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AB-2971 Classified Employee Staffing Ratio Workgroup: community college districts.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 09/23/2024 09:00 PM
AB2971:v96#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 2971
CHAPTER 425

An act to amend Section 45118 of the Education Code, relating to classified employees.

[ Approved by Governor  September 22, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State  September 22, 2024. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2971, Maienschein. Classified Employee Staffing Ratio Workgroup: community college districts.
Existing law requires the governing board of a community college district to employ persons for positions that are not academic positions and to classify those employees and positions, and requires that they be known as the classified service.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education, in consultation with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the Department of Industrial Relations, the Labor Commissioner, representatives of employee organizations, and representatives of voluntary local educational agencies to convene the Classified Employee Staffing Ratio Workgroup on or before December 31, 2024, as provided.
Existing law defines, for the purposes of the above provision, “voluntary local educational agencies” to mean school districts, county offices of education, and special education local plan areas electing to participate in the workgroup.
This bill would broaden the definition of “voluntary local educational agencies” to include community college districts.
Existing law requires the above-mentioned workgroup to group classified assignments in a manner that reflects the environmental setting of the assignment, the type of work to be completed, the impact on the assignment made by enrollment at a schoolsite, specialized needs, including certifications or licenses, and other reasonable factors, as specified, and to recommend staffing ratios per grouping, as specified. Existing law requires the workgroup to report its recommendations to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2025, as specified.
This bill would require the workgroup to group those classified assignments described above for both K–12 and community colleges. The bill would also require the workgroup to convene on or before July 31, 2025, rather than December 31, 2024, and report its recommendations to the Legislature on or before July 31, 2026, rather than December 31, 2025.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 45118 of the Education Code is amended to read:

45118.
 (a) (1) The department, in consultation with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the Department of Industrial Relations, the Labor Commissioner, representatives of employee organizations, and representatives of voluntary local educational agencies, including, but not limited to, members of governing boards of school districts, shall convene the Classified Employee Staffing Ratio Workgroup on or before July 31, 2025.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), “voluntary local educational agencies” means school districts, county offices of education, community college districts, and special education local plan areas electing to participate in the workgroup.
(b) (1) (A) The workgroup shall group classified assignments, for both K–12 and community colleges, in a manner that reflects the environmental setting of the assignment, the type of work to be completed, the impact on the assignment made by enrollment at a schoolsite or campus, specialized needs, including certifications or licenses, and other reasonable factors.
(B) The groupings may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the categories of food service, maintenance and operations, office and technical services, paraeducators, special services, including law enforcement, and transportation services.
(2) The workgroup shall recommend staffing ratios per grouping identified pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) The workgroup shall take into account the physical, mental, and emotional impact of a pandemic or other emergency environment on workers.
(4) The staffing ratios shall compare the number of classified staff needed for each group with the number of pupils, or students, as applicable. The staffing ratio may compare other factors, as relevant to the group of classified workers.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the workgroup shall, on or before July 31, 2026, report recommendations on appropriate staffing ratios for classified employees in schools and community colleges to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code.