ARE MORE PROBLEMS GENERATED HERE
THAN THE PROSPECTIVE SOLUTION.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL
PROBABLY CONTINUE THIS
DISCUSSION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND WITH THAT, I KNOW, SENATOR
WILK, YOU OFFERED TO MOVE THE
BILL. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR
SENATOR WILK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? SENATOR CHOBOQ?
CERTAINLY. I JUST WANT TO FIRST,
BEFORE I FINISH CLOSING.
CLOSING? I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THE CRIMINAL CHARGES THAT WAS
BROUGHT UP. THIS IS YOUR THIS IS
YOUR CLOSE, SO I SPECIFICALLY
AMENDED THE BILL TO ENSURE THAT
THERE WOULD BE NO CRIMINAL
PENALTIES AS OUTLINED IN SECTION
TWO, SUBDIVISION C OF THE BILL.
IF WE NEED MORE CLEARLY, Tê NEED
TO SPELL OUT THE LANGUAGE, THEN
BY FAR WE CAN WORK TOWARD THAT
POINT. WE ALSO WANTED TO
SPECIFICALLY LIST OUT IN
SUBDIVISION D THAT INSTEAD OF
CRIMINAL PENALTIES, PARENTS,
GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT
RESIDENTS CAN FILE A CIVIL
INJUNCTION. SO THERE IS NO ROOM
IN THIS BILL FOR CRIMINAL
CHARGES. IT ALSO PROTECTS. IT
ALSO PROVIDES A PROTECTION THAT
ANY BOOKS SERVING A LEGITIMATE
SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY OR ARTISTIC
PURPOSE TO MINORS CANNOT BE
REMOVED AND UNDER THE
PROTECTIONS ARE PROTECTED. PEEPS
WE CAN'T DISCRIMINATE. BOOKS
CANNOT BE REMOVED OR BANNED BY,
IF THEY THEY COME FROM A
PROTECTED CLASS. THIS BILL
SPECIFICALLY GIVES GUIDELINES IN
STATE CODE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE
OUTSIDE PROTECTING OUR KIDS.
ANYONE THAT ARGUES THAT WHAT
PROTECTIONS WE HAVE OUTSIDE OF
SCHOOL SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED
WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, HAS TO
RETHINK THAT MINDSET. LET ME END
RIGHT NOW THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY
HAVE RESOLUTIONS SUPPORTING OR
PROMOTING, BRINGING ATTENTION TO
SEXUAL VIOLENCE, THE NEED FOR
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE BILLS COMING
THROUGH BECAUSE OUR STDS ARE
GOING UP, WE HAVE SO MANY
ILLNESSES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
ADDICTION PROBLEMS IN OUR
SOCIETY. AND THEN WE WONDER WHY.
WHY ARE WE HAVING ALL OF THESE
ISSUES AROUND SO MANY THINGS
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX IN THIS
LEGISLATURE? WE CAN PUT
BAND-AIDS OR WE CAN START
LOOKING AT THE ISSUE AND START
INVESTIGATING AND ASKING THE
QUESTIONS AS TO WHY AND WHAT IS
THE ROOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS. IT
IS SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT
THE EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL MATERIAL
AT EARLY AGES CONTRIBUTES TO
ADDITIONAL MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING
ADDICTION AND IMPULSIVE DECISION
MAKING. WHEN IT COMES TO THE
FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA, WE NEED TO
START ACTING NOW, NOT KEEP
CONTINUING WITH RESOLUTIONS
SAYING THAT WE SUPPORT ALL OF
THESE THINGS, TRYING TO GIVE THE
TOOLS TO OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE
TO DO EVERYTHING THAT THIS BODY
HAS ALREADY ENACTED. THOSE ARE
ALL BAND-AIDS. THEY'RE NOT
FIXING THE ISSUE AT THE ROOT, AS
WE 1435 SIMPLY UPDATES STATE
WIDE STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL
LIBRARIES THAT PROTECT OUR
YOUNGEST STUDENTS. I HOPE THAT
EVERYONE IN THIS COMMITTEE AND
IN THE PUBLIC WILL READ THE
LANGUAGE OF THE BILL, READ THE
LANGUAGE, AND FOR THESE REASONS,
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, WE HAVE A
MOTION FOR SENATOR WILK, MADAM
CONSULTANT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
FOR ITEM SIX. SB 1435. OTOBO
MOTION IS DUE PASSED AS SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. NEWMAN NOT
VOTING. OKOBOJI I OKOBOJI.
CORTEZ CORTEZ. NØ. GLASER.
GONZALES SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SNOW WILK.
