Existing law requires school districts and county offices of education to develop comprehensive school safety plans for each of their schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12.
This bill applies to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools. It requires that on or before July 1, 2023, the State Department of Education (Department), in consultation with relevant local educational agencies (LEA), civil rights groups, and the Department of Justice, develop a model content that informs parents or guardians of California’s child access prevention laws and laws relating to the safe storage of firearms. The Department shall update the model content on an annual basis as needed to reflect changes in the law.
Commencing with the 2023–24 school year, LEAs maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, must provide an annual notification to the parents or guardians of pupils that includes the model content.
The bill also requires a school official that is alerted whose duties involve regular contact with pupils in any of grades 6 to 12, who are alerted to or observes any threat or perceived threat to immediately report the threat or perceived threat to law enforcement. The school official’s report shall include any documentation or any other evidence associated with the threat or perceived threat. Upon notice of the threat or perceived threat, the local law enforcement agency or school site police shall immediately conduct an investigation and threat assessment with the support of the LEA. The investigation and threat assessment must include a review of the firearm registry of the Department of Justice and, if justified by a reasonable suspicion that it would produce evidence related to the threat or perceived threat, a school site search.
Lastly, the bill provides an LEA immunity from civil liability for any damages allegedly caused by, arising out of, or relating to these provisions.
(SB 906 adds Article 8, commencing with Section 49390, to Chapter 8 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code.)