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AB-340 Postsecondary education: campus climate: report.(2015-2016)

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Enrolled  September 10, 2015
Passed  IN  Senate  September 03, 2015
Passed  IN  Assembly  September 08, 2015
Amended  IN  Senate  July 08, 2015
Amended  IN  Assembly  June 01, 2015
Amended  IN  Assembly  May 06, 2015
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 13, 2015
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 26, 2015

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2015–2016 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 340

Introduced by Assembly Member Weber
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Cooper, Cristina Garcia, and Ting)

February 13, 2015

An act to amend Section 66302 of, and to add Section 66073 to, the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 340, Weber. Postsecondary education: campus climate: report.
Existing law establishes the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
This bill would require the board and the trustees, and encourage the regents, to each generate a report once every biennium of the legislative session, commencing with the 2017–18 Regular Session, that includes specified information related to the segment’s campus climate, as defined, post the report on its Internet Web site, and submit the report to specified state bodies. For the purposes of the board’s report, the bill would require the board to request certain information from community college districts, and would provide that the board’s report shall be based on data available from participating community college districts.
Existing law requests the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each community college district to adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to be included within the rules and regulations governing student behavior, as provided.
This bill would require the Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of each community college, if they expend funds to support activities related to campus climate, as defined, to adopt and publish the above-described policies. By requiring community college districts to adopt and publish these policies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 66073 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66073.
 (a) The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California State University are required, and the Regents of the University of California are encouraged, to generate a report once every biennium of the legislative session, commencing with the 2017–18 Regular Session, that shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following as to the respective segment:
(1) New and recent administrative efforts intended to affect campus climate.
(2) Recent campus program developments that impact campus climate related to the following:
(A) Gender.
(B) Race.
(C) Ethnicity.
(D) National origin.
(E) Religion.
(F) Sexual orientation.
(G) Disability.
(H) Gender identity.
(3) Data, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
(A) Student demographic data.
(B) Crime data, including, but not limited to, the data required to be kept and disclosed in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1092(f)) and other hate crime statistics.
(b) The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California State University are required, and the Regents of the University of California are encouraged, to each post the respective segment’s report on its Internet Web site.
(c) The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall request, but not require, the information specified in paragraphs (1) and (2), and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3), of subdivision (a), from community college districts. The report of the Board of Governors shall be based on data available from participating community college districts.
(d) The report to be generated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be sent to the Governor, the Attorney General, and the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
(e) For purposes of this section, “campus climate” means a measure of an individual’s experience within a learning environment, specifically focusing on the current attitudes, practices, policies, and behaviors of campus life that impact the success and retention of all members of a campus community.

SEC. 2.

 Section 66302 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66302.
 (a) If the Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of each community college district expend funds to support activities related to campus climate, as that term is defined in subdivision (e) of Section 66073, the Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of each community college district shall adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to be included within the rules and regulations governing student behavior within their respective segments of public postsecondary education.
(b) The Regents of the University of California are requested to adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to be included within their rules and regulations governing student behavior.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that rules and regulations governing student conduct be published, at a minimum, on the Internet Web site of each public postsecondary educational campus and as part of any printed material covering those rules and regulations within the respective public postsecondary education systems.

SEC. 3.

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