Ã. WILK I. THAT. THAT MEASURE
HAS TWO VOTES FOR TWO VOTES
AGAINST. WE'LL LEAVE IT. WE'LL
LEAVE IT OPEN FOR NOW, LET'S GO
BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE
ROLL TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE,
SB 9939. OKAY. FILE ITEM ONE, SB
939, BURKE. MOTION IS TO PASS,
AS AMENDED, TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
Ã NEWMAN Ã OCHOA BOGH. I'LL
GIVE YOU A SECOND. SORRY. IT'S
THE NEURODIVERGENCE. BILL IT'S
ARCHULETA. BURKE. BURKE. AYE.
OCHOA. OKAY CORTEZ. CORTEZ. AYE.
GLASER. GONZALES SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE.
WILK AYE. WILK. AYE. OKAY THAT
ONE HAS FIVE RIGHT NOW. THAT
MEASURE HAS FIVE VOTES FOR IT.
NONE AGAINST. WE'LL LEAVE IT
OPEN FOR THE TIME BEING. FILE
ITEM TWO S 1315 ARCHULETA.
MOTION IS TO PASS AS AMENDED, TO
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN Ã NEWMAN. AYE. OCHOA.
BOGUE. AYE. OKOBOJI CORTEZ.
CORTEZ. GLASER. GONZALEZ
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE. WILK I WILK. AYE. 5
TO 0. IT HAS FIVE VOTES AND NO.
NO VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE IT OUT FOR
THE TIME BEING. FILE ITEM THREE
SB 1348 BRADFORD MOTION IS Dð
PASSED TO SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN Ã NEWMAN.
AYE. OCHOA. BOGH. OKOBOJI.
CORTEZ CORTEZ. AYE. GLAZER.
GONZALEZ. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE. WILK.
THAT MEASURE CURRENTLY HAS FOUR
VOTES FOR AND NONE AGAINST.
WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN FOR THE TIME
BEING. FILE ITEM FOUR, SB 1380
DODD. MOTION IS DUE PASSED TO
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN. NEWMAN, I OWE YOU NO
APOLOGIES. WE NEED A MOTION ON
Ó. DID WE HAVE A MOTION ON SB
986? IS THAT WILK SENATOR DODD'S
BILL? I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. 80
1380. WE NEED A MOTION. FOR
PURPOSES OF THE MOTION IS FROM
SENATOR CORTEZ. OKAY. ONCE
AGAIN, FILE ITEM FOR SB 1380.
DODD MOTION IS DUE PASSED THE
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
OTOBOKE. NO. OTOBOKE. NO. CORTEZ
CORTEZ. AYE. GLAZER. GONZALEZ
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE. WILK OKAY. IT'S 3
TO 1. OKAY. THAT HAS THREE VOTES
FOR ONE AGAINST. WE'LL LEAVE IT
OPEN FOR THE TIME BEING. FILE
ITEM FIVE, SB 996 WILK MOTION IS
DUE. PASS THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
NEWMAN. AYE. OCHOA. BOGH WILK.
AYE OKOBOJI. CORTEZ. CORTEZ.
GLAZER GONZALEZ. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. NØ.
WILK Ã. WILK. AYE. THAT MEASURE
HAS FOUR VOTES FOR ONE AGAINST.
WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN. FILE ITEM
SIX, SB 1435. OH, WE ALREADY DID
THAT ONE. FILE ITEM SEVEN SB
1445 CORTEZ MOTION IS TO PASS AS
AMENDED. CURRENT VOTE IS FOR
EYES AND NO NOS WITH THE CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR VOTING AYE.
GLAZER. GONZALEZ. WILK. AYE
WILK. AYE. THAT MEASURE HAS FIVE
VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN. FILE
ITEM EIGHT SB 1080. NEWMAN.
MOTION IS DUE PASSED. THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN. NEWMAN. AYE. OCHOA. BOGH
AYE. OKOBOJI. CORTEZ. CORTEZ.
GLAZER GONZALEZ. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE.
WILK. AYE. WILK. AYE. THAT
MEASURE HAS FIVE VOTES. WE'LL
LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR NOW. FILE
ITEM NINE, SB 1171. NEWMAN
MOTION IS DUE PASS. AND WE NEED
A MOTION ON THAT ONE. SO MOVED.
THANK YOU. OKAY, ONCE AGAIN SB,
1171 NEWMAN. MOTION IS DUE
PASSED A SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN. NEWMAN. AYE.
OKOBOJI OKOBOJI. CORTESE.
CORTESE. AYE. GLAZER GONZALEZ.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. AYE. WILK. WILK. AYE.
THAT MEASURE HAS FIVE VOTES.
WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN FOR THE TIME
BEING. AND LAST FILE ITEM TEN SB
1263. NEWMAN. MOTION IS Dð
PASSED A SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. THE CURRENT VOTE IS
THREE EYES AND NO NO'S, WITH THE
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR VOTING AYE.
CORTESE. CORTESE. GLAZER
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE. WILK. AYE WILK.
AYE. THAT MEASURE HAS SIX VOTES
AND WE WILL LEAVE THAT OPEN AS
WELL. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO
HAS VOTED. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE
THE ROLL OPEN FOR JUST A LITTLE
BIT LONGER FOR SENATORS GONZALEZ
AND GLAZER. AND MR. CHAIR, YOU
DID A GREAT JOB TODAY. THANK YOU
.
OKAY, LET'S REOPEN THE ROLL FOR
SENATOR GLAZER. WELCOME, SIR. I
KNOW YOU'VE BEEN CHAIRING
ANOTHER COMMITTEE. SURE. LET LET
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
THANKS. TODAY GOOD JOB. TO
PRETEND THAT THEY DON'T LIKE.
JUST SHUT UP, MIKE. SON. YEAH.
THANK YOU. KAREN, I KNOW. OH,
GOOD. WE HAVE BOTH. WE HAVE BOTH
OF OUR MISSING SENATORS. SENATOR
GONZALEZ, LET ME KNOW WHEN
YOU'RE READY. ARE YOU READY,
SENATOR GLAZER? YOU'RE READY.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM, PLEASE REOPEN
THE ROLL AND CALL THOSE AGENDA
ITEMS FOR WHICH WE NEED VOTES
FROM MISSING MEMBERS. FILE ITEM
ONE, SB 939 UMBERG. MOTION IS Dð
PASS, AS AMENDED TO SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE AYES AND NO
NO'S, WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ. GONZALEZ
AYE. ALL RIGHT. THAT MEASURE HAS
SEVEN VOTES. IT IS OUT. FILE
ITEM TWO, SB 1315. ARCHULETA.
MOTION IS Dð. PASS AS AMENDED TO
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE AYES AND NO
NO'S, WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ. GONZALEZ
AYE. THAT VOTE IS OUT. THAT
MEASURE IS OUT. SEVEN VOTES TO
ZERO. FILE ITEM THREE, SB 1348,
BRADFORD. MOTION IS DUE. PASSED
A SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE CURRENT VOTE IS FOUR
EYES AND NO NOS WITH THE CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR VOTING AYE.
GLASER. GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ. AYE. WILK. THAT
MEASURE IS OUT. SIX VOTES TO
ZERO. FILE ITEM FOR SB 1380.
DODD. MOTION IS DUE. PASSED. THE
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS THREE EYES AND
ONE NO. WITH THE CHAIR VOTING
AYE. GLASER. GLASER. NO
GONZALEZ. GONZALEZ. AYE ALL
RIGHT. THAT MEASURES HAD FOUR
VOTES TO TWO. Þ 3 TO 3. SORRY NO
NO NO NO TO TWO. OKAY, BY A LINE
OF FIVE SB 996 WILK MOTION IS
DUE. PASS TO SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS FOUR EYES AND
ONE NO. WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ.
ALL RIGHT. THAT MEASURE IS OUT.
FIVE VOTES TO ONE. OKAY FILE AND
SIX SB 1435 PHOTO. MOTION IS DUE
. PASS TO SENATE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE. THE CURRENT VOTE IS
TWO EYES AND TWO NOES WITH THE,
GLASER. OKAY. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ.
NO. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT MEASURE
FAILS WITH TWO YES VOTES AND
THREE NO VOTES. OKAY
RECONSIDERATION. SHE'S NOT HERE.
I MEAN, I'M GLAD TO GRANT
RECONSIDERING, BUT THE AUTHOR'S
NOT HERE, LET LET LET US. SHE'LL
ASK. SHE WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR
IT. LET'S LET'S GRANT THE AUTHOR
RECONSIDERATION. WITHOUT
OBJECTION. NO OBJECTION. OKAY.
FILE ITEM SEVEN, SB 1445. CORTEZ
MOTION IS DUE PASSED AS AMENDED.
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE EYES AND NO
NOS WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ. GONZALEZ
AYE. THAT MEASURE IS OUT. SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO. FILE ITEM EIGHT,
SB 1080. NEWMAN. MOTION IS DUE
PASSED. THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE AYES AND NO
NO'S WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING AYE. GLASER GLASER.
AYE. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ. AYE.
THAT MEASURE IS THAT. SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO. CALDERON FILE
ITEM NINE SB 1171 NEWMAN. MOTION
IS TO PASS THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS CURRENT VOTE IS
FIVE AYES AND NO NO'S, WITH THE
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR VOTING AYE.
GLASER. GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ.
GONZALEZ AYE. HAMBURG. HAMBURG
YOU HONEST? JUST KIDDING. OKAY
THAT THAT MEASURE IS OUT. SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO WHILE. ITEM TEN,
SB 1263. NEWMAN MOTION IS DUE
PASSED THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE CURRENT VOTE IS SIX
AYES AND NO NO'S WITH THE CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR VOTING AYE.
GLASER GLASER. AYE. THANK YOU
SIR. THAT MEASURE IS OUT. SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO. THANK YOU. AND SO
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY LONG
HEARING PRODUCTIVE. THANK YOU TO
STAFF, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO
MADE THIS GO SO SMOOTHLY. THIS.